Stacking up in September
Although I've outgrown the season of textbooks being synonymous with autumn, September always gives me an itch to stack up on new books. I'm sharing a few of my favorite books & Parisian bookshops.
La rentrée in France feels like a whoosh of crisp air and energy as it ushers in the start of the school year. I’ve reassigned September as my New Year’s holiday and look forward to the change in weather, rhythms and pace. When the calendar flips to September 1 I’m ready to slip on a sweater and organize my agenda. And rather than gearing up for scholastic learning, I do look forward to immersing myself in new books as a way to find creative inspiration for my work and personal pleasure.
The french culture has always championed literature and l’art de lire (the art of reading). School-aged children can compete in Les Petits Champions de la Lecture , where they compete to be awarded the best in reading aloud. Then there is the celebrated French literature prize, La Prix Goncourt, which is equivalent to the UK’s Booker Prize and the US’s Pulitzer Prize, awarded every autumn. Passing someone with their nose in a book while walking down the streets of Paris is a common occurrence and it’s refreshing to see a face obscured by a book rather than an iPhone.
Books and fashion are veritable companions in France, and Chanel has proven this with their “Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon” where Charlotte Casiraghi, Chanel’s current ambassador, discusses a particular book in an intimate setting. It merits the gold medal for the chicest book club I’ve ever seen. Predating the Chanel book club, Karl Lagerfeld opened 7L Librarie in 1999, one of my favorite bookshops which sells books celebrating the visual arts and is located right in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés. The exclusive two level reading room filled with books from Lagerfeld’s personal collection, holds salons and book releases for members of Friends of 7L, but the main shop is thankfully open to the public, no need to flash a membership card.
Here are a few other favorite libraries in Paris - and to clarify a “librarie” is a bookstore, and a “bibliothèque” is a library because the French language is often pas logique:
Galignani, located on Rue de Rivoli just opposite the Tuileries is a treasure! It stocks a well cultivated selection of art books, fiction and non-fiction and in both English and French. The Red Wheelborrow, an English bookstore, across from Jardin Luxembourg, is a perfect way to spend an afternoon on Rive Gauche. They often host book discussions, signings and recently opened up next door, The Red Balloon, their children’s shop…it’s the French version of The Shop Around the Corner. Do not underestimate Les Bouquinistes, the booksellers set up along the Seine. These expert vendors know their stuff and often sell very rare books. I encourage you to spend a few minutes sifting through their selections to see what literary pearl you may uncover.
In Paris, there is no shortage of places to grab a book and read either. Head to the banks of the Seine, grab a table at practically any café terrace or if you are wanting a truly spectacular place to read, head to the Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris. It’s free, open to the public and it’s an architectural marvel.
Being in a season of mothering two little ones, I don’t have a lot of time to dive into a long novel, but there are a few books I can easily read over and over again. And I am always leafing through a coffee table book with one hand while feeding a baby with the other. I thought I’d share some of my tried and true favorites.
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