13.31 - The Bouquinistes of Paris: how much do you really know?
Les Bouquinistes: Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprises 226 riverside booksellers with 900 'book boxes' & 300,000 or so old & modern literary works to discover – a veritable treasure.
1.The Bouquinistes of Paris: how much do you really know? 2. NEW published articles: MyFrenchLife™ Magazine 3. Merci mille fois
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1. The Bouquinistes of Paris: how much do you really know?
Les bouquinistes are riverside booksellers of used and antiquarian books, whose stalls line the Seine in central Paris. It resembles an enormous open-air bookshop. They’re a fundamental part of the “paysage parisien,” and are important symbols of literary and historic patrimony.
Did you know?
Did you know that the bouquinistes were recognized as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991? [1] You find them on both the right and left banks of the Seine, for almost three kilometers near some of the city’s major attractions such as the Louvre and Notre Dame.
Located on the Right Bank, from Pont Marie to Quai du Louvre, and on the Left Bank, from Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire, some 226 riverside booksellers with their 900 'book boxes' have 300,000 or so old and modern literary works to discover – a veritable treasure.
The Bouquinistes de Paris are open every day from morning to dusk
Did you know? les bouquinistes - the history
Questions remain about the origin of the word bouquiniste, but the word appeared in L’Académie française dictionary as early as 1762.
There is a several centuries-old tradition of selling second-hand books in Paris. It originally met a lot of resistance, especially as the authorities had a difficult time enforcing the then-prevailing censorship rules (like during the Nazi occupation of the city).
Originally the sellers were found on the bridges; nowadays their charming stalls line the river banks. Paris' bouquinistes used to line the Pont Neuf back in the 1600s. However, this came to a halt in 1649 as stalls along the Pont Neuf were prohibited from operating by law and moved later to the banks of the Seine.
When the great mansions were vandalized in the revolution their libraries often ended up on the outdoor shelves of the bouquinistes. If you take a moment to look at the old photos.
The rules were established for the bouquinistes in 1849 — which, of course, have been modified since. You must apply to get the right to set up your stall – today there are around 100 applications to get one of about 20 concessions that are opened each year. Each bouquiniste can install four boxes. Standard boxes have a specific size of 2 metres and must be in a very specific green colour.
Discussion continues about modernizing the boxes… and whether that’s a good thing or not, nothing seems to have been decided.
Painting by William Parrot - Le Quai Conti Et Les Bouquinistes1846 - A painting of a group of people outside a building
What to find there?
The bouquinistes are authorized to sell second-hand books, magazines, newspapers, postcards, and ancient engravings, and only one out of four boxes can be devoted to tourist objects like key chains.
It is unlikely that you’ll find a real, undervalued treasure, but you’re almost certain to find lovely second-hand books and well-priced at that - even fairly recently published ones. If you are looking for 18th or 19th-century books or engravings, you’ll find a large choice. And remember that bargaining is the norm here!
Meet Annouchka, a bouquiniste - video
Annouchka, bouquiniste depuis 40 ans sur les quais de Seine. Hear about the challenges Annouchchka faces as society changes - in French (Eng subtitles possible).
How to be a traveller, not a tourist!
Firstly remember your manners - yes, I know, you don’t need a reminder…but… Always, always say “Bonjour” before doing or asking anything, especially taking photos or videos - you are actually stepping into someone’s shop. It is free to browse. At least buy a book bag for only ~5€.
How often have you taken the time to step off the beaten path, even if that path if it is right in front of you?
MyFrenchLife Magazine interviewed some Paris bouquinistes a while back and here’s one’s perspective - she says:
Tourists go to ‘Shakespeare and Co’ for books. They’re not very interested in what we have, except for our tiny collection of English books and the souvenirs we sell. Those who come to us usually know what they are looking for”, she says, “but my daughter’s stall is a place where you can fall upon a wonderful book completely by chance.”
Remember les bouquinistes don’t lead easy lives, they’re outdoors most of the time, yet they are quite friendly. So introduce yourself and take an interest in them, their shop, and the wares they’re selling. You’ll find that they’re very interesting people often with fascinating backgrounds.
It is on one of the quays of the Seine that I met Colette, a round-faced and smiley Parisian working on her bouquiniste daughter’s stall. I bought a vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland, and Colette delighted in showing me around the box. However, she warned me straight away that “les bouquinistes are private people and don’t always appreciate journalists. And they definitely don’t want to be asked what they earn!” says Stephanie Williamson, then an intern with MyFrenchLife.org
Closing words should come from les bouquinistes themselves.
And in closing, I’d like to share some opinions and quotes from les bouquinistes, Gilles and Colette:
In another interview, bouquiniste Gilles says that his profession allows him to challenge stereotypes. “Young people don’t read?” he says. “I have many young people among my clientele. North-Americans have little culture? Some come looking for classic works that many French people have never read or heard of!” Books are usually priced at a minimum of eight euros but can go up to around forty. Paintings can sell for much more.
Stephanie adds: “I was fascinated by the bouquinistes of Paris when I saw them for the first time, because what could sound better to a literature lover than selling and discussing books all day? The quays of the river Seine, bouquiniste territory, are bustling places in the 6th arrondissement. Here, the presence of the written word seems to hang in the air. “
"Technically, it's infeasible": Parisian booksellers refuse to pack up
« Techniquement, c'est infaisable »
For the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the booksellers on the banks of the Seine will not be part of the party. The City asked them to pack up for “security” reasons. A decision that does not have standing among antique dealers. Some of these book boxes have not moved for over a hundred years.
According to leprogress.fr: “How can you imagine the Paris Olympics without a part of Paris? asks Albert Abid. Walled in the Parisian decor for 450 years, the booksellers covet the inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, already attributed to the banks of the Seine in 1991. “The booksellers will be erased from the postcard to make way for the crowd. The whole city will celebrate the Olympics, except us, ”he laments.
It is not just a loss of income that will affect the riverfront kiosks; some are worried that moving could cause permanent damage. “Not only will their bookcases crumble like dust as soon as they are removed but many Parisians also worry that the bouquinistes won’t be able to recover,” Agnès Poirier, a journalist and the author of Notre-Dame: The Soul of France, tells The Monocle Minute. Some vendors have vowed to resist, even threatening to barricade themselves in front of their stalls. Now that would be one for the books.
What are your thoughts on this?
Please share your stories, experiences, and photos of the bouquinistes, I’d love to hear from you.
Alison is in the Charente (the department, not the river!), in a rural area in the middle of vineyards. The new artist retreat was part of a maison de cognac back in the day, and two of the habitable buildings here used to be lodging for grape harvesters… Discover more
Michelle Richmond is a multi-award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of literary suspense novels and essay collections. She is renowned for her craft of writing thrilling narratives centered around ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Michelle lived in Paris & is now writing a novel based there and a collection of essays about her life in Paris - watch out for these!Discover more
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Thank you for this post. I love it! I remember one of the strangest things about Paris during lockdown was walking along the river on the left bank and seeing all of the bookstalls closed and shuttered. And then, months later, watching them slowly reopen--though many remained closed. I appreciate your interviews with the booksellers here. I did stop and buy books occasionally, but I often passed by without stopping simply because I felt intimidated. This is a good reminder that the bouquinistes of Paris really are welcoming.
Thank you for this post. I love it! I remember one of the strangest things about Paris during lockdown was walking along the river on the left bank and seeing all of the bookstalls closed and shuttered. And then, months later, watching them slowly reopen--though many remained closed. I appreciate your interviews with the booksellers here. I did stop and buy books occasionally, but I often passed by without stopping simply because I felt intimidated. This is a good reminder that the bouquinistes of Paris really are welcoming.
A fine story.