Skip to main content

Shakespeare and Company

Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Company façade.
Red and black Paris shopping icon

The Most Famous Bookstore in Paris


  • 37 Rue de la Bûcherie ,
  • 75005 Paris

This review may contain sponsored or affiliate links.

This place needs no introduction. There isn’t a book lover in the world who hasn’t heard of — and dreamt of shopping at — Shakespeare and Company in Paris.

The History of the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris

Everyone may know of this world-famous bookshop, but few know that it isn’t the original Shakespeare and Company. That bookstore was opened and operated by American expat Sylvia Beach. It was frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, the Fitzgeralds, and many other great writers who called Paris home at the time. Sadly, the store closed in 1941, when the Germans occupied Paris.

Storefront of Shakespeare and Company, Paris

Today’s much-loved incarnation of the storied Parisian bookstore didn’t come to life until 1951. Initially called Le Mistral, it became Shakespeare and Company in 1964 when owner George Whitman renamed the shop to mark William Shakespeare’s 400th birthday and to honor Sylvia Beach, the original store’s owner, who passed away in 1962.

Looking for an off-the-beaten-path bookshop instead? Here are the 5 best Paris bookstores according to locals.

Visiting Shakespeare and Company Today

Standing in a crooked old building on the banks of the Seine opposite Notre Dame, Shakespeare and Company gives off an almost whimsical, lost-in-time aura, inviting you to come in and get lost in the pages of a good book.

Past the pretty cherry tree outside, making for perfect pictures in spring, the colorful façade of the shop greets you with a few bins full of second-hand books on the sidewalk. Inside, two floors full of stories await.

Shakespeare and Company, Paris bookstore.
Photo by ssedro CC BY-SA 2.0

Selling new and used English-language books, Shakespeare and Company has sections dedicated to the writers who frequented the original store, to the City of Paris, to the classics, and to the latest releases. The shop is always full, probably because there’s something for everyone here, be it tourists who want that legendary bookshop experience, travelers who have run out of things to read, or expatriates in Paris who need something in English for a change.

The store welcomes all, whether you want a souvenir stamp in your new purchase or not.

Show your passion for prose and Paris with a unique portrait of a famous Parisian writer.

It Isn’t Only a Bookshop

But Shakespeare and Company is so much more than a bookstore. It’s also home to Aggie the cat — be sure to say bonjour and give her a pet while you’re there — as well as a temporary residence for aspiring writers, letting them sleep among the bookshelves in exchange for helping out in the store.

If you’re not a writer yourself, you can always come and meet authors at one of the bookshop’s regular readings, or improve your writing skills at one of their workshops.

 

Shakespeare and Company café.

After choosing a book or attending an atelier, sit down next door at the Shakespeare and Company Café where you can read or write over coffee and homemade cake… Perfection.

Urbansider Tip: You aren’t allowed to take photos of the inside of the shop. Put your phone away and enjoy browsing through the books!

 

Now that you have some new reading material, we recommend heading to the terrace of one of these iconic Paris literary cafés.

recommended by

Location
District
Neighborhood
Quartier Latin
Métro Ⓜ
Address
  • 37 Rue de la Bûcherie ,
  • 75005 Paris
Style
Interests
Details
Price
Opening Hours
Contact
  • Bookshop, Travel
    Foodie’s Guide to Paris
    This 1-page PDF guide tells you exactly where to go and what to do in Paris if you want a true taste of the City of Light! Our resident foodies have turned their local insight into the ultimate checklist so you can learn about Parisian culinary culture, dine at the best bistros, and pick up go…
  • Experiences, Guided Tours
    Discover the Goutte d’Or
    Discover a side of Paris that most tourists never see. Frederic of TheWaysBeyond takes you on a walking tour you of his old neighborhood, La Goutte d’Or, one of Paris’s most authentic multi-cultural melting pots. Here, Parisians of dozens of different nationalities come together to share their tr…
  • Experiences, Guided Tours
    Street Art Tour of Beaubourg
    How about a giant scavenger hunt in the streets of Paris, seeking out and learning about street art along the way? Both kids and adults are sure to enjoy this unexpected art tour, and remember this great family time for years to come!
  • Bookshop, Travel
    Foodie’s Guide to Paris
    This 1-page PDF guide tells you exactly where to go and what to do in Paris if you want a true taste of the City of Light! Our resident foodies have turned their local insight into the ultimate checklist so you can learn about Parisian culinary culture, dine at the best bistros, and pick up go…
  • Experiences, Guided Tours
    Stroll Through 19th-Century Paris
    Step back in time and into the Paris of the 19th century. Learn how the architecture, innovations, and politics of the time shaped the city as you walk its charming streets, explore its covered passages, and shop in one of the world’s first department stores — just as Parisians did then! A…
  • Experiences, Guided Tours
    Gastronomy-Themed Louvre Guided Tour
    Take a tasty tour of the Louvre, looking at its artworks through an original and mouth-watering point of view! Professional local Paris guides lead you on a gastronomically themed discovery of paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts while also teaching you about the culinary customs and artist…
  • Experiences, Guided Tours
    Street Art Tour of the Butte aux Cailles
    Search 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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *