Chantelivre is the best place to look for kids' books while shopping in Paris. I mistakenly assumed that I could stock up on les livres pour enfants at any regular Parisian bookstore, but as I discovered, their selections were often scant, outdated, or translations of popular English books I could already buy at home or clunky French translations of Spanish or Italian children's literature. As Chantelivre's website states, "à une époque beaucoup de libraires refusent d'avoir un rayon de livres pour enfants qui ne soient pas strictement éducatifs." In other words, French bookstores once refused to offer children's books other than those written for strictly educational purposes (enacting centuries of debate over the proper education of children a la John Locke or Jean-Jacques Rousseau). Chantelivre departs from this outdated paradigm and offers books upon books for little ones and adolescents alike without worry that that which entertains somehow detracts from a suitable educational trajectory.
Chantelivre also boasts a primo location in the Saint-Germaine-des-Prés sixth arrondissement: at 13 Rue de Sèvres, it is in close proximity to the Bon Marche and all of the boutique stores surrounding it. The neighborhood itself may not be the most kid-friendly due to its high-end reputation, but this bookstore competes with its Hermes/Tods/Ferragamo luxury neighbors owing to its impeccable selection, its expert staff, and its beautiful merchandising and airy light-filled space…and it's kid-friendly too. Chantelivre really is a "songbook" as its name suggests!
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