travel diaries
our secret places
Literary treasures
bookshops
A book market
A book market in the inner courtyard of the famous Vieille Bourse. Between books, you can watch chess players compete in a game.
Courtyard of the Vieille Bourse, Place Charles de Gaulle, 59000 Lille
Librairie Le Bal des Ardents
Behind the iconic archway of books, lies a true paradise for literature lovers.
17 Rue Neuve, 69001, Lyon
librairie Jousseaume
Take a step back in time in the legendary Galerie Vivienne covered passageway.
45-47 Galerie Vivienne, 75002 Paris
Interludes for reading
literary cafés
Les Bien-aimé.e.s
A cosy space, in touch with its readers, full of culture and interaction, with a café corner where you can spend time.
129 rue Amelot 75011, Paris
Au Comptoir du livre
A cosy, hushed atmosphere for reading in a warm ambience on the terrace or indoors.
47 rue des Trois Frères Barthélemy, Marseille
LA HALLE SAINT PIERRE
Set up under former covered market halls, it’s the ideal place to explore the gallery, browse through art books or linger awhile in the café.
2 Rue Ronsard, 75018 Paris
Used Book Café
A relaxing interlude in this vintage coffee shop with entire walls of second hand books.
111 Bd Beaumarchais, 75003, Paris
Explore
Libraries
Bibliothèque Méjanes - Allumettes
Built in a former match factory.
8 Rue des Allumettes, 13100, Aix-en-Provence
Strasbourg National and University Library
An architectural feat and one of the finest heritage collections in France.
6 Pl. de la République, 67000, Strasbourg
BIBLIOTHÈQUE MAZARINE
The oldest public library in France.
23 Quai de Conti, 75006, Paris
Secret places
hidden places
The SECRET stop in the forest of Fontainebleau
Designed for hikers and climbers, passengers can leave the train at this stop on the RER B but not board. It takes you right into the middle of the forest. Trains run on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and their frequency and times vary according to the season.
Forêt de Fontainebleau
LA MEZCALERIA (hidden bar)
You’ll have to cross the restaurant’s kitchens, push open a swinging door, and there you are, in the half-light of a mysterious doorway. All you have to do then is open the black curtains to enter the atmosphere of the Mezcaleria bar.
13 Bd du Temple, 75003 Paris
LA FERME DES RUELLES
Just 10 km from Claude Monet’s famous gardens at Giverny, the farm features a cider house, a shop selling local produce, two guest rooms, orchards, a garden forest and 60 hectares of fields cultivated using sustainable farming methods.
8 Les Ruelles, 27510 Tilly
Le bar à bulle
A getaway from the hustle and bustle of Paris to discover the secret Bar à Bulle (Bubble Bar) perched on the roof of the Moulin Rouge.
4 Cité Véron, 75018 Paris
christmas market
the most beautiful christmas markets
Colmar Christmas Market
From 23 November to 29 December
STRASBOURG CHRISTMAS MARKET
From 24 November to 24 December
lille christmas market
From 22 November to 31 December