The Abbey Bookshop, Paris - Bookshop Review
(I visited this bookshop as part of an ad, press trip with Viking Cruises, however, all opinions are my own)
Located in Paris’ Latin Quarter, The Abbey Bookshop is an independently owned Canadian bookshop specialising in English language books.
I was excited to finally visit this bookshop during a press trip with Viking Cruises, which involved sailing down the Seine on a roundtrip from Paris.
Left with just one afternoon to explore the Latin Quarter amidst a busy itinerary, I set about visiting as many English language bookshops as I could, including the similarly famous Shakespeare and Company which is just a short walk away.
The Abbey Bookshop was launched in 1989 by Canadian bookseller Brian Spence, and is thought to
stock around 40,000 individual titles spanning a wide variety of genres. This was surprising to me as the shop itself felt relatively small and cavern like (in the best way possible), with narrow pathways snaking through towering shelves of books.
Although I visited relatively late in the day, the shop was filled with customers, which is always a good sign for a bookshop but did make it difficult to explore. Unlike most other book retailers, The Abbey Bookshop sells both new and used books, as well as fiction and non-fiction, resulting in stock that is truly eclectic.
The shop itself is mostly based across one floor, with a small basement that can be accessed by a narrow set of stairs to the immediate left of the main entrance. I decided against venturing down during my visit as it seemed like a tight squeeze, with a sign on the stairway politely requesting that visitors leave their bags at the counter.
In my opinion, part of the shop’s enduring charm is due to the historic building that it’s based in. You may recognise its iconic facade from Instagram, which is well loved and commonly photographed by guests.
This is definitely somewhere that every book lover needs to visit while in Paris!
How to find The Abbey Bookshop
You can find the Abbey Bookshop in Paris’ Latin Quarter at 29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, just across the river from the Notre Dame cathedral.
For those travelling with Viking Cruises, shuttle buses into the city are often available in addition to local trains and buses. During my visit I travelled from the cruise terminal by Uber, which cost around £25 each way.
Are there other bookshops to visit nearby?
Paris has a huge selection of bookshops to visit, and many of them are within walking distance of The Abbey Bookshop. Shakespeare and Company, of course, is arguably the city’s most famous bookshop and just a few streets away.
Keep walking north towards the river and you’ll find Paris’ Bouquinistes - the famous booksellers who sell books and other souvenirs from green boxes by the Seine. In the opposite direction you’ll find another two wonderful English language bookshops: The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore and San Fransisco Book Co, both of which are worth visiting.
Please leave a comment and let me know if you’ve visited The Abbey Bookshop!
More Blog Posts
Shakespeare and Company Bookshop Review
The Best English Language Bookshops to Visit in Paris