Bookstores in France
Last change: Fri 6 Aug Jul 2004 ============================================================================ Cities include (alphabetically within country; if anyone has a better ordering, let me know): Antibes, France Bordeaux, France Cannes, France Grenoble, France Lyon, France Marseille, France Nantes, France Paris, France Toulouse, France Comments other geographic areas [Note 1: I collected these comments from a variety of people. I personally have no knowledge of many of these places and take no responsibility if you buy a book you don't enjoy. :-) Phone numbers and precise addresses can be gotten by calling directory assistance for the appropriate city. Call ahead for precise hours, as even when I list them they are subject to change.] [Note 2: If you can add information for any of these, in particular addresses when they are missing, please send it to me.] [Note 3: Someone sent this for a particular store, but it applies everywhere: "Don't complain about high prices; the people in the shop don't make them, we only try to get a wide range of books and help customers as well as we can. Books might look a bit than dearer in your home country but the costs, the costs! We are not, I repeat not, a tourist office--it can be very annoying to try to do your job and being interupted a hundred times a day for the way to the Rijks-, Van Gogh or any other museum. (We are willing to sell you a map of Amsterdam and then point you in the right direction.)"] [Note 4: The telephone numbers may not be expressed entirely correctly.] ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Antibes, France: English Bookstore (Pl. Jaques Audiberti in the Old Town of Antibes, very near the old harbour). Very large selection of both paperbacks and hardcover books, also a fairly large selection of second-hand books. It's said to be the largest English bookstore in France (outside of Paris) and the prices are supposed to be the lowest in any store of its kind in France! ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Bordeaux, France: Klaatu (Librairie Francis Valery 42, rue des Ayres, 33000 Bordeaux). SF specialty shop. ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Cannes, France: Cannes English Bookshop (11, Rue Bivouac-Napoleon - 06400, 93-99-40-08). Rather famous (and very good). It's been around for some years. ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Grenoble, France: Arthaud (Grand Rue). The big general bookstore, which has everything. Glenat (avenue Alsace-Lorraine). For "bandes dessinees" (comix French-style). Get "Le Dahu" (the local alternative/student guidebook, updated annually) for reviews of other bookshops. ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Lyon, France: Decitre Bookstore (Place Bellecour). "On one side of the square you have the English and educational books in one shop. On the other side of the square you have another shop with French literature." [02/04] Eton (just off the Western side of Place Bellecour). This is an English-language book shop. The shop is quite small but manages to have a decent selection of everything from SF to Shakespere. FNAC (in the Centre Commercial de la Part Dieu [a shopping mall just across from the main station in Lyon] and the other just off Place Bellecour). Both quite large with a small selection of English-language books as well (quite an odd mix, though, with an emphasis on books for those learning English). FNAC is not just a bookshop, but covers CDs, photographic equipment, computers, etc., as well. Flammerion (just off the North side of Place Bellecour). "I can't remember seeing much in the way of material in English here, but not bad if you're looking for French literature." [This part contributed by Gavin Brebner.] ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Marseille, France: FNAC (in the shopping center "Centre Bourse," near the Canebiere). Another very big general bookstore, has also nearly everything. La Passerelle (Rue des Trois Mages, just off the Cours Julien district). "Cafe/bookshop with one of the best selections of French indy comics and graphiste publications. An exhibition area upstairs, grafitti by visiting French comic artists in the toilet." Virgin Megastore (rue Saint-Ferreol). The biggest general bookstore, which has nearly everything (also comics, SF, music, ...). Nice cafe inside at one story of the bookstore. Very few non-French books. ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Nantes, France: l'Atalante (15 rue des Vieilles Douves, 44 000 Nantes). [Surely the home of Jules Verne must have more than this!] ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Paris, France: Abbey Bookshop (rue de la Parcheminerie). Canadian bookstore, specializing in Canadian books, but also carrying a large supply of British and US books. Brentano's (37, avenue de l'Opera, 400m from the Opera, 75002 Paris, Tel 01-42-61-52-50). American bookstore, with specialized sections, French books and a newsstand that carries American mags. Very large array of fantasy and SF paperbacks just to the right of the main entrance. The Horror section is separate. Very few hardbacks, located near the cashier No comics to speak of. Will take orders. Cosmos 2000 (17 rue de l'Arc de Triomphe, 75017 Paris). SF specialty shop. FNAC Montparnasse (136 rue de Rennes) and FNAC Forum (1 rue Pierre Lescot). The big store for French books. "I recommend the one at the Forum des Halles, the huge mall where Les Halles fruit and vegetable market used to be. They do carry books in English as well." Has other shops in Paris as well as elswehere in France. [12/94] Galignani (224 rue de Rivoli, Paris I). Was the bookstore of the expatriates of the lost generation, and countless others. Has managed (for how long?) to preserve the same decor, and same atmosphere. Good selection of current fiction, paperbacks. Also magazines (art, fashion and decoration; French, British and American), and current French titles. Many books on the arts in general. Gibert Jeune (179 Bd. St-Michel and other locations). Stores a very comprehensive range of textbooks (French and international) on all subjects, paperbacks, art books, guides, literature, comics, records, video and recently videogames. The main store has a 5th floor full of foreign literature (many languages) and self-teaching language methods. A good source of used paperback SF. Used books are generally mingled with new ones. For technical and scientific books, also look at the store on Place St-Michel. Also in other big towns. L'Harmattan (rue des Ecoles). Specializes in both Africa and other parts of the developing world with books in many languages including English. Henri Vignes (57 rue St-Jacques, 43.25.32.59). Used books. Jean Charles le Carreres (21 rue Mayet, Metro Duroc, 45.66.04.69). Used books on transportation-related subjects. Open Thu-Sat 16h-19h. "Tea and Tattered Pages" is across the street. Junkudo (18, rue des Pyramides 75001; 01-42-60-89-12, FAX 01-49-27-04-84, http://www.junku.fr/) "Japanese books, magazines and French books on Japan. Also CDs, videos, origami paper, etc. Chain based in Osaka." Librairie Breizh (near the Gare Montparnasse). Books and music about Britanny and the Celtic world in general. Librairie du Pacifique (near the Sorbonne). A good range of books on Polynesia. Librairie Le Moniteur Odeon (7, place de l'Odéon, 75006, 01-44-41-15-75, FAX 01-40-51-85-98). "From very technical manuals on concrete to art books on architecture, the best for architecture in Paris." Open Mon-Sat 10h-19h. [07/03] Librairie Gourmande (4, rue Dante, Paris 5). For those who are interested in books about food and cooking. Some books in English, but a large and good selection in French. La Memoire du Sport (103 rue de Paris, 94220, CHARENTON LE PONT, 01-48-93-10-10, metro Charenton-Ecoles (close to Paris)). "A bookshop entirely devoted to sports, used and recently printed, with a big part coming from foreign countries. Leading for football, athletics, boxing, but also good for others." Does mail order. Open Mon-Fri. Presence Africaine (rue des Ecoles). Specializes in African books (mainly in French). The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore (22 rue St Paul 75004, 01-48-04-75-08, red.wheelbarrow@wanadoo.fr). Books in English. Open Mon-Sat 10h-19h, Sun 12H-17H. [08/04] The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore (13 rue Charles V, 75004, 01-42-77-42-17). Children's books. Open Wed-Sat 10h-18h30, Sun afternoons. [08/04] Un Regard Moderne (12, rue Git-Le-Coeur, Metro St. Michel). "It's a very short street with only one bookstore on it, so it's easy to find. Specialises in surrealism, comics, detective and SF, some erotica (at the back on the right) and art books. Prices very competetive; many remainders, and some antiquarian items. There is no apparent order to the place; it's small and cluttered, with books piled up everywhere. Great place." [07/03] San Francisco Books (rue Monsieur le Prince, Metro Odeon). Books in English. Shakespeare and Co. (27 rue de la Bucherie near St. Michel across the Seine from Notre Dame). Probably the best known English bookstore in Paris, even more than WH Smith or Brentanos. The bookstore has an excellent collection of non-fiction with some rare prints in stock. There is a small but decent collection of paperback mysteries and SF paperbacks. A lot of good European travel guides are available. "Shakespeare's deals mainly in used books though they have a few new titles on display. The bookstore itself is rather musty and old-worldish. A steep flight of stairs leads you to a reading room on the first (American second) floor where there are some rare, out-of-print books not for sale." Le Sportsman (7 rue Henri Duchene, 750015, 01-45-79-38-93, Metro Emile Zola). "The leading bookshop on sport antiquariat and sport used books/magazines. Very known for cycling, Olympics, boxing, motor racing, football, physical education and all other sports even the less known." Open Monday and Friday only. Tea and Tattered Pages (24, Rue Mayet, about ten minutes' walk from Gare De Montparnasse though the nearest metro is Duroc, 75006 Paris, 01-40-55-94-35). This is a used bookstore dealing almost exclusively in fiction. The selection is pretty good. You can find some out of print books here if you look long enough. The plus point abut this store is the low price tags on the books. Almost all the books sell for less than 25 francs (about US$4). Towards the back of the shop is a small tea room where you can get American style munchies like bagels and cream cheese and read some English newspapers and magazines while sipping your tea. Touzot (38 rue Saint Sulpice et 22 rue des Quatre-vents, 75278 Paris, 01-43-26-03-88). Transmondia (Rue Douai, Metro Place Clichy or Blanche). Nice selection of books on railroad topics, both European and American. Also N Gauge model trains. The Village Voice (6, rue Princesse, Paris 6). A nice store; only books in the English language. Some readings by poets or writers coming through town. The owner is a pleasant lady who has lived in the US, and knows the current literature. Virgin Megastore (Champs Elysees). Music and books, particularly in the field of art and design. W. H. Smith (rue de Rivoli near the American Embassy and the Concorde Place). Large English bookstore, carries about everything from comics to videotapes. The SF/Fantasy/Horror section is now at the bottom of the store, near the rear entrance. Hardbacks are displayed on the top of the shelf, with some of the newest paperbacks. The fantasy and SF are mixed; the horror books use a separate third of the back shelf. More expensive in the average than Brentano's. ? (13 rue Charles V 75004, 01-42-77-42-17). Children's bookstore, French and English. [07/04] There are 3 Judaica bookstores in Rue des Rosiers, in the Jewish quarter. (Metro Saint Paul--ironic, isn't it?). "Don't know the name of the shop I'm about to recommend, but it is on a corner of the place Sulpice, where the famous church is. It's a huge, barn of a shop run by publisher Jean-jacques Pauvert. Very good general stock, tendency toward avant-garde and surrealism. Used books mixed in with the new. It's close enough to walk to from Un Regard Moderne." "You really should walk up (and down) the Boulevard Saint Michel to see a wide variety of new and used bookstores. ..." "You really should walk up (and down) the Boulevard Saint Michel to see a wide variety of new and used bookstores. ["Also the Boulevard Saint Germain and Rue des Ecoles, which intersect Saint Michel" says another poster.] Most, of course, sell primarily French books but many carry some English books. Either side of the Seine round Boulevard St. Michel and Notre Dame are the bouquinistes, the little stalls selling not only second hand books (almost all in French) but also prints, postcards old and new, old newspapers and magazines, etc. There is also a book market at Parc George Brassens, rue Brancion (Metro: Porte de Vanves or Convention) open Saturday and Sunday from 9.30 to 6. Most of the books are in French but last time I was there they had quite a few in Russian and Spanish, though very few in English." Of Shakespeare & Co., Bill Bryson says in his NEITHER HERE NOR THERE: "... a wonderfully gloomy English-language bookstore full of cobwebs and musty smells and old forgotten novels by writers like Warwick Deeping. Plump chairs and sagging sofas were scattered about the rooms and on each a young person in intellectual-looking glasses was curled up reading one of the proprietor's books, evidently from cover to cover (I saw one owlish young man turn down the corner of a page and replace the book on its shelf before scowling at me and departing into the night). The bookstore had an engagingly clubby atmosphere, but how it stays in business I have no idea. Not only was the guy at the till conspicuously underemployed--only at the most considerable of intervals did he have to stir from his own book to transact a small sale--but the store's location, on the banks of the Seine in the very shadow of Notre-Dame, must surely push its rent into the stratosphere. Anywhere else in the world Shakespeare & Co. would be a souvenir emporium, selling die-cast models of the cathedral, Quasimodo ashtrays, slide strips, postcards, and Ooh-La-La T-shirts, or else one of those high-speed cafes where the waiters dash around frantically, leaving you waiting forty minutes before taking your order, and then make it clear that you have twenty-five seconds to drink your coffee, eat your baba rum and clear off, and don't even *think* about asking for a glass of water if you don't want spit in it. How it has managed to escape this dismal fate is a miracle, but it left me in the right admiring frame of mind, as I wandered back to my hotel through the dark streets, to think that Paris was a very fine place indeed." ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Toulouse, France: Bedecine (7 rue Romiguieres, 31000 Toulouse, +33-61-12-11-85). SF specialty shop. ============================================================================ ------------------------------ Comments: You can also try http://www.lexlibris.com for French used books. ========================================================================== Copyright Notice Information contained in this FAQ is compiled from many sources. The compiler accepts no responsibility for the comments contained herein. The comments are provided "as is" with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. 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Evelyn C. Leeper
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