A Book-Lover's Guide to Literary Spots in Paris

By Megan Hills
Published: July 17, 2024

Step off the page and into the world of French literature at these literary spots in Paris

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Paris is a city bursting at the seams with culture and it's a haven for any book-loving tourist, with museums, secondhand bookstores, famous cafés and more filling its arrondissements. From Victor Hugo to Oscar Wilde, here's some of the best literary spots in Paris below.

Grave of Oscar Wilde

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Cimitiére du Pére Lachaise

Pay your respects to some of the best literary minds in the world at Cimitiére du Pére Lachaise, whose inhabitants are frequently visited by like-minded tourists. With popular French writers such as the poet Apollinaire, Marcel Proust, Balzac, Charles Baudelaire alongside Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Susan Sontag just to name a few buried there, their graves are frequently covered in colourful tributes. In fact, Oscar Wilde's grave is so popular that the cemetery has had to erect a barrier around it.

Shakespeare and Company

Ever wondered where writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Allen Ginsberg, Dave Eggers and Hemingway bought their books from? Shakespeare and Company, a literary institution which closed in the 40s but has since been given a second lease on life in a new location, has a long history as the hub of English-language literature in Paris. Its comforting interiors including a reading room, free-to-play piano and beds make it a popular place for writers bashing out their newest novel.

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Café de Flore

Stop for a coffee and a dash of inspiration at Left Bank's Café de Flore, a high end café frequented by the elites of Paris' arts scene. Aside from notable directors and artists lounging at its tables, writers are the lifeblood of the clientele. It rose to prominence around World War 2, when it was one of the few places the German army didn't frequent and intellectuals flocked to its tables.

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Maison du Victor Hugo

Best known for his work Les Miserables which follows the tumultuous French Revolution, Victor Hugo's former apartment has been transformed into a museum with a collection of his works. Detailing the course of his life and full of the writer's personal effects (including an entire room dedicated to his wide collection of Chinese art), his home is a must-visit for anybody who's a fan of Hugo's work.

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Les Deux Magots

It's no surprise that the literary community in France knows all the coolest places to grab a drink and Les Deux Magots remains one of them. Located just across the road from Café de Flore, they both rose to prominence around the same time in the wake of World War Two and its clientele is just as impressive: Verlaine, Rimbaud, Hemingway and Simone de Beauvoir are just a fraction of their patrons. The bar remains true to its influence in the writing sphere and launched a literary prize in 1933 which persists to this day.

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Bouquiniste

These small riverside book stalls are an iconic sight in Paris, lining the pavements by the River Seine with colourful secondhand books. They've been a feature of the city's literary community for hundreds of years and while they're scattered all over the city, many can be found near the Notre Dame on the riverbanks. In fact, the Bouqinistes in that area were deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and continue to spread the love of the written word to this day.

Megan Hills
Paris Travel Expert

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5 Days in Paris Itinerary

You’ll have very little trouble filling a 5-day Paris itinerary, thanks to the City of Love’s swoonsome selection of bucket-list landmarks, must-see museums, gorgeous galleries and romantic river walks. And that’s just for starters! Dive in for our suggestions on how to spend five days in Paris, including: The Eiffel Tower The Louvre  Père Lachaise Cemetery Montmartre The Marais  Galeries Lafayette Haussmann The Picasso Museum … and much more! Day 1: Tick Off a Big-Hitter or Two The Eiffel Tower is hands-down the most famous monument on the planet, so it makes sense to make a beeline for it on your first day in Paris. There are stacks of ways to see this wrought-iron masterpiece of Victorian latticework: you can queue for the elevator to the top, or if you fancy braving the queues (and the climb), you can walk up 674 stairs to the viewing platform on the second floor. If, however, you’d prefer to dodge the crowds and just enjoy the views of this architectural marvel, hit up the Montparnasse Tower – Paris’s only skyscraper – for some of the best in town. You can also catch a glimpse of the Iron Lady at her best from the Jardins du Trocadéro just across the Seine, or from the steps of the glorious Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmartre. And, now that you’re in Montmartre, you might as well stick around for the afternoon. Sure, it’s all gone a bit ‘Paris theme park’ up here at the highest point in the city, but that’s all part of the fun. Wander the atmospheric cobbled lanes and scratch your selfie itch in front of the famous red neon sails of the Moulin Rouge windmill, by the Wall of Love and outside (or indeed inside) the café featured in the movie Amélie. Heck, you can even have your best facial features mocked, distorted and exaggerated in perpetuity, thanks to the caricature artists on the picture-postcard Place du Tertre. Now that's what we call a souvenir! Day 2: A Spot of Culture City of Love, City of Light, City of Culture… Paris is home to some of the finest galleries and museums on the planet, and no mistake. Be sure to see at least one of ‘the big two’ (i.e. the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay) while you’re here. Can’t decide whether to tick the Mona Lisa or van Gogh’s equally enigmatic Self Portrait off your bucket list? Check out our guide to the best (and worst) of these Paris sightseeing titans here. Feeling suitably cultured, amble over to the Marais for a decidedly lazy déjeuner before exploring this charming district’s maze of cobbled lanes that lead to enchanting garden squares and oh-so-tempting pâtisseries. Pause at Paris’s oldest planned square, the Place des Vosges, where formal gardens flanked by 17th-century townhouses and atmospheric arcades provide a lovely location to just stop and watch the world go by. If you’re not already all cultured out, hit up the nearby Picasso Museum to ogle thousands of pieces – paintings, sculptures, illustrations, engravings – from one of the all-time greats. Pro-tip: the Picasso gift shop, just next door, boasts some of the coolest souvenirs in town. Day 3: Picnic and a Walk Whaddya mean you’re halfway through your 5-day Paris itinerary and you haven’t experienced the sensory joy of a street market yet? Well, now’s the time to rectify that. Make a beeline for one of these foodie meccas – Marché Mouffetard in the 5th arrondissement, Marché Raspail in the 6th, and Marché des Enfants Rouge in the Marais are among the very best – and stock up on still-warm baguettes, pungent cheeses, glorious local charcuterie and, heck, maybe even a bottle of fine Bordeaux for a gratuitously decadent pique-nique in the park. Jardin des Tuileries by the Louvre is the vibe if it’s formal gardens, tranquil lakes and sculptures by Mailliol and Rodin that float your boat. Or bag a few #humblebrag snaps as you tuck in on the manicured lawns of the Champs de Mars, where the Eiffel Tower provides that essential picnic-selfie backdrop. If you want to make a whole day of it, you could do worse than the wooded valleys, secluded hills and colonnaded Temple de la Sybille of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont on the edge of town. Then there’s the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public parks, which promise relative seclusion and room to roam (and picnic) amid botanical gardens, grottoes, chateaux, boating lakes and more. Heck, you could even consider finding a suitable lunch spot among the permanent residents of Père Lachaise, Paris’s biggest cemetery. This atmospheric stretch of parkland is chock-full of ornate headstones and gothic tombs, including such luminaries of the entertainment world as Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf, Chopin, and Jim Morrison of The Doors. There’s a great guided tour you can take while you’re there, too! Day 4: Shop Til You Drop There are plenty of ways to lighten your wallet in Paris. Why not spend day four of your trip doing precisely that? Bonus: because Paris is so achingly pretty, you can effortlessly combine it with a little sightseeing and a lot of café culture. Hit up the iconic Galeries Lafayette Haussmann where the ornamental galleries and soaring atrium topped by a huuuuge steel-and-glass cupola vie with 65,000 square meters of prime retail space as the star attraction. You could easily spend a whole day in here, but that would be to overlook Paris’s equally charming 19th-century shopping arcades. These atmospheric throwbacks to a more gentile era are all stained-glass ceilings, old-school wood-fronted stores and intricate mosaic tiling. Some even have iron-and-glass domes and canopies, pure masterclasses of Victorian architecture and engineering. There are around 20 to explore across the city, each promising hip boutiques, antique emporia, old-school watchmakers, jewelers and bookstores, as well as any number of tempting beautiful bistros and cute cafés from which to take it all in over espresso and croissants. Day 5: Bonus Bucket-Listers You want your last day in Paris to be as special as the first, am I right? With that in mind, consider the big-ticket items you’ve missed and whether now’s the time to fit them in. Didn’t go to Musée d’Orsay on day 2? Now’s your chance. Been lured Quasimodo-style by the bells of Notre-Dame Cathedral? Get yourself down to Île de la Cité, the tiny island in the middle of the Seine that’s also home to the remarkable Conciergerie and medieval Sainte-Chapelle, as well as a must-visit flower (and sometime bird) market. Or you could meander around the storied lanes of the Latin Quarter, following in the footsteps of such legendary wordsmiths as Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway. This left bank enclave still exudes literary cool, thanks to hip cafés with book-lined shelves, the unmissable Shakespeare and Company Bookshop, and the army of Bouquinistes (open-air booksellers) that line the banks of the Seine. Or just soak it all in (and much more besides) on a relaxing sightseeing cruise that takes in the Pont Neuf, Jardin des Tuileries, Louvre and Grand Palais. Save on Paris’s most popular tourist attractions Save on admission to Paris attractions with The Paris Pass. Check out @TheParisPass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
View of a typical Parisian brasserie.
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Unique and Affordable Dining Experiences in Paris

Gourmands rejoice! For not only does Paris boast some of the finest dining on the planet, it’s also possible to eat relatively cheaply, with many restaurants, bistros and brasseries promising world-class three-course meals for just €20-30 per person. Our advice for those on a budget? Bodyswerve the Michelin-starred joints and hotel restaurants, because you’ll find equally sumptuous eats (and often even better!) in the legendary food markets, quirky side-street bistros and lesser-visited arrondissements across the City of Light. Tuck in to our pick of the finest unique and affordable dining experiences in Paris, featuring the garlicky little morsels of deliciousness that are escargots, crispy Alsacian flammekueche, bottomless chocolate mousse and wine served in baby bottles. Mais bien sûr! Polidor One of the oldest and most beloved bistros in town, this warm, wood-paneled Paris perennial has welcomed the likes of Hemingway, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Joyce and Gide through its doors down the decades. Not much has changed in Polidor’s near-200-year history, its worn tiled floors, arty murals, unfussy wooden tables and welcoming waiters exuding a distinctly old-world charm. Amazingly you can still eat here for around €30 each – the three-course prix fixe menu is an absolute bargain, clocking in at a mere €25 per head. Find it: 41 rue Monsieur Le Prince, 75006 Paris La Résidence Ground Control is an ace, industrial-style food hall just a couple of blocks east of the Seine in the 12th arrondissement. Step inside for a smorgasbord of global street food, chief among which is La Résidence, run in collaboration with the UNHCR-backed Refugee Food Festival. This admirable project sees an ever-changing roster of refugee chefs given an opportunity to showcase the cuisine of their home country. So you can expect the likes of Middle Eastern mezze and falafel, spicy Nigerian chicken sandwiches and Côte d'Ivoire couscous salads. Walk it all off afterwards with a stroll down to the epic Bois de Vincennes, Paris’s largest public park with a chateau, boating lake, forest, zoo and arboretum. Find it: 81 rue du Charolais, 75012 Paris L’Alsacien Craving pizza in Paris? Sure, there are plenty of Neapolitan and American-style joints to choose from, but why plump for plain old pepperoni when you can hit up L’Alsacien for slice after delicious slice of crunchy flammekueche instead? In its purest form this Alsacian taste sensation comprises a wafer thin crispy base topped with onions, bacon lardons and crème fraîche or fromage blanc. Order up the classic or swap out the lardons for emmental, tomatoes or mushrooms instead. With prices that start at around €10 per flammekueche it’s likely you’ll be back for more of these almost comically cheap Paris eats. Handily, there are two L’Alsacien outlets in Paris. Find them: 6 rue Saint-Bon, 75004 Paris / 9 rue René Boulanger, 75010 Paris Chez Janou Another Paris institution – this one in the enchanting maze-like lanes of the Marais district – Chez Janou is perhaps best known for its decadently rich mousse au chocolat – and not without good reason either! Gorge on classic French bistro dishes like tuna carpaccio and sautéed calves liver before diving straight into the uber-gratuitous chocolate dessert. Guests who opt for this over the cherry clafoutis or apricot tart are served a great big dollop of the sweet stuff from an oversized bowl, which is then left on your table for you to continue to dig into until you can eat no more. It's the stuff chocolate dreams are made of! Chez Janou pushes a little at the boundaries of what can be considered affordable Paris dining – you won’t get much change from €50 for three courses here – but hey, what price bottomless chocolate mousse? Find it: 2 rue Roger Verlomme, 75003 Paris Chez Alain Miam Miam Still in the Marais, Chez Alain Miam Miam is one of the runaway street-food success stories of the legendary Marché des Enfants Rouges food market. Simplicity is key here: chef Alain’s belly-busting galettes, wraps and sandwiches come loaded with grilled meats, nutty oozy Comté cheese and freshly shredded salads and veggies. That one-hour queue? Worth every stomach-rumbling minute. While away the wait by mingling with friendly fellow Alain devotees in the queue and boning up on the long history of this, Paris's oldest covered food market. First opened in the 16th century, it has long outlived the nearby orphanage that gave it its name (literally ‘the market of red children’ after the distinctive red clothes worn by the orphans). Find it: Marché des Enfants Rouges, 75003 Paris Café des Deux Moulins Fans of quirky rom-com Amélie can follow in the titular heroine’s dainty footsteps at a number of touristy Paris hotspots. Perhaps the best-known of these is the real-life Café des Deux Moulins, the cute Montmartre bistro where Amélie worked as a waitress. The café still looks much as it did in the film, but with bonus Amélie posters, trinkets and ephemera dotted around for fans to admire. Ok, it’s neither the cheapest place to eat, nor the nicest food in Paris, but fans of the movie will nevertheless be in seventh heaven. Afterwards, head over Canal Saint-Martin where you can make like Audrey Tautou in the movie and skip stones across the water. Find it: 15 rue Lepic, 75018 Paris Chez Ramona Another venerable Paris institution, Chez Ramona serves up Spanish food with heart on the labyrinthine lanes of the aptly named Belleville district. The interiors are a delightful jumble of paintings, plates, family photos and all manner of other weird and wonderful bric-a-brac (replica bull’s head, anyone?). Bon viveur Ramona has been a fixture here for decades and can still frequently be found chatting with the locals in the bar. You won’t leave hungry either: the absolutely enormous house paella is meant for two but could easily satisfy a family of four, while great plates of Galician cod, Iberico ham and other Spanish classics round out the menu. It’s cheap, too. You’d be hard-pushed to spend more than €40 a head on a fairly substantial dinner and drinks. Find it: 17 rue Ramponeau, Paris 75020 Le Refuge des Fondus We promised you wine in baby bottles, so wine in baby bottles you shall have. Located at the foot of Montmartre, Le Refuge des Fondus is perhaps one of Paris’s most eccentric fondu joints. There are only two decisions to be made here: whether you want meat in your gooey cheese fondu, and which color of wine you’d prefer. Your wine selection is then served in (and drunk from) a baby bottle. Why? Who knows. Sure makes for some fun photo opportunities though. Find it: 17 Rue des Trois Frères, 75018 Paris Privé de Dessert Wine in baby bottles not wacky enough for ya? How about savory dishes designed to look like desserts? Once again ours is not to reason why, but simply to indulge in burgers that contrive to look like a Saint-Honoré, the class cream-and-puff-pastry French fancy. Or a beef-cheek ‘brownie’. Or a mac and cheese ‘waffle’ with ‘churros’ (French fries). It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the belly for sure. Find it at any one of three Privé de Dessert locations around town: in Pigalle, Batignolles and Aligre. Save on activities and attractions in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with the Paris Pass. Check out @TheParisPass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
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Stuart Bak
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