How has the world’s largest outdoor bookstore survived?

Along three kilometers of the stone banks of the river Seine, there is a phenomenon that is known as “the world’s largest open-air bookstore”. More than 200 booksellers, known as Bouquinistes, along with their iconic green boxes, represent not just a cultural commodity, but part of France‘s living history. This market, which dates back to about 475 years ago, is now registered as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. (CNN)

The biggest contemporary challenge of this genre occurred not from the book market, but during the preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games. Paris police authorities had ordered the evacuation and relocation of about 570 boxes for security reasons and to open the viewing space for the opening ceremony.

Photographer: Getty Images/Kiran Ridley

This decision was met with strong resistance. Booksellers and experts warned that these old wooden and metal boxes were extremely fragile and that moving them would destroy them forever. After months of wrangling, French President Emmanuel Macron finally intervened personally and, in a fateful decision, ordered the booksellers to stay put. This act was the victory of cultural identity over logistical requirements.

Working in this profession is more than a simple peddling and is governed by strict rules:

• Minimum attendance: Every bookmaker is required to open his stall at least four days a week.
• Commodity quota: According to the city rules, each vendor can dedicate a maximum of one-fourth of his booth space to sell souvenirs or postcards, and the rest of the space must be reserved exclusively for old or second-hand books.
• Ownership and rental: These sellers do not pay rent to the municipality, but instead they are obliged to maintain these historical boxes and preserve the literary heritage of the city.

Today, the economic survival of booksellers on the edge of the age is facing serious threats. The emergence of e-commerce giants such as Amazon and the new generation’s desire to read on digital devices has changed the shopping pattern.

Photographer: Telmo Pinto/Getty Images

While in the past the main customers of these booths were researchers and collectors, today a large part of their income comes from tourists looking for nostalgic posters or old postcards.

Many of these sellers live with meager incomes, but what keeps them on the riverside is “freedom” and “independence”. They are their own boss and their office has a unique view of Notre Dame Cathedral and Paris sunsets.

Despite the challenges, this profession still has its applicants. A new generation of bookinists, from ex-luxury hotel employees to retired professionals, are joining the guild to protect the tradition of flipping through physical books in the open air.

Bookinists believe that no algorithm or online store can replace the joy of discovering a rare manuscript in the dust of an old green box. They are not just sellers, but the “spirit of Paris” who stand firm in the face of change.

Photographer: Catherine Bennett / www.fodors.com

Do you think there is still a place for this 450-year-old tradition in today’s digital world? Do you choose the pleasure of flipping through an old book or the convenience of buying from online bookstores? Share your opinion with us and other audience.