Paris is a city of bookstores. No matter which arrondissement you’re in, you’ll almost always stumble upon a small bookshop on a corner, packed floor to ceiling with books. It’s one of my favorite things about the city.
Paris has a lot of niche bookshops, and as an art lover and former fashion designer, I naturally gravitate toward the artsy bookstores. You’ll find most of these in and around the Marais and Saint Germain neighborhoods.
Here is my curated list of Paris art and design bookstores worth checking out.
Paris Art and Design Bookstores
Ofr.
A legendary bookshop in the Marais with an endless selection of art books and magazines. They also have great merchandise like shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags. Tip: head next door to I/O Cafe for one of the best cups of coffee in the neighborhood.
20 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, 75003 Paris, France
Bonjour Jacob
Part concept store, part coffee shop. You’ll find a strong selection of independent magazines. I especially love their travel titles, but they also carry top design magazines like Cabana.
28 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France | Website
Saint Laurent Babylon
Possibly the chicest bookstore you’ll ever visit. Think Yves Saint Laurent’s personal library brought to life. It’s luxurious in every way, with minimal decor and a few of YSL’s bags and accessories displayed alongside the books. The collection leans heavily toward photography and art titles, many of which you won’t find elsewhere.
9 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, France
Editions Diane de Selliers
A namesake independent publishing house known for creating what they call “Great Texts of Literature Illustrated by the Greatest Painters.” They pair classic stories with beautiful artwork. Visit the small boutique in Saint Germain to see the books up close.
19 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France | Website
La Hune
A wonderful selection of photography books, both contemporary and historic. There is also an art gallery connected to the bookstore that hosts photography exhibitions.
16 Rue de l’Abbaye, 75006 Paris, France | Website
Volume
Not just a pretty coffee table bookshop. Volume carries books on architecture, urban planning, photography, and design.
47 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, 75003 Paris, France | Website
Assouline
You’ll recognize Assouline’s designer coffee table books instantly by their vibrant, artsy covers. Their focus leans more toward luxury destinations, brands, and high-end lifestyles, which isn’t always my thing, but I do love their travel books.
35 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France | Website
Taschen
Taschen publishes books on almost every subject imaginable. Art, fairy tales, roses, Star Wars. It’s always worth popping into their Paris boutique to browse.
2 Rue de Buci, 75006 Paris, France | Website
Yvon Lambert Gallery
An upscale gallery and bookstore in the Marais. A great stop if you’re already exploring the neighborhood.
14 Rue des Filles du Calvaire, 75003 Paris, France | Website
Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris Bookstore
I love museum bookstores, and this one is especially good. The museum itself is free to visit, so you can explore the galleries and then browse a fantastic selection of modern art books. Matisse even has his own section.
11 Av. du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris, France | Website
Cahier Central
A very vibey bookstore with a strong catalog of independent magazines and art focused publications.
26 Rue du Château d’Eau, 75010 Paris, France | Website
Studio 7L
Founded by the late Karl Lagerfeld, this bookstore is a designer’s heaven, with books on architecture, art, design, and textiles. For me, this is the ideal art bookstore.
7 Rue de Lille, 75007 Paris, France | Website
Skira Boutique
Skira is an independent publishing house, and their boutique carries a wide selection of their beautifully produced books.
28 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, France | Website
Monocle Café
Located just off Rue Montorgueil, this cafe bookstore is a great place to meet friends for coffee and flip through the latest issue of Monocle.
16 Rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris, France | Website