Places of interest: Shakespeare & Company, more than just a bookstore in Paris

Shakespeare & Company,
Independent bookstore

A greenish bronzed fountain still marks the spot in front of this store. As intense observers ponder on the next move over a game of chess outside, inside the bookstore volumes of second hand classic editions warmly welcome the inquisitive souls. There are even Library areas around that boast of a bed to those who want to earn their stay while working at the bookstore. What a lovely book space !

A game of chess happening right outside the bookshop

Such places will always bring a smile on your face. There’s something magical in their ambience, stock and even the people who work there! Shakespeare & Company, Independent Bookstore, whose owner George Whitman was awarded the Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2006, one of France’s highest cultural honor, is one such place on the Parisian map. Now his daughter Sylvia and David manage the working of the store.

It was, therefore, a delightful moment to find the store while on the Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour in Paris recently. After finishing the tour, kids & me, we walked back looking out for the bookstore. We found it overlooking the spectacular Notre-Dame cathedral and even though it was almost closing time, they were welcoming enough to allow us to browse through the books and all.

The lanes leading upto the bookstore also show the Notre Dame cathedral up ahead !

Wonderful place, varied collection of books covering a range of topics and their historic stamp on the books… made our walk-run-search-through-almost-dying-phone-battery-google-maps kinda special !

Loving Frank… picked up this book because it called out as a best seller due to the author’s style of writing. Am glad I chose this book because human emotions are often a labyrinth one has to learn to wade through

Whenever I get a chance to visit next, I’ll look up the bench and the quotations that still exist somewhere within its book lined spaces that are signed by kindred souls…

Reviewed the Bookstore on google too so please don’t be surprised at the same pics appearing there, though it was a delight to click them all !!

Till then…. Happy readings!