Nothing is quite as romantic as a Paris bookstore. Paris has captivated bibliophiles and birthed authors alike. Leading writers like Charles Baudelaire and George Sand were born in the French capital. And with the Parisian architecture and coffee shop culture, there are millions of scenic spots across the city to curl up with a good read. Bookshops in Paris are little havens of paperbacks that continue this artistic legacy and lifestyle. You can shop for your next read, browse classic titles, and even grab a coffee at some bookstores. If you visit Paris, add a few bookstores to your itinerary.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the best English bookstores in Paris. For most tourists, bookshops in Paris are more enjoyable when accessible to non-French speakers. If you fit this category, add these English bookshops in Paris to your must-visit list. This way, you’ll be soaking up words, not just atmosphere.
1. Shakespeare and Company
Ask most tourists what the best bookshop in Paris is, and Shakespeare and Company will get a mention. This renowned bookstore sits just across Petit Pont Cardinal Lustiger bridge, next to the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral. Its green-emblazoned exterior is an easy spot. And there’s a world-famous bookstore and cafe to be found inside. Its exterior is traditional and rustic. It has wooden bookshelves packed from floor to ceiling with paperbacks. Exposed wooden beams stretch over rough-cut tables filled by coffee drinkers.
This Paris bookstore opened in 1951 and has retained a bohemian vibe. You can browse a mixture of used and new books, all printed in English. It is easily one of the most iconic English bookstores in Paris. Meanwhile, if you want a cafe-meets-bookstore experience, it’s Paris’s best option. It’s a literary institution in its own right, with past visitors including Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce.
2. San Francisco Book Company
San Francisco Book Company is a beautiful English bookstore in Paris. Its bright red exterior is hard to miss, and its interior offers rows and rows of used books to scan. It has plenty of rare books and prices start around the relatively modest 5 euro mark. San Francisco Book Company is functional – running solely as a bookstore, not a cafe. Yet, its real draw is its non-touristy nature. Compared to other bookshops in Paris, you won’t find tourist crowds at San Francisco Book Company.
For a quieter English bookstore in Paris, the San Francisco Book Company is brilliant. The store opened in 1977 and is right next to the Université Paris Cité and Jardin du Luxembourg. Jardin du Luxembourg is especially worth a detour to enjoy a read outdoors in summer..
3. Smith & Son
Smith & Son is one of the most modern-looking English bookstores in Paris. It has a sleek layout with a dark color scheme and patterned wooden flooring. It’s more functional than traditional or full of character like other Paris bookshops. But this refocuses attention on the books, which is a nice touch. To buy a perfect book with minimal fuss – and without sifting through disorganized piles – Smith & Son is an easy recommendation.
Smith & Son is in Le Marais, just a short walk from the National Archives Museum and the Louvre. The neighborhood has a reputation for everything fashionable and hip. There are plenty of boutiques and galleries, and Smith & Son fits right in.
4. The Abbey Bookshop
If you want another iconic English bookshop in Paris, the Abbey Bookshop is a striking choice. This stone-exterior Paris bookstore has towering bookshelves and tiny passageways for visitors to squeeze through and browse titles. The Abbey Bookshop has a cluttered academic aesthetic and is a romantic spot to buy your next read. With two storeys to explore and over 40,000 books scattered throughout, you will surely find a match.
Rather than drinking coffee at Shakespeare and Company, the Abbey Bookshop is a traditional bookstore experience. It facilitates shopping rather than coffee dates. As an independent bookshop, it’s a great place to pick up used and new titles. It’s also fun to soak up a maximalist take on book storage. The Abbey Bookshop opened in 1989 and is a popular spot for finding English titles.
5. The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore
The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore is retro and iconic. It is easy to spot, with a baby-blue painted exterior and bold red lettering. Inside has a casual formality. It offers a middle ground between the rigid organization at Smith & Son and the cluttered Abbey Bookshop. The Red Wheelbarrow is comfortable and blessed with a great selection of titles. Expect floor-to-ceiling wooden bookshelves and tables with wobbly piles of paperbacks. This shop sells mostly new titles at reasonable prices. It is quieter than Shakespeare and Company, yet still a much-loved haunt. For an independent, owner-run bookshop, the Red Wheelbarrow is beautiful, with lots of title choices.
This Paris bookstore is right next to Jardin du Luxembourg. Grab a book and bring a blanket to read outside, weather permitting.
6. Librairie Galignani
Despite its Italian-sounding name, Librairie Galignani is one of the best English bookshops in Paris. This bookstore has an elegant, deep green-painted storefront and a spacious interior. The partial glass roof is a nice touch, too. It offers lots of natural lighting and the bonus of soft background noise on a rainy day. And the actual selection of books is enormous; you can find a range of titles and genres in both French and English. It’s also popular for its translated section, with English versions of East Asian classics.
Librairie Galignani is one of the best English bookstores in Paris. It has a variety of titles and a brilliant choice of translated works. It is also superbly located on Rue de Rivoli overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries.
7. Taschen Store Paris
Taschen is like a little museum. Its elegant and modern design has yellow and orange lighting, giving its shelved books an exhibit-like flair. Taschen is actually a publishing house. The publishers opened a bookshop in Paris to grow in a more customer-facing manner. As such, Taschen hosts lots of author meet-and-greets and book-signing events. It’s brilliant for anyone interested in literary events. Just check ahead of time to see if there are events coinciding with your visit.
As for the books, you can find anything from comics to photography books and classics. Taschen is on the busy Place du Grand Réré intersect. The bookstore straddles the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Monnaie, the 6th arrondissement’s oldest neighborhood.
