I have a book shop section of my Bucket List and Shakespeare and Company may have been the one I was most excited for. Shakespeare & Co is a quaint independent bookstore in Paris, tucked right underneath the shadow of Notre Dame. I love independent book shops, and the second is heard of this place I knew I had to go there. So did I hype it up too much or is Shakespeare and Company worth visiting if you’re in Paris?

Here’s my review of Shakespeare and Company?

The Shakespeare and Company bookshop

The Shakespeare and Company bookshop was just as I pictured it to be. It was a little tight but it had a great selection of books. All the shelves are clearly labelled with the genres, so if you don’t have the time to go through them for hours, you can quickly find what you’re looking for. Most of the books are in English but there are many French books too. 

It’s very busy pretty much all the time, so with the small space, it’s very cramped and hot. That said, it wasn’t busy enough to warrant a queue like you would find in Disneyland or at the Catacombs. If you’re claustrophobic don’t go during peak hours, but the chances of arriving to an almost empty bookshop are slim.

The staff were lovely, and they regularly host events that I’d love to go back for. 

I bought two books and a postcard, and can’t wait to read them – even though I already had books at home I still haven’t read. I wish bought more but I was worried about not having enough money in case of an emergency and to last until payday. Having at least one book with their signature stamp was enough for me though.

The bad news is that they don’t let people take pictures of inside but I was able to snap pictures of what we got in their cafe next door.

The Shakespeare & Co cafe

Nothing is better than coffee and a good book which is why the Shakespeare and Company cafe exists! 

The Shakespeare and Company cafe is suitable for vegans, and I believe they accommodate for people who are gluten-free too. 

Shakespeare and Company cafe review 

When it came to coffee we got a soya latte and an Americano. Paris is known for having the best coffee, and the Shakespeare & Co cafe was a testament to that. It was the best coffee we got in all of Paris!

The coffee was rich and smooth, so there wasn’t too much bitterness. Many kinds of soya milk are awful in coffee, but whatever Shakespeare & Co used was frothed to perfection. It was slightly sweet but not too sweet. Soya milk often gets burnet by baristas trying to get it as frothy as cows milk gets, but this was perfect. Either the barista’s are amazing, or I need to find out what soya milk they have! 

When it came to food in the Shakepeare and company cafe, we got vegan bagels with kale, pesto, and carrot, and a vegan chocolate donut between us. I’m usually let down by the vegan food when I eat out so but this was probably the best I’ve had. Orignally the thought of carrots and pesto in a bagel didn’t sound good to me, but it was so delicious and filling! The donut was fluffy, soft, and so good! It wasn’t disgustingly sweet, but still felt like a treat! We regretted getting one donut between two because it was that good!

The food in Disneyland and our hotel wasn’t great. In fact, this was the only meal I ever actually felt satisfied after on the whole trip. You can see more about eating vegan in Paris here.

Is Shakespeare and Company worth visiting in Paris?

So, is Shakespeare and Company worth visiting in Paris? If you’re a bookworm or a coffee lover, or a vegan looking to get lunch in Paris, then Shakespeare and Company is worth visiting. This review of Shakespeare and Company could not be higher!

Everything about Shakespeare & Co exceeded my expectations. I’m already looking forward to going back one day! 

To fill the void in the meantime, you might like these Disney books. 

Have you ever been to Shakespeare and Company?