The Best English Language Bookshops to Visit in Paris
A city beloved by bibliophiles, Paris is packed with stunning bookshops, libraries and literary cafes.
For those interested in literary history, you really are spoilt for choice. Follow in the footsteps of Hemingway by dining at Brasserie Lipp, and sip coffee with Oscar Wilde at Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. You can even visit the home of the famous French author Victor Hugo, who penned The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables.
Paris has continued to embrace and champion the written word, and you’ll find dozens of bookshops to visit around the city. There are even a number of booksellers that specialise in English language books, making these shops a must visit for English speakers.
Here are the best bookshops to visit in Paris that sell English language books.
Shakespeare and Company
Perhaps the most famous bookshop on this list, Shakespeare and Company has been an international hub for writers since it opened in 1951.
Here you’ll find an extensive selection of new books in a variety of genres, as well as some second hand books and a cafe. No photos are allowed to be taken inside, but for me that just adds to the intrigue.
To read more about my visit to Shakespeare and Company, read my blog post here.
Address: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
San Francisco Books Company
This has to be one of my favourite finds in Paris! Easily spotted by its bright red exterior, San Francisco Book Co is a wonderful used bookseller specialising in English books.
It’s the kind of place you’ll want to spend a good hour rummaging through looking for hidden gems, with affordable prices and a cosy atmosphere.
One of the newer bookshops on this list, the San Fransisco Book Company has had its doors open in Paris since 1997.
Address: 17 Rue Monsieur le Prince, 75006 Paris
The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore
One of my favourite finds, the Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore is made up of two bookshops on Paris’ Left Bank. They initially set up shop on 2001, and after moving and expanding multiple times over the years, they’re set to take over a third premises soon.
The Red Wheelbarrow specialises in new books written in English. You can find books for adults in number 11, and bilingual books for children in their number 9 bookshop, The Red Balloon. I’m excited to return and see what they do with their third bookshop.
Here is the poem where the bookshop found its unique name:
The Red Wheelbarrow
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.
- William Carlos Williams
Address: No. 11 rue de Medicis and No. 9 rue de Medicis, 75006 Paris
The Abbey Bookshop
Another famous Paris bookshop, the Abbey Bookshop was founded in 1989 by Canadian bookseller Brian Spence.
The shop is based in a gorgeous protected building and stocks a variety of new, used and antiquarian titles. It’s thought that they have more than 40,000 individual books in total, so make sure you’ve aside enough time for browsing!
I’ve written a full review of this bookshop which you can read here.
Address: 29 rue de la parcheminerie Paris, France 75005
Smith & Son
Technically an overseas branch of the British bookseller WHSmith, Smith & Son is the largest English language bookshop in Paris.
The original site was founded in 1870 by the Neal brothers, with a tearoom that followed in 1950. It has since been completely refurbished and provides a cosy hideaway from the busy streets of Paris.
There are two branches that you can visit in the city, so I have provided the address of the largest one (although I’ve heard that the smaller branch is lovely too!)
Address: 248 rue de Rivoli, 75040 Paris France
The following bookshops do not specialise exclusively in English language books, but are known to sell an extensive selection for English speakers.
Librairie Galignani
Stocked with a mixture of French and English books, Librarie Glignani was first opened in 1801 by Giovanni Antonio Galignani. Here you can find English language books in all genres, and a comprehensive selection of French books about art history.
Interestingly, this section was set up during the Nazi occupation, when retailing English books was banned. The shop is still a family run affair today, with beautiful dark wood shelves that date back to the 1930s.
Address: 224 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
The Bouquinistes of Paris
You can’t visit Paris without paying a visit to the Seine’s resident booksellers!
Selling books by the river is a fabulous tradition in Paris which dates back to the 1600s. Traders store their wares in green boxes mounted on the wall by the Seine, something which became a protected UNESCO world heritage site in 1992.
Today, visitors can buy second hand and antiquarian books, prints and postcards from one of the many individual booksellers.
Address: Bords de Seine - du Pont Marie au quai Voltaire, 75004 Paris
Brentano’s
This American bookshop has been a staple of the Paris bookselling world since 1895. Alongside a wide variety of English language books you’ll also find a selection of cards and gifts.
Address: 37 avenue de l'Opéra, 75002 Paris
I hope that I’ve inspired you to book a visit to Paris to explore its many bookshops for yourself! If you’ve been, please leave a comment letting me know which one is your favourite.
More Blog Posts
Inside Shakespeare and Company, Paris
The Abbey Bookshop, Paris Review
Viking River Cruise Review - Christmas on the Seine