Facing the River Seine and Notre-Dame Cathedral, Shakespeare and Company has served as a sanctuary for writers, poets, and readers since George Whitman opened its doors in 1951. Continuing the tradition of Sylvia Beach's original 1919 bookstore, it remains a pillar of English-language literature in Paris.

The Tumbleweed Tradition

Since its inception, the store has offered bed space upstairs to traveling writers and artists—nicknamed "Tumbleweeds"—in exchange for helping out around the shop, reading a book a day, and writing a one-page autobiography for the shop’s archives. Over 30,000 writers have stayed here over the decades.

"Be not inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise." — Motto painted above the library room door.

Exploring the Alcoves

Narrow staircases with lines from poem verses painted on the risers lead to cramped, cozy reading nooks, antique typewriters, and quiet benches overlooking the Latin Quarter. It is a living piece of cultural history.