French Bookstores In Montreal
I checked out two cute Montreal bookstores on a recent visit there. What I loved most about these bookstores is how many French books are readily available in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It shocked me just how hard it is to find a book in English. I think this is wonderful because it keeps the French language alive in Montreal. This is a part of their culture and these French books ensure that younger generations will keep the language alive for generations to come. I bought lots of cute French kids books from both bookstores I visited. I did take French in high school after all and I find it as such a beautiful language to read. It is a romance language after all! Below are pictures I took from each bookstore along with the French kids books I bought.
La Librairie Gallimard De Montreal
Librairie Gallimard is a beautiful bookstore located in the center of a bustling street filled with many different shop fronts and restaurants nearby. I knew I would love this bookstore from the minute I saw the outside of it with the display sign reading ‘Rentree Litteraire’. I wasn’t sure what this meant but was happy to learn that this is a certain season of the year when France releases new books. I was happy to step inside and see every single book published in the French language. It definitely had an independent bookstore vibe and I always love supporting local independent bookstores when I travel. I immediately went to the basement where I was drawn to where all the basic books in French are. If you’re new to learning the French language, this is the place to go to. I immediately gravitated towards the children’s books and bought a bunch of beautiful French kids books that you can see pictured below.
Renaud-Bray felt like a French Barnes & Noble to me. All the books were in French except for a very small area that had some English books. I really love their large selection of French books and especially the children’s books. I bought some very cute French children’s books on tennis, dance, and hockey that you can see pictured below. My favorite purchase was the one about Montreal which captured the city so perfectly. The illustrations and French language used on the pages capture the city so well.
