Paris (May 2018)

If I may add my two cents, I’d say: Bouquinistes should be able to keep their green boxes of books open along the Seine during the Olympics.

I am not a Parisian, so my opinion won’t make any difference, but as a Francophile who loves books, I have a soft spot for the bouquinistes of Paris! (In case you missed it, I wrote about it in my 2018 post, Visiting les Bouquinistes and Shakespeare and Company in Paris, which was later featured in the Denmark-based travel website, “Travel In Culture.”)

I’m well aware the Olympics often require their host cities to make major modifications (at great cost) to accommodate the Games, but what’s up with the long-standing practice of relocating people while citing safety concerns when in actuality someone simply decided it’s just not a good look?

In a way, the situation with the bouquinistes reminds me of the time Super Bowl 50 was held in the San Francisco Bay Area in February 2016. Although the actual game was played in Santa Clara (about 40 miles/ 64 km south of San Francisco), there were fan events scheduled to take place days before the game in San Francisco proper.

About a week earlier, homeless, or unhoused, people were removed from the streets and relocated to large hangars transformed into temporary shelters along Fisherman’s Wharf under the pretense of providing protection from the stormy weather. (Why the sudden concern when homelessness has always been a huge problem in San Francisco?!)

Sounds like the same thing is happening with the bouquinistes. Organizers of the Olympics say they want to relocate the booksellers only while the Games are taking place since major Olympic events (like the Opening Ceremonies and swimming) are scheduled to happen along (or in) the Seine. They say it’s for safety concerns.

some of the recent stories about plans to remove or relocate Paris bouquinistes!

But bouquinistes fear it’s a trick. It’s a legitimate concern that once they relocate or close temporarily that they won’t be allowed to return to their former spots along the river or reopen at all once the Games are over.

The Paris Olympics will begin in ten months. I’m curious to know what will actually happen to the beloved bouquinistes.

You’ve heard my thoughts! Now let me know what you think by responding to my one-question poll below:

Merci et bonne journée !

Update as of February 13, 2024: French President Emmanuel Macron rules that bouquinistes will stay put during the 2024 Paris Olympics.