Paris Booksellers

One of the famous bookseller's boxes (Bouquinistes) along the banks of the Seine River. With some three kilometres of wagon green boxes lining the... more

by Juli Scalzi

Title

Paris Booksellers

Artist

Juli Scalzi

Medium

Photograph

Description

One of the famous bookseller's boxes (Bouquinistes) along the banks of the Seine River. With some three kilometres of wagon green boxes lining the Seine, over 300,000 used books and a handful of rare Van Gogh masterpieces (yours for only €4!), Paris' bouquinistes , or used-book sellers, are as integral to the cityscape as Notre Dame. You'll find them on the Left Bank from quai Voltaire to quai de la Tournelle, and on the Right Bank from Pont Marie to Quai du Louvre.

The bouquinistes have been in business since the 16th century, when they were itinerant peddlers selling their wares on Parisian bridges – back then their sometimes subversive (eg Protestant) materials would get them in trouble with the authorities. By 1859 the city had finally wised up: official licenses were issued, space was rented (10 metres of railing) and eventually the permanent green boxes were installed.

Today, bouquinistes are allowed to have four boxes, only one of which can be used to sell souvenirs. Look hard enough and you just might find some real treasures: old comic books, forgotten first editions, maps, stamps, erotica and prewar newspapers – as in centuries past, it's all there, waiting to be rediscovered.

Uploaded

October 5th, 2015