Among the most famous tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre... there's Shakespeare and Co. Shakespeare and Co. is an old bookstore in Paris, close to the Latin Quarter and Notre Dame full of charm and nostalgia. It's a small place with books both used and new. It's become a landmark of sorts and may have been my favorite place in Paris to see. A friend of mine referred it to me and I wasn't quite sure why she would send me to a bookstore, but she told me it was similar to the bookstore portrayed in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, my favorite Disney movie, so I wanted to check it out. Between the museums, exploring, shopping, and dining, I didn't think that I would have time to see the hidden gem, but I'm so glad I made time to! I think I may have actually visited it twice, deciding that I wanted to buy something after I left the first time. I returned the next day to purchase a book for my friend.
There's something about the smell of an old bookstore that just brings me back to my childhood. There were books stacked from the floor to the ceiling, so high that you needed a ladder (just like in the movie) to reach the ones on top. It was a small store for sure and they definitely maximized their space! There were books around every corner and not much room for just standing around. The place was two floors, but most of the books upstairs weren't for purchase.
They actually didn't allow photographs in Shakespeare and Co... :/ Anyways, there was a cute child's area upstairs with a welcoming seating area filled with post its from visitors around the world expressing their love and affection for the little bookstore. The vintage furniture that's randomly laid about the place makes it so much more classic and homey. Nothing seems to match, and it goes together perfectly.
And this old-fashioned typewriter! I think there was a sign on it that said "Do not touch" but it was fun to take a close look. :)
Definitely a must see in my opinion. Shakespeare and Co. gives a feel of old Paris and offers an environment you won't find anywhere else.
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