29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, Paris, France
The Latin Quarter is rife with narrow streets and even tighter alleys where you’ll find late-night cafés, Greek restaurants, creperies, wine bars, tiny luxury shops, big and bright chocolatiers, and somewhere in the warren of cobbles pathways you will come across the Abbey Bookshop. The little sliver of a street where it resides looks more like a service alley, but the flags and bookshelves out front give it away. If you’ve spotted it, then you’ve arrived at one of the best bookshops in the neighborhood, possibly even better than Shakespeare & Co., if used books are your thing.
An eclectic assortment of novels, nonfiction, and travel guides await you just outside the open front door, with a keg of free water and a cistern of coffee for guests. Enter beneath the large Canadian flag and you are transported into amaze of bookshelves that matches the neighborhood where the shop resides: every aisle is narrow, crooked, and crammed every which way with books old and new. “One way” black and white street signs point out poetry sections or Wine/Food, Military History, etc. Skylights overhead brighten the rows on the main floor. It’s a delight to experience. You’ll have to move sideways and scoot carefully past displays, piles, and other browsers. Some of the shelves also slide back to reveal a kitchenette or rare titles behind the main desk, and others rotate just barely in the tight squeeze to carousel the selection of euro-edition paperbacks of new and classic titles.
I found a European edition of the last Cormac McCarthy novel and quickly snatched it up, a fair price of 13 euros. Other books were far cheaper, just a couple euros, while other rarer discoveries were much pricer, ranging into 60 or 70 euros, but those were very hard to find hardcover editions of out-of-print books, so it seemed fair to me and I can imagine someone hunting far and wide for those specific copies would gladly pay the price.
Keep working your way through the little shop, back into the tighter and narrower rooms, the books spilling onto the floors all around you, a pool of literary treasures to wade through. I love this kind of browsing, where you have almost no idea what you’re getting into and you’re waiting for a gem to fall into your lap. Inch along, turn around in place, breathe in the old pages and ancient editions, the new ink and crisp paperbacks. It’s a real mix and I loved it.
There’s a little stairwell near the front with all kinds of travel guides and language books, and the steps will lead you down to the basement. The stone and cement ceiling is low in a few spots, adding to the cozy, tucked-away vibe. I saw some random fiction paperbacks down on the lower staircase shelves, but the bulk of what’s downstairs falls into history, philosophy, and religion. There are subject and sub-categories down there, but those were clearly the big offerings on the basement level, with a couple stools for those who ventured down. Again, lots of fascinating older editions with new ones scattered about to keep things interesting. If you stop by, do venture down there. It’s a cool little space.
I really enjoyed this visit, short as it was. And I saw this bookshop appear on some “you must visit this one when in Paris” reels on Instagram. They’re all correct. There are indeed bigger, fancier, more famous shops in Paris, but this one feels like a book hoarder’s dream, a true new-and-used, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re going to Paris, put this on your list.
Atmosphere — A horde of books packed into tight aisles and sliding shelves, with piles on boxes and the floor to boot. It’s a real browser’s paradise. But just know there’s not a ton of room once inside, so if you’re a big group or have a ton of bags with you, maybe pare your troupe down a bit before going in.
Quality — There are new books, old books, rare books, and used books, and they were all in good shape, nothing tattered or ratty.
Quantity — They really pack in a ton of books for a few narrow rooms. You won’t be disappointed if you’re looking to scour and browse.
Diversity — This shop hits most of the usual categories, with plenty of fiction, history, philosophy, travel guides, etc.
Affordability — The books were all very fairly priced though range widely depending on what you’re in the market for.
Amenities — Don’t come in expecting open spaces, tables and chairs, but come in with a hoarder’s heart and a willingness to squeeze through cramped spaces. There are free beverages out front too.
Location — Not far from Shakespeare and Co., Notre Dame, or the Sorbonne, but check a map if you are in the neighborhood looking for it.
Customer Service — The owner appeared to be stocking shelves and a young French woman helped customers, both friendly!
Overall — This shop is loaded with treasures and is exactly what you’d expect a compact Parisian bookshop would be like. Less crowded than Shakespeare and Company with perhaps just as many books (if not more), and offers a range of new titles, rare finds, and gently-used editions you may not discover elsewhere. A perfect edition to any book-lover’s Parisian vacation.
