Shakespeare and Company

Rather incredibly it took me four trips to Paris to make it inside Shakespeare and Company, one of the most famous bookstores in the world. I can't believe it either, but I guess I usually manage to buy enough books accidentally when I'm away, I don't need to go deliberately searching out more books that I would naturally want to buy to stuff into my suitcase that will at some stage burst at the seams.

I knew exactly where it was of course. I've walked past many times, once this past trip there were people filming a movie maybe, or an ad, although there were only a few people, it wouldn't have been a big movie, but they did have one of those clapper things.

I always scan their events page before any trip to Paris. They have scads of great writerly events but these always seem to be just before I arrive in Paris, or just after I leave. I guess the Wicker boys were never keen to go either, although they wouldn't have discouraged me. Whatever the reasons for the delay, last year I finally made it inside. And it was fun.

Tempting books outside

and in

Of course I popped upstairs to the children's section. Just to check out what was on the shelves.

Noticeboards and Shaun Tan

I need to read this one. 

They don't like you taking photos of inside the shop apparently because of customer privacy, so I was careful not to include any customers. I did manage to escape without buying anything this day. Sadly I didn't come across their famous cat, Kitty, but there's always next time.

Some lucky folks get to stay in the shop (check out this link, it's amazing).

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