Things to Do in Paris for Book Lovers
Are you looking for the best things to do in Paris for book lovers?
Read on for my ultimate literary guide to Paris, France! This city has inspired countless generations of writers over the centuries, and it’s not hard to see why — Paris is the perfect muse, a beautiful and romantic place. Because of its storied history, Paris is full of notable literary landmarks.
This makes Paris the ideal destination for bibliophiles. Paris is extra special for me because I lived here during college, in one of the most literary areas of the city (right between Saint-Germain-des-Près and the Latin Quarter), and I’ve returned to explore even more of the city multiple times since then.
Below, you’ll find my hand-picked recommendations for how to spend a bookish trip to Paris:
1. Visit Shakespeare and Company
The most iconic bookstore in Paris is Shakespeare and Company. Situated on the Left Bank of the Seine, just a stone’s throw from Notre Dame, this bookstore has been a haven for readers for more than a century.
The original location was opened in 1919 by Sylvia Beach, a few streets away from the present-day bookstore. Her Shakespeare and Company was a hub for the 1920s Lost Generation of American writers in Paris, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce.
After World War II, Sylvia Beach passed on the bookstore to George Whitman, an American serviceman who was enchanted by Paris and stayed there. He reopened the bookstore in 1951 in its current location, and it became a gathering place for Beat Generation writers like Allen Ginsberg, Anaïs Nin, and James Baldwin.
These days, Shakespeare and Company is a sanctuary for readers, its many ramshackle rooms piled high with books. I’ve noticed that this bookstore has become really popular in recent years, and there’s often a line to go inside, so I recommend visiting first thing in the morning when it opens to avoid that.
I’ve written a whole guide to this bookstore if you want to read that before you go.
2. Check out other great bookstores
Shakespeare and Company isn’t the only amazing bookstore in Paris.
You should also visit Librairie Galignani, the oldest English language bookstore in Paris (pictured at the very top of this guide.) This bookstore opened in 1801 on Rue de Rivoli, and it was not only the first bookstore in Paris to carry English books, but the first bookstore in all of continental Europe to do so.
Back across the Seine on the Left Bank, San Francisco Book Company is another great English language bookstore (I bought books for my classes here in college!), along with The Abbey Bookshop.
3. Visit the oldest public library in Paris
Two libraries in Paris made my list of the most beautiful libraries in the world, but one is easier to visit as a tourist than the other, and it also happens to be the oldest public library in Paris!
Mazarine Library dates back to 1643, when it was established by Cardinal Mazarin as his personal library. Today, it’s the ultimate retreat for bibliophiles, offering a beautiful, quiet place to read, work, or study. The location of this library is excellent, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, right along the Seine.
Visitors can enter any time the library is open, and there are free guided tours offered at the end of the day. You can also get a free five-day pass for the library if you’d like to use the facilities.
4. Browse the bouquinistes along the Seine
The green-painted wooden stalls of the bouquinistes are ubiquitous as you stroll along the Seine. The riverfront vendors have a long legacy in Paris. They’ve been peddling their wares since the 16th century!
Traditionally, the bouquinistes are open-air booksellers, offering used and antique books. However, you’ll also find artwork, photography, maps, old postcards, and other mementos for sale.
You’ll find these little wooden booths along both banks of the river, with the highest concentration between Île Saint-Louis and the Louvre. They’re usually open from early morning until dusk. If you’re looking for unique bookish souvenirs in Paris, spend some time browsing these riverfront stalls.
5. Go to Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots
Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots are two neighboring cafes on Boulevard Saint-Germain, and both are Left Bank institutions with a storied literary history, dating back to the late 19th century.
These two cafes have attracted many famous patrons, including American expat writers like Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce, French existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, and countless other authors, artists, and philosophers who gathered at the tables for lively debates.
Either of these cafes is the perfect place to stop for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee. If the weather is nice, you can sit outside on the sidewalk, while a cozy table by the window is perfect on a cold or rainy day.
I’ve been to both of these cafes, and I can honestly say that they’re more than a little overpriced for what you get. However, it’s more about the overall experience than the food, which is just fine, but pricy.
6. Take a literary walking tour
Taking a literary walking tour is a great way to discover more of Paris and its literary history. Although I have not yet done this myself in Paris, I’ve researched a couple of the best tours for you.
This guided tour of the Left Bank focuses on Lost Generation writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, William Faulkner, and Ezra Pound. You’ll visit their former residences and see the cafes where they spent time in Paris during the post-war period of the 1920s and 1930s in Paris.
Another great option if you’re specifically interested in Ernest Hemingway is this guided tour of Hemingway’s favorite haunts. You’ll discover many of the writer’s favorite places that inspired his memoir, A Moveable Feast. You’ll also touch on some of the other Lost Generation writers on this tour, too.
7. Visit a literary museum
Paris is home to several great literary museums! My top recommendation would be the Maison de Victor Hugo, which was the home of French writer Victor Hugo for 16 years in the mid-19th century.
The museum is located right on the exclusive Place des Vosges in the Marais. It features exhibits on Victor Hugo’s life and beautiful rooms with period furniture. Best of all, it’s totally free to enter! This is one of my favorite free museums in Paris, and a must-visit for any lovers of literature.
Two other literary museums that I have not personally visited yet are the Maison de Balzac and the Museum of Romantic Life. The first is the former residence of the French writer Honoré de Balzac, while the second is dedicated to the life and works of the French writer George Sand.
8. Stroll around Père Lachaise Cemetery
A cemetery might not seem like the most obvious tourist attraction, but Père Lachaise Cemetery is a special place. Located in the 20th arrondissement, slightly outside the center of Paris, this sprawling cemetery occupies more than 110 acres and feels more like a hilly park than a traditional gravesite.
The cemetery is the final resting place for as many as one million people, although there are officially 70,000 graves. Many of these graves are for notable figures, including well-known writers. Among the most famous graves here are those of Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Colette, Honoré de Balzac, and Molière.
In addition to writers, you’ll find the graves of notable musical figures here, from Jim Morrison to Edith Piaf to Frédéric Chopin. The cemetery is a peaceful, contemplative place to wander for a couple of hours.
9. Visit the Panthéon
If you don’t have time to add Père Lachaise Cemetery to your Paris itinerary, you might find it easier to visit the Panthéon instead. This monument in the Latin Quarter dates back to the 18th century. It was originally constructed as a church, but during the French Revolution, it was decided that it would serve as a mausoleum for distinguished French citizens, modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, Italy.
Dozens of notable figures have been interred here or commemorated here over the centuries, including several literary figures. Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, and Alexandre Dumas are all entombed here. Other notable people from history, like the scientist Marie Curie, are entombed at the Panthéon.
10. Go to a literary restaurant or bar
Finally, one of the best things to do in Paris for book lovers is go to a literary restaurant or bar.
One of my top picks would be Le Procope, officially the oldest restaurant in Paris (dating back to 1686), and a popular gathering place for writers and thinkers like Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as early American emissaries to Paris like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Another dinner recommendation would be Les Editeurs, just down the street. My apartment in Paris actually overlooked this cozy restaurant, which has a literary-inspired theme and interior.
When it comes to bars, treat yourself to an evening at Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris. This wood-paneled bar was a favorite spot of the American writer in the 1920s. Arrive early to get a seat — it’s tiny.
Where to Stay in Paris for Book Lovers
If you want to have a truly unique experience in Paris, book yourself a stay at a literary hotel!
These are my top picks for the best hotels in Paris for book lovers:
- L’Hôtel: In the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this five-star boutique hotel is the ultimate literary escape. It also just so happens to be located in the final Parisian home of Oscar Wilde.
- Le Pavillon des Lettres: Located centrally in the 8th arrondissement, this boutique hotel pays homage to the works of writers from France and beyond, with plenty of bookish touches.
- Hotel Litteraire Le Swann: Situated near the Paris Saint-Lazare train station, this chic hotel is perfect for book lovers, with a theme centered around the French writer Marcel Proust.
- Relais Hôtel du Vieux: Once known as the Beat Hotel, the rundown residence of many Beat Generation writers in the 1950s, it’s now a lovely boutique hotel in the lively Latin Quarter.
- Hôtel Littéraire Arthur Rimbaud: This cozy literary hotel is located in the 10th arrondissement near Gare de l’Est, and is themed around the 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud.
Each of these hotels is guaranteed to make your trip to Paris a truly memorable one.
Paris for Book Lovers: The Ultimate Guide
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Paris for book lovers.
Paris is one of the top destinations in the world for bibliophiles, with its long and layered literary history. From the homes of famous writers to their favorite cafes to their final resting places, there are so many literary landmarks to discover in Paris. There are also many amazing bookstores and libraries to check out.
You could easily spend several days just checking out these book-inspired places in Paris. And if you really want to make it a bookish getaway, you can stay at one of the literary-inspired hotels I shared.
Enjoy your trip to Paris!
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