Shakespeare and Company, Paris - Bookshop Review
(I visited this bookshop as part of an ad, press trip with Viking Cruises, however, all opinions are my own)
I explored Paris’ famous English language bookshop and literary meeting place, Shakespeare and Company.
I arrived at the bookshop on one of those cold yet sunny winter mornings as part of an excursion with Viking Cruises. The tour guide had allocated us an hour of free time to spend as we liked, and as most of the tour group pottered off to peruse the nearby Christmas market, I rubbed my hands together with glee, knowing that I was about to visit one of my bucket list bookshops.
Although many people report having to wait in line to enter Shakespeare and Company, I was fortunate and ended up walking straight inside.
An iconic literary landmark in France’s capital city, Shakespeare and Company first opened its doors in 1951 under the name Le Mistral. The owner, George Witman, later changed the name to Shakespeare and Company after another local bookshop, which closed in 1941. The owner, Sylvia Beach, kindly passed the name to Witman, and he eventually changed the name after Sylvia’s passing in 1964.
"I created this bookstore like a man would write a novel, building each room like a chapter, and I like people to open the door the way they open a book, a book that leads into a magic world in their imaginations."
— George Whitman
Visiting the bookshop for the first time felt like experiencing a piece of literary history. Whitman described Shakespeare and Company as ‘a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore’ and famously allowed writers to stay in return for their assistance in the bookshop. He described this as ‘tumbleweeding’ and the shop today still invites writers to stay at the shop, although I imagine that the application process is very competitive!
I wasn’t too sure what to expect inside the bookshop, and realised that I had never seen any photographs or videos inside. This made a lot of sense when I arrived and saw a sign prohibiting photos in the doorway, and although I was initially disappointed that I couldn’t capture more content for my Instagram page, it was nice to have an excuse to live in the moment instead of through my phone camera.
I quickly discovered that the shop is larger than I thought it would be, with many rooms to explore. There was lots to browse, from brand new fiction and non-fiction books to exclusive Shakespeare and Company editions, books about Paris, graphic novels, and a small selection of second hand books. The shop was busy without being too crowded, and I was delighted to find a cosy library on the second floor where guests are invited to spend time with a book.
I knew that I wanted to pick up a souvenir to commemorate my visit, and after much consideration I opted for a Shakespeare and Company tote bag and an anthology of love poems, which was stamped with their logo at the checkout desk.
Now that I’ve visited Shakespeare and Company for myself, I finally understand why visitors are so enchanted by the shop, which is much more than just a place that just sells books. Shakespeare and Company is a literary meeting place, now run by Whitman’s daughter Silvia, and in recent years the organisation has added a book prize and opened a cafe. This is a special place beloved by book lovers from around the world, and I’m glad that I was finally able to see it for myself.
How to find Shakespeare and Company:
Located in Paris’ Latin Quarter, the shop is easily accessible by both bus and train. I arrived after a short walk around the local area as part of a guided tour run by Viking Cruises, and shuttles may be available from the cruise terminal.
Local taxis services and Uber are also available.
The bookshop’s full address is 37, rue de la Bûcherie, 75005, Paris.
Bookshops to visit nearby:
There’s not a shortage of bookshops to visit in Paris, and many of them are located within walking distance of Shakespeare and Company. I highly recommend stopping by The Abbey Bookshop, San Francisco Books Co, and The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore - all wonderful English language bookshops in the local area.
Don’t forget to head north and peruse the open air book market, Les Bouquinistes, where merchants sell books along the Seine.
Have you visited Shakespeare and Company? Leave a comment and let me know what you loved about it!
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