The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin is out now 📖🇫🇷✨
When I took a solitary trip to Paris, I had a lot of time to people-watch and soak up my surroundings without the usual cacophony of my own family by my side. I’d wander the wind-swept boulevards in search of cafés that literary greats had once frequented, hoping to sit at a table they once sat, and connect with them somehow. Literature is hallowed in France and these long-dead writers are still celebrated in the city of love. And so, I spent an inordinate amount of time scribbling in my notebook in many a Parisian café, enjoying that sense of connection to the past, feeling a little bit like I belonged because of my love of words.
After a week of café sessions, one thing stood out to me. Parisians, if they happened to be alone, rarely scrolled on their phones. They usually sat in the company of a paperback. Not just in cafés, but gardens and parks, too. It struck me as beautiful, almost ceremonial in a way, to go to a café and thoughtfully sip and read, as if time had been factored into their day for such pursuits. It should be no surprise with this love of reading that there are bookshops aplenty in Paris. And being a bookworm, I enjoyed perusing the shelves of these charming Parisian bookshops looking for my own book to read at the café.
You’ll find literature everywhere in Paris. There are parks with book-shaped benches, cafés decorated in honour of authors, bookshops along the bank of the Seine, and others tucked down cobblestoned laneways and in prestigious shopping areas. Part of the attraction of Paris is finding these tucked-away shops, full of their own unique charm. The writer in me found inspiration at every turn and I itched to jot down notes as story ideas percolated. How could I not write about literary Paris and all it had to offer?
The idea for The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted came alive from my travels to the city I love so much but it is built on more than my adoration of Paris and words, it’s about those of us who find themselves lost or lonely, or suffering a heartbreak with no clear way forward. It’s about finding community in the place we find comfort – bookshops. Reading is more than escape it can be a lifeline, so I enjoyed exploring how bookshops and the people you find there are a tonic for all that ails.
My fictional Parisian bookshop has incredible bookish architecture inspired by bookshops around the world and whatever I could imagine the perfect place to read could be. I like the idea that books can take you travelling from the comfort of your own home, so I hope to take readers to magical Paris with this novel. Click to get your copy 📖
If you are planning a visit to Paris here are the Top 5 English bookshops that you must see…
Shakespeare and Co Bookshop
No doubt you’ve heard about this glorious haven for books. These days its popularity means you often need to queue to get in, so go early, or late. The bookshop was once owned by George Whitman and now his daughter Slyvia has taken over, but the history runs much deeper than that… It’s a charming English bookshop, with new and pre-loved tomes. It’s dark and moody with many nooks and crannies to explore. There is the sweetest typewriter alcove that you simply must sit inside and pretend to write, and don’t forget to find the piano room – if you’re lucky you’ll hear a pianist tinkling away at the ivories while you peruse the shelves. If you buy a book (and you must!) ask for the Shakespeare and Co stamp and make it a special keepsake of your time in Paris.
Find it at: 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris
Abbey Bookshop
A delightful, jumbled English bookshop in the Latin quarter crammed with thousands of books some new, but mostly preloved. It’s a bookish cave-like wonder with its thick stone walls over two levels. This is the kind of bookshop you want to spend some time in as there are so many treasures to be found but you’ll need to hunt for them. The owner is friendly and helpful – he has an urn of tea out the front for bookworms to warm their hands before book shopping.
29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris
Librairie Galignani
This bookshop holds a special place in my heart as it was here that I saw my own book in print for the first time – and what luck to find it in Paris! This bookshop has been in business since 1801 and is said to have been the first English bookshop on the continent! It’s aesthetically beautiful and sells a wide range of new English books. It’s worth a visit and there is plenty to see and do along Rue de Rivoli.
224 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop
A lovely English bookshop in a great location opposite Jardin du Luxembourg. They host a variety of different bookish events from author launches and talks to wine and cheese evenings. Check out their blog if you’re in the area to see what’s on. Once you’ve adopted a book or two, wander over to the gardens and find a slice of sunshine to read.
11 Rue de Médicis, 75006 Paris
Les Bouquinistes of Paris
No visit to Paris is complete without stopping by one of the bouquinistes along the river and finding yourself a memento of your trip to Paris. These antiquarian booksellers sell vintage books, posters, postcards and other ephemera. The beauty of these tiny green wooden box bookshops is that you never know what you’ll find!
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