A haven for bibliophiles, Shakespeare and Company Bookstore presents an English-language collection of eclectic secondhand books, as well as Sunday tea, literary readings, and writers' meetings. Sylvia Beach Whitman, the original owner's daughter, now runs the bookshop her father, George, started as "Le Mistral" in 1951. He later renamed the store to honor the original shop owned by Sylvia Beach from 1919 to 1940. The shop became (and still is) a haven for an unconventional literary culture, and was frequented by Beat writers, including Allen Ginsberg. Filled from floor to ceiling with titles, each small room has walls peppered with quotes and postcards. Upstairs, you'll find a writer's area with a typewriter, a labyrinth of rooms, and a piano. For the price of your life story written on a sheet of paper, you can sleep upstairs in one of the 13 beds run by the bookshop, called "Hotel Tumbleweed." To visit Shakespeare and Company Bookstore on your holiday in Paris, and find out what else Paris has to offer, use our Paris.
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Shakespeare and Company Bookstore reviews
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The first English bookstore was opened in 1951. This place has air of love for books. The books are the heroes and the major attraction, and we, humans, are coming here to pay tribute and recognize...
The first English bookstore was opened in 1951. This place has air of love for books. The books are the heroes and the major attraction, and we, humans, are coming here to pay tribute and recognize... more »
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I have wanted to go here for years and finally we did on this last trip. We waited in line for quite some time and then were able to head into the store but it was so crazy busy that it was hard to...
I have wanted to go here for years and finally we did on this last trip. We waited in line for quite some time and then were able to head into the store but it was so crazy busy that it was hard to... more »
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What a memorable experience! We had to wait in line to get in (10min) and once we got it, it was crowded. But you're dealing with a quiet, respectful, nerdy crowd so perusing was lovely. The upstairs 'reading room' was AMAZING! Photography inside is prohibited so to explain: it's an OLD BUILDING, the upstairs are hallways and rooms filled with old books. Floor to ceiling. And cool little places to sit and read. It was not crowded and people were relaxing and reading. Back downstairs, all the books are well categorized and it feels like they have a superb collection of books. Beautiful & unique covers. A great children's section. At checkout they'll stamp the inside of your book with their logo as proof you were there! So much fun.
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Amazing store! Incredible history, great selection of books (mostly in English), and the best kind of atmosphere. There was a girl playing piano in the reading room and I got to sit and read while I listened to her play. That is true happiness.
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