LE PORTRAIT
An address with a clear point of view.
Nestled within the grounds of Parc Georges-Brassens, the Marché du livre ancien et d'occasion on rue Brancion is one of the rare open-air book markets still operating in Paris. Every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm, around forty booksellers and collectors set up their finds: rare and antiquarian books, crime novels, comics, manga starting at €2.50, vinyl records, prints, postcards and all manner of vintage paper ephemera. The vendors are serious operators — you'll find first editions for bibliophiles alongside paperbacks at two euros for the simple pleasure of reading. On the first and third Thursday of each month, the market transforms into a Collections & Vintage gathering from 11am to 7pm, with an even more eclectic selection.
The atmosphere is relaxed, prices remain reasonable, and conversation with the stallholders is part of the experience. Best avoided if you're in a hurry. According to one collector on Reddit, the place is "a curious cross between a library and a bazaar," where you might leave with "a handful of paperbacks at a euro each" or finally track down "that leather-bound incunabula you've been searching for for years." Parc Georges-Brassens itself, though smaller than Luxembourg or Buttes-Chaumont, provides a pleasant neighbourhood setting that enriches the visit: allow time to wander its paths after browsing the market.
« Un charmant petit marché. Un véritable paradis pour les amoureux des livres. On y trouve une multitude de livres anciens, tous avec une reliure de qualité et cette merveilleuse odeur de papier ancien. Certains ouvrages sont assez chers, mais la plupart sont très abordables. »
