Les bouquinistes or used book sellers are seen all along the quais, particularly near Notre Dame. They have been an installation along the Seine since the 1500s and are now regulated by the city of Paris. It is estimated that it takes 8 years on a waiting list to be assigned one of these dark green boxes renting for about 100 Euros per year. Although there are many keychains, magnets and postcards, the city requires a balance of books and souvenirs and that the "green shop" be open at least 4 days each week.
I do love old postcards and greeting cards and the quais are great places to stroll and shop.
27 comments:
If we put our names in now we can open up shop in 2019. Then after a day of selling we could walk down to our houseboats for baguettes and wine. :)
How good of you to make this a bw, for that's the way I always think of this reminder of 'old' Paris.
Ah oui, j'adore les bouquinistes !
Moi aussi j'aime les bouquinistes, ce lieu c'est charmant!
bises
Léia
Looks like an interesting place to explore. Thanks for the tour, Genie.
I love strolling past and checking out the books, prints, etc. Sometimes there are also very good artists at the boxes - that's where my large oil painting came from (not framed for ease of traveling, of course!).
That's some waiting list! The B&W conveys the atmosphere beautifully, Genie.
I must confess that I can't see many books. And the "green boxes" look fairly unappealing. But, were I to go to Paris, I'd want to at least check this out.
James -- sounds delightful... plus we could close for a few hours each day for dejeuner!
Bibi -- Moi aussi... except for the trinkets I do not think that the "look" has changed much over the past 50 to 100 years
Nathalie -- Merci, mon amie
Leia -- It was very much the scene... merci
Andy -- You can always find a card or small flat item (easy to carry home) and many interesting photo opportunities
Holly -- Well, since I was not with you on that trip I just assumed that you had bought it at Place du Tetre... I may have to post a photo of it some day (or just steal it from you -- hah!) jk
Shell -- Merci, and so nice to see you today... you have been on my mind with the floods... big hugs
Miss Sadie -- The "rule" is three boxes of books for every box of trinkets but those small souvenirs are very present in these little stands... you would definitely enjoy a walk along these quais
A local institution world wide famous.Some offer real treasures , some not;But all give a special mood to the river banks..
I have some beautifully framed postcards from one of the stalls now hanging on my stairwell wall. Thanks for the memory.
I bought some great nude prints last summer but didn't get on the other side to try and find more this trip.
V
Moi aussi j'adore les bouquinistes! And love this in b&w too. This is where I go to search for any Asterix comics that I don't have yet.
Hou la la! Waiting for 8 years is very long!
Hope I won't have to wait for that long to go for a stroll there;o)
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Have a beautiful weekend, ma belle amie****
They usually have such interesting things on display don;t they?
I like the old copies of newspapers and magazines.
Know that is a spot where you would find me shopping.
I have always enjoyed strolling along the Seine and looking for treasures. Behind me as I type are six prints we bought at one of those booksellers and then framed. Are the prints original or reproductions? Valuable or not? I really don't care. I like them and they look good.
Malyss -- I need you to point out the really good ones!
Kate -- I think that those make some of the very best souvenirs!
Virginia -- Well you should find some more!
Alexa -- That's a great thing to collect and I had no idea that they had those items...
Cildemer -- I cannot imagine waiting for 8 years to get the green box... Un bon weekend a toi aussi, mon amie!
Loree -- Many interesting things and sometimes you have to look beyond the surface...
Julie -- They have something for everybody
Randy -- You would probably see lots of us browsing through the merchandise!
Jack -- I think that you have identified the ideal remembrance of a vacation or a place... how wonderful to remember the time and place when you look at those prints and as you said, who cares how valuable or not!
Genie,
Love your site. Your pictures are so crisp, clear, and well thought out...you're a pro.
«Louis» is a WWII history buff and he has found several WWII-era magazines at les bouquinistes. One of these French magazines had a cover photo of a grinning General Eisenhower on the cover.
Imagine D's pleasure when he found a bouquiniste who had nothing but books in anglais! (parfait for a lover of old books who does not speak/read French). Love this charming scene in B&W
The main reason there are many keychains, magnets and postcards, is because they can no longer make a living from just the books.
Every inch of Paris must have been photographed thousands of times. I like this scene. The way you've done it in black and white is really nice.
Here's a look at one of my interpretations. :)
http://halcyontravels.blogspot.com/2010/11/au-bord-de-la-seine.html
that's really interesting! I would never have guessed. This is a cool shot- looks like there is all sorts of stuff to find at that place! Fun!
Amazing! I would spend all day right there! ♥
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