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There’s a certain kind of joy in wandering into a bookshop on a trip abroad. Paris, it turns out, is one of the best cities in the world for this exact habit. Alongside its famous French libraries, the city holds onto a number of English bookshops. Some are centuries old, some are tucked into former artist studios, but all of them are well worth the detour.
When I lived in Paris, there was nothing I loved more than roaming the bookstores, finding a new read, then heading to a park to spend the afternoon with it. At the time, though, I was still very much a beginner in French, so I stuck mostly to books in English. I quickly learned the best spots in the French capital to find them, and now I’m sharing my favorites with my fellow bibliophiles.
Below are the 7 English bookstores in Paris that belong on any literary tour of the city, whether you’re after a rare first edition, a stack of beach reads, or just an excuse to sit somewhere quiet for an hour.
Most of these shops are open Monday through Saturday, roughly 10 to 7, though a few stay open all week. I hope this list comes in handy for your next trip to Paris. Bonne lecture !
The Best English Bookstores in Paris
1. Shakespeare and Company
No list would be complete without Shakespeare and Company, one of the longest-standing English bookstores in Paris and possibly the most famous in the world.
It’s become such a tourist hot spot over the years that lines can wrap around the block. I get it, though. I remember how excited I was to visit on my first trip to Paris back in 2017.
The store was founded in 1951 by American George Whitman. It originally went by Le Mistral, until Whitman renamed it in April 1964, on Shakespeare’s 400th birthday. The new name was a tribute to Sylvia Beach, who ran the original Shakespeare and Co at 12 rue de l’Odéon. That’s where Beach first published Joyce’s Ulysses, and where literary legends like Ernest Hemingway used to stop in.
Today, the shop sits right across the Seine from Notre-Dame, at Kilometer Zero (the exact point all French roads are measured from). Upstairs, there’s a cozy floor used for writing clubs, author readings, and discussion groups. It’s also just a nice spot to grab a chair and read for a while.
Buy a book and they’ll stamp it for you at checkout. You might also pick up a tote bag while you’re at it. They’ve become one of the most popular Paris souvenirs.
Next door, there’s a café if you want to sit with your new book. Or walk over to Square René Viviani. It’s a charming little square that fills up with blossoming trees in spring (and in my experience, isn’t normally very crowded).
Address: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
2. The Abbey Bookshop
Tucked in the Latin Quarter, a short walk from Shakespeare and Company, the Abbey Bookshop has been around since 1989. It’s run by Canadian Brian Spence, and I’ll say, the space itself is worth a visit before you even crack open a book.
The shop sits on rue de la Parcheminerie, a street once called rue des Écrivains, named for the scribes and scriveners who were the pillars of Paris’s book trade centuries ago. Housed in the eighteenth-century Hôtel Dubuisson, a protected historic building, you’ll want to stop and take a photo of the gorgeous façade and beautifully carved doors before you even go in.
Inside, the shelves are stacked (and I mean stacked) with more than 40,000 English titles, everything from academic texts to popular fiction, new and used, plus a strong showing of Canadian authors.
They even offer a free cup of coffee, made with a generous pour of maple syrup. The Abbey Bookshop also hosts author readings and discussion groups throughout the year, so it’s worth checking their calendar if you’re in the French capital for a while.
Address: 29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris
3. Librairie Galignani
Galignani holds the title of the first English-language bookstore on the European continent, and it’s been in business since 1801. The story goes back even further, though: the Galignani family started as printers in Venice in the 1500s before eventually landing in Paris. For a while, they even ran a newspaper, Galignani’s Messenger, that published contributions from writers like Byron and Wordsworth.
The shop settled into its current address on rue de Rivoli in 1856 and has stayed there ever since. Inside, it’s all floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves (some dating back to the 1930s) and the collection is split into three sections: Fine Arts, French, and English. The English department is toward the back, spread across two floors reachable by a stunning wooden staircase, so give yourself real time to browse.
When you’re done, the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden are both close by, and Angelina’s hot chocolate is a short walk away.
Address: 224 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
4. Smith & Son
Formerly WH Smith, Smith & Son has been the largest English bookshop in Paris since 1870. Located on rue de la Rivoli, near la Place de la Concorde, it originally served as a popular meeting spot for Parisians looking to experience a traditional English teatime.
That history is still alive today. The shop has fully leaned into its British identity, with a tearoom on the second floor where you can sip their famous cream tea, served with scones and clotted cream.
Smith & Son also carries an impressive range of English books, including a big children’s section and shelves of the latest releases. Beyond books, you’ll find British and American foods and an extensive selection of international newspapers and magazines.
It’s certainly the most “British place to be” for book lovers in Paris.
Address: 248 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
5. The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore
In the 6th arrondissement, right across from the Jardin du Luxembourg, you’ll find a bright blue storefront that’s impossible to miss. The Red Wheelbarrow was founded by Canadian Penelope Fletcher, and it’s actually two shops in one: 11 rue de Médicis is the main bookstore, and next door is The Red Balloon, a bilingual children’s bookshop.
The shop has moved around Paris a bit over the years, starting in the Marais in 2001, but what hasn’t changed is the welcome. The staff are genuinely friendly and they know their stock, from picture books to literary fiction.
The name has a fun bit of history behind it, too. It comes from William Carlos Williams’ short poem “The Red Wheelbarrow,” which was first printed in France back in 1923 by the same Dijon-based printer who produced the first edition of Joyce’s Ulysses.
Address: 9, 11 Rue de Médicis 75006, 75006 Paris
6. San Francisco Book Company
Near the original site of Shakespeare and Company sits the San Francisco Book Company, a must-visit for secondhand English language books in Paris. It’s been open since 1997 in the Odéon neighborhood.
They buy and sell used English books in just about every genre you can think of: fiction, mysteries, first editions, philosophy, art, cooking, children’s books. There’s a small selection of new titles too, and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, you can always ask them to order it in.
I was also impressed by their online catalog of used books. Worth a browse if you’re based in France and can’t make it in person.
And you’ll probably notice that a lot of the shops on this list sit in the Latin Quarter. That’s not a coincidence. During the Middle Ages, students at the nearby Sorbonne spoke only in Latin with each other, which is where the name comes from. These days, the district is still known for great restaurants, world-class universities, and no shortage of independent bookshops.
Address: 17 Rue Monsieur le Prince, 75006 Paris
7. Brentano’s
Founded in 1895, Brentano’s is, alongside Galignani, one of the oldest English bookstores in Paris, located on the elegant avenue de l’Opéra in the 2nd arrondissement.
Its roots actually trace back to a New York newsstand from the 1850s, started by an Austrian immigrant who noticed hotel guests were hungry for British newspapers so they could follow horse races back home. That small idea eventually grew into a bookstore chain, and the Paris branch opened decades later.
Today, it’s part bookshop, part souvenir store, with books, magazines, comic books, maps, calendars, paintings, and stationery all under one roof.
And don’t worry, it’s not the tacky stuff. There are plenty of chic finds to take home as a reminder of Paris, along with a new English book for the flight home.
Address: 37 Av. de l’Opéra, 75002 Paris
Map of English Bookstores in Paris
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What is your favorite English bookstore in Paris? Let me know in the comments below.
