English bookshops in Paris

Hey Charlie !

I go to Paris quite often and, as a matter of fact, I am there right now as I speak (or should I say as I write ?). Anyway, the other day I decided to search for good English bookshops in Paris, mostly because I had to buy a book but also because I have a huge passion for bookshops... So here are 3 English bookshops that I discovered and that you should really go check out next time you come to Paris.

1) WHSmith :

A pretty famous one, that you can also find in the UK (and probably in other countries as well, but I don't know which ones) ; they have a huge choice of literature pieces, novels of fiction, books for teens and kids, English magazines and basically anything you can wish for. 

A quite classy entrance, I'd say

Plus they have a tea room (British vibes, right?) and they serve lunch. So you can come in, buy a book and then go upstairs to start reading it with a cup of tea... How cool is that ?

It's so well-organised that you can find the book you're looking for right away (and if you can't you should probably go check your vision, sorry!)

I would also like to add that they have a large amount of english films, sell english tea and snacks and, on top of all that, have a big choice of pop culture-related objects ; mugs, posters, goodies for example (mostly of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and Star Wars so no need to say that I wanted to buy literally everything)

So, to recap real quick, WHSmith is a great English bookshop in which you can always find this one book you're looking for. 

2) Calignani :

The "first English bookshop established on the continent", as it is proudly written at the entrance. 

See, it is written at the entrance !

This bookshop is really great, mostly because the place itself is just beautiful : it looks like an antique bookshop, kind of like Hogwarts' library if you see what I mean (and that's where I am trying to see how many of you know the basics)

We were not really supposed to take pictures, so I tried taking one sneakily

Surpringly, they also sell books in French. It bothered me a little, but it can be seen as a big advantage: if you have to buy some books in English and some in French, you don't have to go to two different shops (yeah, I know, that is a pretty weak argument but hey, I'm trying to search an advantage to it despite my disappointment)

So, if I had to resume it, I would say that this bookshop is not exceptional but that they have a big choice of books, and that the place is really worth taking a look !

3) Shakespeare and Company :

The last but most definitely not the least ! Even the name of the shop is amazing, am I right ?

Anyway, this one is my favourite and honestly if I could I would live there and never leave this place! No but seriously, my dad had to literally drag me out...

The bookshop is cut in 3 parts : a café, an antiquarian books' shop and the bookshop itself. Unfortunately I was not able to try the café (but it only means that I will have to go back to try it mwahaha). I also couldn't go to the antiquarian books' shop, for the simple reason that it was closed (once again, it means I will have to go back, so no regrets).

Here you can see the bookshop, unfortunately I did not take pictures of the café and the antiquarian books' shop

The bookshop itself is just breath-taking, I don't have any other appropriate words in mind to describe it. But here is what I was thinking when I entered it : BOOKS. EVERYWHERE. B O O K S.

Okay so maybe it was not exactly what I was thinking but seriously, this place is a maze of books, or at least it feels like one (*hum*Also I got lost in it for ten solid minutes*hum*). 

There are books everywhere. And I'm lovin' it.

Upstairs, there is a room where you can just pick any book and sit to read for as long as you want, a room where there is a piano and a typewriter, which you can both freely use and an entire floor dedicated to poetry. I'm gonna stop rambling bout this shop right now, otherwise I'm afraid I'll never be able to stop.

So there you go, I introduced you to those really great shops and honestly, how could I not write an article about them? It felt criminal not to share it.

Of course, I ended up buying 3 books instead of the one I was supposed to buy but oh well, that was very much worth it (except that I no longer have any money, but who cares?)

I'll give you the addresses of the bookshops, in case you want to go see the magic of these places by yourself :

WHSmith : 248, Rue de Rivoli 

Galignani : 224, Rue de Rivoli

Shakespeare and Co. : 37, Rue de la Bûcherie

Thank you for having read my (way too long) first article,

See you soon, 

- Anna