In Paris, certain places seem straight out of a novel. Such is the case with Shakespeare and Company, an English-language bookstore located just a stone’s throw from Notre-Dame. Behind its green facade and shelves filled with books lies an astonishing story. Since 1951, thousands of travelers have found refuge there, sometimes without spending a penny. Seventy-five years later, this literary institution continues to keep alive a bohemian Paris that was thought to have disappeared.
In 1951, a small Parisian bookstore became a refuge for writers
It all began in 1951, when George Whitman, an American with a passion for literature, opened a small bookstore at 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, in the 5th arrondissement. At the time, the shop was not yet called Shakespeare and Company, but Le Mistral.
His idea was simple yet revolutionary: to create a place where book lovers could meet, exchange ideas, and, above all, find refuge. People didn’t just come here to buy novels. From the very beginning, George Whitman offered writers and travelers a place to sleep for free among the bookshelves. It was his way of repaying the hospitality he himself had received during his travels.
But be warned: this unusual lodging comes with conditions. Guests must read one book a day, help out at the bookstore for a few hours, and write a one-page autobiography. These passing travelers share the same nickname: the “Tumbleweeds,” a reference to the bushes that roll with the wind.
Over the years, the bookstore became a true literary haven. Writers such as Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, and James Baldwin frequented this unique spot. In 1964, Le Mistral was renamed Shakespeare and Company, in homage to the famous bookstore founded by Sylvia Beach in 1919.
75 years later, more than 30,000 travelers have slept among its bookshelves
Today, it’s hard to walk past Shakespeare and Company without stopping for a moment. Across from Notre-Dame, its famous green facade attracts curious visitors from around the world. Inside, the decor seems to have stood the test of time. Books from floor to ceiling, narrow nooks, and reading areas still give the bookstore the feel of a place outside of time.
But behind these walls lies much more than a collection of books. Over the decades, the bookstore’s small rooms have welcomed travelers from all corners of the world. Some stayed only a few nights; others, several weeks. Amid the bookshelves, the benches served as makeshift beds, and the shelves have witnessed thousands of encounters. Passing visitors have left a trace of their stay: a one-page autobiography—required for their stay—preserved in the bookstore’s archives. Thousands of personal stories that tell the history of this extraordinary place.
Since it opened, more than 30,000 writers and travelers have been hosted free of charge in the bookstore. Contrary to what one might imagine, this tradition isn’t just a thing of the past. The famous “Tumbleweeds” are still part of Shakespeare and Company’s history. The bookstore continues to cultivate the spirit of hospitality that has made its reputation.
Since George Whitman’s passing in 2011, his daughter Sylvia Whitman has carried on the legacy. The bookstore also hosts literary gatherings and has its own café.
75 years after it opened, Shakespeare and Company remains much more than just a bookstore. It’s a little piece of the literary Paris of yesteryear that lives on, right across from Notre-Dame.
Location: Shakespeare and Company, 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005