Another highlight of our trip was a visit to Shakespeare & Company, located on the Left bank at 37 Rue de la Bucherie. Shakespeare & Company is the famous English-language bookstore originally owned by Sylvia Beach, publisher of James Joyce and friend to every expat writer in Paris in the 1920’s and 30’s. I had wanted to make a pilgrimage to this site ever since I first started my own career in bookselling 14 years ago at the Shakespeare & Company here in NYC and read Beach’s book about her Paris bookshop. Now owned by the elderly George Whitman, and in a different location than the original, the scene is still the same: a warren of dusty rooms filled to the brim with books on every subject one can think of. It also remains the favorite hangout of students, famous and would-be famous writers, and various other intellectuals.
As I made my purchases, all stamped with the famous bookstore insignia, I introduced myself as a fellow bookseller to Mr. Whitman. The next thing I knew he was enthusiastically pressing a key ring into my hand and offering me the use of one of his rooms above the shop! He is renowned for his generosity to fellow literary types and often takes in poor writers and artists, giving them the use of a room in exchange for a few hours of work a day. If you don’t mind sharing a small room with a couple of other people (and often more than a few fleas, according to one guest) it is a great deal. After I explained that we already had accommodations, Mr. Whitman graciously invited us to a literary tea that afternoon at 4pm. The weekly tea takes place in his own cramped private quarters above the store, filled with even more cases of dusty books and views of the Seine and Notre Dame. We were joined by about eight other American and English expats (most of whom were lucky enough to actually live in Paris) and sat around for hours drinking tea, eating cookies and discussing books, politics, and life in Paris. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget.
Speaking of literary Paris, it may seem like a cliché but Hemingway was certainly right to call Paris a moveable feast. There are two delightful outdoor markets on the Left Bank which are not to be missed. Rue de Buci and Rue Mouffetard close to automobile traffic on different days of the week (and every weekend morning) and vendors line the streets, offering fresh vegetables and fruit, delectable pastries, cheeses, pates, sandwiches and wine. You can put together a truly delicious picnic lunch for a few francs-definitely the best deal in Paris-and enjoy a quintessential Parisian experience. We spent our last day doing just that and dined on the bank of the Seine as the riverboats rolled by. --- Diana & Craig
Naturally I brought too many guides with me, eager to test them all out. The following are the ones I used the most:
Paris Access--Arranged by neighborhood, it is perfect for use on walking tours and for information on smaller, tucked away sights. Especially good for author’s homes, artist’s studios, and architecture notes, and surprisingly good restaurant recommendations. $19.00
Michelin Green Guide Paris-The classic sightseeing guide to all the major museums and monuments of Paris, though it has surprisingly little on the smaller sights. Great maps, though you still need a good basic street map, such as the ones below. $20.00
Streetwise Paris Map (laminated) $5.95
Michelin Paris fold-out map#12 $12.00
Cheap Eats in Paris-Sandra Gustafson’s comprehensive guide to moderate and inexpensive restaurants all over the city, arranged by arrondissement. Markets, food shops and tips on ways to cut eating expenses are included. A fantastic and knowledgeable guide, she did not steer us wrong once. $12.95