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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I'm an avid reader and heard this bookstore is a must see. This store is pretty famous so sometimes you have to wait to be let in. With that in mind it's one of the most cute bookstores around with.... more
I'm an avid reader and heard this bookstore is a must see. This store is pretty famous so sometimes you have to wait to be let in. With that in mind it's one of the most cute bookstores around with.... more »
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After about 20-30 minutes in line, we entered the store and were allowed to spend as much time inside as we wanted. We spent an hour browsing and taking in the store, exploring upstairs and...
After about 20-30 minutes in line, we entered the store and were allowed to spend as much time inside as we wanted. We spent an hour browsing and taking in the store, exploring upstairs and... 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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