My Favorite Independent Bookshops in Paris
Books are my constant companions, making delays on the metro more tolerable and shielding me from my own impatience waiting for a tardy friend at a café. They offer a welcomed escape into my native language when French conversations leave me frustrated and confused. In those moments when I need a pick-me-up, a bookstore has always been my refuge. Unfortunately, in a city famously known for inspiring anglophone writers like Ernest Hemingway, Oliver Wilde, Gertrude Stein, and Sylvia Beach (the founder of the original Shakespeare and Company), finding options for purchasing English books in Paris can prove elusive.
Nonetheless, I’ve curated a short list of my favorite English bookshops, each with its own distinctive character.
Most Unique Experience: The Red Wheelbarrow
Nestled on Rue de Médicis in the 6th arrondissement, the Red Wheelbarrow exudes charm. The presence of Luxembourg Gardens directly across the street provides a touch of tranquillity and allows tree-filtered golden light to flow into the large, latticed front windows.
The Red Wheelbarrow distinguishes itself as the most compact among the bookshops on this list. Every nook and cranny of the store is utilized, creating an immersive experience where stacks of books adorn every conceivable surface—from the commanding display tables to the bench placed before the windows and the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, sometimes arranged two rows deep.
The intimate setting adds a unique charm to the shopping experience. Penelope, the welcoming owner, is always ready to guide and assist you in your literary exploration. The close quarters foster hushed conversations among patrons, transforming the act of perusing books into a communal affair, where recommendations flow freely, breaking the silence that often envelops bookstores.
When it comes to the selection, the layout is straightforward—the non-fiction realm unfolds to your right and fiction extends to your left and into a nook tucked behind the help desk. While a modest selection of the latest releases is available, the Red Wheelbarrow places a greater emphasis on titles gracing the likes of the Booker Prize list than those trending on social media. The eclectic and diverse collection invites visitors to wander the shelves without a specific book in mind, encouraging delightful surprises as a book eventually captures their attention and speaks to their literary soul.
Largest Selection: Smith and Sons
With a central Paris location on Rue de Rivoli close to Place de la Concorde since 1870, this enduring British bookshop extends across two floors and boasts what I consider to be one of the largest selections of English books in Paris. The ground floor, renovated in 2021, has a modern and sleek feel with wide aisles for an easy and relaxed browsing experience. The fiction selection on the ground floor blends classics, curated booksellers’ picks, and the latest recommendations from Bookstagram and Booktube. Considering that I follow many reader accounts on social media, I can always rely on Smith and Sons to have the book that I want in stock.
Ascending the creaking stairs in a wood-panelled corridor to the first floor, the ambiance shifts to a bygone era. This upper level houses the non-fiction and children’s sections, but its pièce de résistance is the tearoom, which features some of the original coats of arms, plaster moldings, and wood workings. The menu offers local Brits a little taste of home with menu items like shepherd’s pie, coronation chicken, and, of course, tea and scones with clotted cream and jam.
In addition to books, a press section is nestled at the back of the ground floor and stocks what Smith and Sons boasts to be “the largest choice of international fashion magazines in Europe.”
Grandest Ambiance: Librairie Galignani
Also located on Rue de Rivoli, Librairie Galignani offers a complementary experience to Smith and Sons. Where the former tends to offer books with mass appeal, the latter offers a more niche selection.
Librairie Galignani has been in operation since 1801 and claims to be the first English bookshop established on the continent. Since its opening, the selection has expanded to include French books.
With parquet floors, towering dark-wood shelves, and two expansive skylights illuminating both the International Fine Arts department and the English department, Librairie Galignani offers a sumptuous and warm environment for book browsing.
The opulence of the atmosphere is reflected in the curated book selection. Positioned beneath the central skylight, the beaux art section beckons with glossy, vibrantly-colored coffee table books spanning fashion, jewelry, photography, and museum exhibition catalogs. Yet, Librairie Galignani is not just a haven for the aesthetically inclined reader; it proudly offers a haven for non-fiction enthusiasts.
Amidst the latest British and American publications, this independent bookstore offers a distinguished selection of translated fiction books adjacent to its non-fiction selection of works in economics, history, philosophy, business, and memoir. The store prides itself in featuring rarely-represented university press titles, serving as a testament to the store's commitment to providing a unique and enriching literary experience.
Unique Bookish Finds: Brentano’s
The previous shops on this list have been my steadfast favorites for years. Brentano’s, on the other hand, is a very recent discovery. Located equidistant from Palais Garnier and the Louvre on Avenue de l’Opéra, Brentano’s is Paris’s nearest equivalent to Hallmark while still technically being a bookshop. In short, it would be more accurate to describe Brentano’s as a labyrinth housing all things paper including those hallucinogenic bounds of shredded-up trees that we all call books.
Approximately 30 percent of the space is dedicated to unassuming book displays that predominantly feature the latest fiction releases complemented by a selection of bilingual and non-fiction books related to French culture and history.
The remaining expanse is a treasure trove of stationery, postcards, greeting cards, art posters, decorative signage in a mixture of French and English, along with a myriad of decorative items like Christmas ornaments, picture frames, and bookshelf accessories like globes, picture frames, figurines, book-shaped storage boxes, and bookends.
Brentano’s distinguishes itself as a fantastic destination for procuring gifts tailored to any bookish decorating tastes.