The English Bookshop in Paris: Shakespeare and Company
Shakespeare and company is one of the few and very best English bookshops in Paris. And also one of the very few reasons I ever go to the Left Bank. This small book store with a big soul is one of my favorite places in Paris.
This Parisian cultural institution stared in 1951 and is today still one of the meeting grounds for aspiring writers and creative types. Located in the Latin Quarter, a stones throw away from Notre Dame. On many good days I’ve instagram some of my best photos of Notre Dame Church from this angle close to the park ( intersection Rue Saint-Julien le Pauvre / Rue de la Bucherie).
See more photos and read more after the jump…
The view of Notre Dame from Shakespeare and Co.
You’ll be delighted to know that you can find a mix of classics and modern literature – and what you can’t find they’ll be happy to order.On various occasions I’ve been to Book Readings and they also hold Writing Workshops upstairs.
Don’t expect to find a quite corner to squat and read – it’s a tiny bookstore with walls filled with books and very little space to walk around much less wander around. But this is also apart of the charm. Some of my most interesting conversations have been around these books and with fellow foreigners trying to find something new and different like a New York Times Bestseller from Zadie Smith or perhaps something old and familiar like an old Penguin classic from Virginia Woolf you left home.
My hope is one day to perhaps have the courage as George Whitman and open a little bookshop somewhere that will touch the lives of so many people.
Here are some photos from a recent trip.
Address:
37 Rue de la Bucherie, 75005 Paris, France
Telephone : (+33) 1 43 25 40 93 ?
Open: Everyday from 10am to 11pm
Metro: Saint- Michel (Line 4)
Map it:
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Cristina
Hey, love the blog, just discovered it. how about a new section on meeting people in Paris? making friends? I got here last October, with my job, and have not met too many people since. My colleagues are all French and going out with them seems to be off limits for some reason. I’d appreciate some advice on this. thanks!!
admin
CristinaHi Christina,
Thanks for stopping by and this sounds like a great idea! I will work on adding it to the site.
It’s notoriously hard to “break in” here. Most, not all, but typical Parisian, French people take a long long long time to let ‘other’ people in their circle of friends. I’m not sure where you’re from, but in the US it’s easier to meet people, but things are also easier to be on a superficial level too. Parisians are harder to make friends with but once you’re in, you’re loved like family.
I’m around if you’d like to have a coffee? I’d love to meet! I’m not french, but I’ve been living and working here for the past 6 years so I know many people and places.
email me at [email protected] and we’ll make it happen.
Cheers!
Yanique
Tips on Meeting People in Paris | my parisian life
[…] 3. Open Mic Poetry at Chat Noir – Spoken word Paris is a great place to go and listen to artist read from their ongoing works of fiction or poetry or music performances for free. You can share your work as well. Sign up to perform when you get there and there is a 30 minutes break in between where people mingle upstairs around the bar for a drink or two. Run by David from the bookshop English Shakespeare & Co […]