Elegant English Bookshop in Paris
- 224 Rue de Rivoli ,
- 75001 Paris
Bookmarks
In order to bookmark a restaurant, you need to have an Account.
Please sign in to activate this functionnality.
This review may contain sponsored or affiliate links.
Hello. My name is Ulrike and I am a book addict. Avid reader, bookworm, writer needing to refill her reservoir of words on a regular basis. Call it what you will, but I can’t walk past a bookstore, regardless of the language of their offerings. I also have a dream of owning a grand house big enough for a library complete with ladders, so until then, I have made the Librairie Galignani on Rue de Rivoli my second home in Paris.
Claiming to be the first English bookstore opened in continental Europe, the Galignani name has been associated with publishing and selling books since 1520, although starting off in Venice. Their Paris bookshop is a historic gem, even if the current store was only opened back in the 1930s.
Photo by Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey.Residing under the pretty colonnades with the even prettier mosaic floors opposite the Tuileries Gardens, next to the oh-so luxurious Hotel Le Meurice and oh-so popular Café Angelina, you’d expect the shop to be chic, and you won’t be disappointed. Very unlike the packed-to-the-rafters second-hand English bookstores that I usually frequent in Paris, this one is wide, open, and light, with longed-for library ladders and beautiful books on gleaming wooden shelves.
When I first went in, I felt a little intimidated, not just by the impressive looking place, but all the quite literally heavyweight history and culture books. After all, I was just looking for a handbag-sized English book for reading on the metro.
I found those right at the back, in the section lit by a beautiful sky light. Their English selection includes plenty of books, from the latest bestsellers to classic literature in alphabetical order, not to mention a vast collection of books about Paris, all making perfect gifts.
The staff is very knowledgeable, knowing exactly what you are talking about even if you throw a terribly approximative title at them and can order anything for you, should it not be in stock for some reason.
This is a place to linger, browse, and remember that you are in one of the chicest areas of Paris, even if you are looking for a foreign language book. Or maybe you’re not? No worries, because the French selection is just as good, with all those impressive coffee table books thrown in as a bonus.
Galignani is not only a wonderful shop to get your next English book fix, but also to find something special for that someone special.
Still want more reading material? Stop by one of these other top bookshops in Paris.
Similar Places
-
Paris Postcards – Café CollectionParis postcards from Anthony Tambourini The café culture in Paris is one of our favorite things about life in the city, and we’re guessing it’s part of why you love Paris too. This set of 5 postcards featuring original illustrations of the iconic Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots, Le Café Marly,… -
Book Lover’s Guide to ParisThis 1-page PDF guide tells you exactly what to see and do in Paris if you love literature! Our resident bookworms turned their local insight into the ultimate checklist so you can follow in the footsteps of famous writers, visit the settings of your favorite stories, or find the perfect spot …
-
Street Art Tour of the Butte aux CaillesSearch out some of the best street art in Paris while discovering an area often ignored by visitors but adored by locals. Set off on a guided street art scavenger hunt with the whole family through the winding rues of the Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood.
-
Discover a Greener Side of ParisLet locals Frederic and Nikki of TheWaysBeyond guide you through the small streets off the Canal Saint-Martin and introduce you to some of the most exciting actors and addresses on Paris’s eco-conscious scene. The Canal Saint Martin neighborhood has always attracted an eclectic crowd, …
-
Paris Postcards – Café CollectionParis postcards from Anthony Tambourini The café culture in Paris is one of our favorite things about life in the city, and we’re guessing it’s part of why you love Paris too. This set of 5 postcards featuring original illustrations of the iconic Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots, Le Café Marly,…
-
Discover a Greener Side of ParisLet locals Frederic and Nikki of TheWaysBeyond guide you through the small streets off the Canal Saint-Martin and introduce you to some of the most exciting actors and addresses on Paris’s eco-conscious scene. The Canal Saint Martin neighborhood has always attracted an eclectic crowd, …
-
See the Sights Along the SeineSpend a leisurely morning like a true Parisian! Your local guide Sophie will meet you for a sightseeing stroll along the Seine, telling you tales of Paris past as you make your way east to explore a historic area before ending at a popular fresh food market just in time for lunch!
-
Street Art Tour of the Butte aux CaillesSearch out some of the best street art in Paris while discovering an area often ignored by visitors but adored by locals. Set off on a guided street art scavenger hunt with the whole family through the winding rues of the Butte-aux-Cailles neighborhood.
Would love to visit when I come in March.
Perhaps I may gift your shop an autographed copy of my book as well.