A local’s guide to visiting Boulinier Châtelet, one of the biggest stores for used books in Paris, from fashion to French literature near Rue de Rivoli!
Recently, I’ve told you about some of the most beautiful bookstores in Paris, and I’ve shared some of my favorites like Assouline or Brentano’s on Avenue de l’Opéra.
Today, we are going to talk about one of the oldest bookstores in Paris and an address you absolutely must not miss if you are visiting Paris on a budget: Boulinier.
Boulinier Châtelet, An Institution for Used Books in Paris
Boulinier is a place where any book lover will feel at home; it is an institution of the Parisian literary scene, independent and run by the same family since 1845.
You can find them notably on Boulevard Saint-Michel, with an enormous store open in that neighborhood since 1938, as well as at Bonne Nouvelle and Châtelet on the Place des Innocents – which is the shop we are discussing today.
I can’t tell you exactly how many books I’ve bought at the Châtelet Boulinier, but most of the time it was classic literature.
True to form, this time I bought another copy of Zola’s famous book, Au Bonheur des Dames, which tells the story of the great department stores like Printemps, La Samaritaine, or Galeries Lafayette.
Returning to Boulinier now.
While the Saint-Michel store is as famous as its neighbor Gibert, it is at Châtelet that I feel most at ease because there seem to be far fewer book buyers there than at Saint-Michel.
This makes sense, of course, as Saint-Michel is in the heart of the Latin Quarter, whereas Châtelet is close to the Forum des Halles.
In this Boulinier, you can buy everything: children’s books, young adult novels, DVDs, magazines, and even some rarer titles.
The prices are very affordable, and it’s in the bins in front of the store where you’ll find the best deals, with books often starting around €0.20 or €0.50.
If you are someone who loves books that have been “lived in,” even if they are in very good condition, Boulinier is an address I recommend very warmly.
If you occasionally want to treat yourself to more design-focused or brand-new books, bookstores like Assouline and Taschen, which I mentioned at the beginning of this article, are two other must-visit addresses.
Boulinier Châtelet Paris Photo Gallery
Boulinier Châtelet, An Institution for Used Books in Paris
Once you’ve finished at Boulinier, you can head toward Rue de Rivoli for some shopping, as it’s only a few minutes away on foot.
You can also continue your tour of Paris further down toward Rue Montorgueil, where you’ll find the Passage du Grand-Cerf and the Stohrer bakery, or go admire the magnificent buildings near the Réaumur-Sébastopol metro station.
And if by chance you want somewhere a bit more lively and edgy, I advise you to stroll through the beautiful streets of the Marais (and pop by the Cloître des Billettes!).
Don’t forget to discover the colorful fountain at Place Stravinsky nearby; you can also admire the fake windows at 29 Rue Quincampoix, accompanied by the new books you found at Boulinier.
If you’d like to continue your discovery of the historical and literary Paris, you can also check out the Molière bust near Châtelet, Passage Jouffroy, or other cute bookstores and souvenir shops like Shakespeare and Company or the vintage-style Marin Montagut!
Boulinier Châtelet Paris Photo Gallery
Address: 2 Rue des Innocents (on Place des Innocents)
Website: Boulinier