Shakespeare and Company

Shakespeare and Company

Shakespeare and Company refers to two independent bookstores in Paris's Left Bank, France. The first was opened by Sylvia Beach in 1919 and became a gathering place for numerous writers in the 1920s, such as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Ford Madox Ford, and others. This bookstore closed during the German occupation of Paris in 1940 and has never reopened at that location since.

The second Shakespeare and Company is located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. It was opened by George Whitman and was initially named “Le Mistral.” In 1964, in honor of Sylvia Beach’s bookstore, it was renamed Shakespeare and Company. The current bookstore functions both as a retail bookstore and a reading library, especially for English literature. It has also appeared in the films Before Sunset and Midnight in Paris. The walls are lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, crammed with books so tightly that the walls appear to be built entirely of books. This legendary bookstore has endured to this day, not only being the largest English-language bookstore in Paris but also recognized as a cultural institute by the French Ministry of Culture. It has also become a major tourist attraction in Paris.

Shakespeare and Company is beloved by French literati, attracting literature enthusiasts from around the world. Many world-famous personalities have visited the store, adding an extra layer of mystique.

Shakespeare and Company

Reasons to visit: One of the world’s most famous bookstores

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: France[France]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Île-de-France Region [Ile-de-France Region]

City where the attraction is located: Paris [Paris]