A stroll through the French capital for book lovers
as in a photo by Jean-Luc Godard , these mythical sellers of old second hand books and its mysterious green drawers (in wagon tone as dictated by the regulations), blend into the bucolic landscape of the city and the rest of the urban furniture, as well as the Wallace Fountains and the Morris Columns.
Every morning, when Paris wakes up, or after noon, the ritual begins . To the sound of the creak of its hinges, more than 200 bouquinistes , anchored along the Seine river , open around 1,000 wooden boxes and metal to proudly display its rich content, in a charming, almost theatrical staging.
In them you will find books, engravings, stamps, specialized magazines...
On a daily basis, this large outdoor bookstore, the largest in the world, boasts its magic on both banks of the river, forming a literary promenade almost four kilometers long, along districts I, IV, V, VI and VII. **
Discovered until sunset, mainly positioned in la rive gauche -historic shore for housing publishers, large booksellers and universities- , inhabit intermittent extensions that go from the Quai de la Tournelle , coinciding with the Institut du monde arabe, up to the quai Voltaire, at the height of the rue du Bac . In the right hand side , are also in sections, from the sober pont Marie to the majestic quai du Louvre.
Said beautiful Parisian tradition of itinerant book trade born in the sixteenth century. After the development of the printing press, they began to expose their specimens on the floor, on easels, on canvas or carried in baskets in shoulder bag After a difficult period, they resumed their rise to mid 18th century , coinciding with the integration of the term bouquiniste in the dictionary of Academie Française.
They met in the Pont Neuf, imposing stone bridge, then a great leisure center for reading, musical entertainment and shows. Under the Premier Empire, expand on the quays of the Seine , taking advantage of the urban works of its streets and their embellishment, as the **quai de la Mégisserie or the quai de Gesvres. **
You can find them on the banks of the river
Later they get the authorization of its activity, the concession for settle in fixed places, and over time, permission to store your merchandise overnight. Finally, the famous drawers take the shape, dimensions and color that we know.
These charming Parisian institutions, recognized as patrimoine culturel immatériel français , they still show hard, their treasures, 300,000 literary works , ancient and contemporary, engravings, stamps, specialized magazines and collector prints.
But threatened with extinction, they are forced to give way to a more profitable genre. Thus, all kinds of Eiffel Tower souvenirs, magnets, postcards and keyrings shamelessly sit next to respected volumes of the great French classics like Victor Hugo, Zola, Edmond Rostand or Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Today, these passionate about books (books) , exploit a space of bouquinistes of the quays of the Seine , sometimes a deep-rooted vocation that is transmitted from parents to children. After the approval of their candidacy by the city council, they acquire their right.
They do not pay rent or taxes but they must respect a regulation, among their main obligations, they must open at least four days a week, everyone can access a maximum of 4 boats that extend into about 8 meters, of which only one of them can be dedicated to the sale of souvenirs.
Without them Paris and the Seine would not be the same
The arduous, as well as poetic bouquiniste craft, gather dreamers, former graduates of letters or of the conservatory, former students of the Louvre school, professors or professionals of various kinds who share their intellectual curiosity in a leisurely rhythm, which prioritizes human contact and cultural exchange.
These ancestors of the étaleurs and colporteurs make up an inspiring oasis away from the frenetic pace of the capital and new technologies. Your success depends on your knack for chiner, your quest to build their stock in book fairs, vide-greniers or auction houses. The limited capacity of the boîtes encourages them to specialize, a reflection of their soul and personality, their tastes, their reading and their history.
So Bernard T., opts for detective novel and science fiction; Stephane R. located on the quai des Grands-Augustins, leans towards comics and Michel B., invites you to discover its original editions . For his part, Jerome C. , located on the quai de Conti, he chairs the Association culturelle des bouquinistes de Paris.
In your next trip to the City of Light , in addition to visiting Montmartre, the Champs-Elysées or the quartier de Le Marais, see the beautiful image of Notre-Dame from the Quai de Montebello, between two drawers full of books. Go to the bouquinistes, browse through their works, carefully wrapped in cellophane to prevent deterioration, and head to their booksellers.
On your next trip to the City of Light, get closer to the bouquinistes
These, dealing with inclement weather, sitting on folding deckchairs in front of their prized empire , they will be delighted to exchange impressions, chat, reveal some anecdotes of their unique métier and show off their assets with honor. surely you will get some valuable specimen and maybe you'll find a white merle Le bonheur!