It may have a grandiose name, but this bookshop is a tad more niche than it suggests – the ‘globe’ is in fact limited to just Russia. For the past 60 years now, Russian books have filled the shelves of this shop, which has switched locations and now operates on the Boulevard Beaumarchais in the Marais. For those who want to read in Pushkin’s own language, the stock of Russian books is impressive. But French translations of classic and contemporary Russian novels are also readily available, as is a whole section dedicated to travel and guidebooks, and another to grammar books and dictionaries (French/Russian). If Russian books (or French translations) don’t appeal, then try rummaging through the vintage Soviet posters or the wide array of Russian CDs and DVDs instead.
In the basement (which is given over to second-hand books), beanbags litter the floor and cosy armchairs allow visitors to while away the hours with a book or laptop. Large tables and a flip board allude to the fortnightly Russian discussion classes they host (€15), apparently accompanied by tea and cake, plus other events, talks and film screenings that take place throughout the year. Clearly, the Librairie du Globe styles itself as far more than just a bookshop, and more like a comprehensive cultural centre for Parisian Russophiles, one and all. For real devotees, the staff also produce online podcasts with authors, which you can listen to here.