Paris
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Flexible working hours, being your own boss, fresh air, and views of Notre Dame Cathedral make this a rewarding job. Parisian bouquinists have been established along the Seine for almost 500 years and are determined to keep their profession alive.
“This is my life. It’s not just a job,” Sylvia Bluey, 76, who has been selling used books on Via Conti for eight years, told CNN. “We sell what we like.”
The history of Paris’ world-famous bookstores dates back to 1550, when dozens of street vendors set up shop on the Île de la Cité in the heart of the French capital. Trade began in 1606 with the construction of the Pont Neuf, the first bridge without buildings on it, providing vast space for new sellers of portable goods.
By the early 1900s, the city had standardized the iconic look of food stalls. The seller fabricated a metal box painted the same “wagon green” color, with an open lid designed to preserve views of the riverbank. Today, around 230 bookstores line the 3-kilometre stretch of the Seine, selling old and modern books, sculptures, stamps, and magazines.
It is a unique environment to appreciate the written word. A skyline of historic stone buildings surrounds this outdoor bookstore.
Although bookstores do not pay taxes or rent, they must follow strict regulations. Vacant spaces are allocated and regulated by the City of Paris through a dedicated committee. Candidates should apply with a resume and a cover letter explaining their plans.
“We have to show our attitude towards books,” Jérôme Calais, president of the Paris Cultural Society, told CNN. Twelve new booksellers were appointed in October 2025.
Each occupancy permit is granted for five years. Bookstores must be open at least four days a week, excluding inclement weather. The sale of second-hand books, used books, used paper, and prints is permitted. You can also add some other items, such as coins, medals, old stamps, postcards, etc., as long as you do not exceed the contents of one box.
“Knowledge requires experience, and it’s no surprise that the majority of booksellers, about 80 percent, are over 50,” Curry says.
Among its elders is Ozan Igitkeskin, a new bookist who will offer a selection of multilingual books. After working as an online bookseller, he decided to set up shop on the quay at the age of 52. “My first job was selling books from my bicycle in Istanbul when I was 15 years old. I was also a typist and journalist, but I still have a passion for books.”
Igitkeskin knows how vulnerable small bookstores are, always struggling to meet the rent, but he boasts that as a bookseller he doesn’t have such problems.
Six years ago, 35-year-old Camille Goudeau opened her own stall specializing in science fiction and fantasy on Rue Hôtel de Ville, after years of working in other bookstores.
“I sell cheap used books to give people who don’t read books, or who rarely read books, or who have stopped reading books a chance to read them again,” she told CNN.
“There was a 30-year-old woman who was like me. She didn’t have the courage to go to a bookstore,” said fellow bookseller Sylvia Bluey. “She bought her first book here, ‘The Old Man and the Sea.'” Then she read Joyce. Now she goes to the bookstore. ”
French readers have been buying more used books in the past decade, with 25-34 year olds reading the most books a year on average, according to an IPSOS/CNL poll.
Working outdoors: freedom and relationships
Booksellers work outdoors all year round, and often only have a comfortable folding chair and a small table that doubles as a desk and counter. Why choose this life over the comfort of working in a store?
“I don’t like being cooped up at home, and I find it difficult to work for someone else. Being a bookseller allows me to be completely independent,” bookist Camille Goudeau explained to CNN.
“This is a very direct way to connect with people,” Godot added. Stalls are “a haven for some people for whom walking is their daily and only daily interaction.”
Claire Leriche, who has worked as a bookseller for 15 years, said these interpersonal moments make a big difference. “When people buy three postcards and show them the stamps and explain that they were sent in 1904, they love it because there’s a little story behind it.”
Laura Contreras, 26, a literature student who studies the letters of Simone de Beauvoir, often comes to the quay to purchase mainly philosophical works and essays. “It has historical value and each item has its own story,” she said.
Marie Samuel Klein, 23, also comes regularly. “I love it because I always find jewelry,” she said. “I like old books, that smell. There’s something symbolic about a book, knowing that so many people have read it before me.”
Be it e-books or online bookstores, bookists are determined to survive in the face of change.
Jérôme Calais said: “It’s up to us to let people come. This is where human eye-to-eye communication takes place. We offer an oasis of humanity and culture.”
The latest threat came from an unexpected source. It’s the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Bouquinists had to fight off refugees until the event’s spectacular opening ceremony was held on the banks of the Seine. Public outcry allowed them to maintain a foothold in central Paris.
Every year, people say, “Oh my God, this is terrible, bookstores are dying out,” and Camille Goudeau said this on the banks of the Seine. “But the fact is, we’re still here, and we hope we’ll always be here.”
