Paris is home to many stunning libraries. Check out our list of the most beautiful libraries in Paris that you must visit, featuring architectural wonders and rich literary history.
The City of Light is famous for its cultural assets, including its stunning libraries. Join us on a historical trip as we reveal a chosen selection of Paris’s most stunning libraries, where architectural magnificence meets the embrace of significant literary legacies.
Prepare to discover the essence of Parisian charm in its most stunning libraries, which serve as testaments to both creative excellence and the enduring fascination of books.
Things you'll find in this article
- 9 Most Beautiful Libraries In Paris
- 1. Bibliothèque Nationale de France
- 2. Bibliothèque Mazarine
- 3. Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève
- 4. Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal
- 5. Bibliothèque Forney
- 6. Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne
- 7. La Bibliothèque de l’Hôtel de Ville
- 8. Mediatheque Francoise Sagan
- 9. Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar
- Final Thoughts on Beautiful Libraries in Paris
9 Most Beautiful Libraries In Paris
1. Bibliothèque Nationale de France
The Bibliothèque Nationale de France is one of Paris’ most beautiful libraries and one of the world’s most famous collections of printed literature. It also houses two French Renaissance cartographic wonders.
The library, designed by Henri Labrouste and completed in the late 1800s, is regarded as a masterpiece of Beaux Arts architecture, with enormous, skylit reading chambers surrounded by thin steel columns and highly ornamental arches.
The buildings have been restored and enlarged in recent times, and have been updated extensively, making it one of the world’s largest libraries, with over 10 million titles.
It contains works in the fields of art, economics, law, linguistics and writing, science and technology, and other subjects.
The library is made up of four 25-story glass towers including two levels of reading areas that encircle a one-hectare landscape below. Bookstores may be found in the basement, beside the reading areas, and on the top floors of the towers.
Access Fee:
Research Pass: 60.17 USD
Pass BnF lecture: 26.26 USD
1-Day reader’s card: 5.47 USD
Opening Hours:
Monday: 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Tuesday to Saturday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Website: Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Phone: 33 01 53 79 59 59
Address: Quai François Mauriac, 75706 Paris, France
2. Bibliothèque Mazarine
Bibliothèque Mazarine is France’s oldest public library, and it was Cardinal Mazarin’s library until 1652. It presently has 600,000 papers and 5021 manuscripts that anybody with an I.D. may access. The card has the ability to consult.
With its majestic façade and brilliant reading area, it’s difficult to think that the Bibliotheque Mazarine is sometimes ignored by visitors passing through St-Germain-des-Prés.
The climb up the marble staircase is already a magical experience. The visitor is urged not to disrupt the academics who read on one of the 140 seats every day.
Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s first mistress, had the two towering gilt-bronze chandeliers that hang at the entryway custom crafted in the mid-1700s for her castle in the town of Crécy-Couvé away from Paris.
Every year, the library also hosts several exhibitions, some of which display its more important and lesser-known treasures and records. There are also free guided tours for people of all ages.
Access Fee:
Annual Card: 16.41 USD
“Free pass valid for five consecutive days”
Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Website: Bibliothèque Mazarine
Phone: +33 1 44 41 44 06
Address: 23 Quai de Conti, 75006 Paris, France
3. Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève
The Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève is without a doubt one of Paris’ most visually gorgeous structures.
The library spans 282 feet and is 95 feet wide. Railways and iron-roofed train stations, as well as gaslights, were growing popular in Europe at the period.
This library’s roof and floors were made of iron. The iron was not concealed by other materials but rather exhibited. The iron columns are supported by sculpted plinths.
Because the bottom level is utilized for storage, a large window was not required. A photograph of the outside shows smaller windows lining the walls of the bottom floor.
The building’s facade is particularly noteworthy. There are 810 renowned authors listed on stone plaques under the windows.
The reading room runs the whole length of the structure. It is a rectangular area with large windows on all sides. The chamber is divided into two rows of cast iron arches. Even though it appears that the arches are there to sustain the building, they are only decorative.
Access Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Website: Bibliothèque Sainte Geneviève
Phone: 01 44 41 97 97
Address: 10 Pl. du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France
4. Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal
The Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal is without a doubt one of Paris’ most gorgeous libraries. The Arsenal Library is situated in the 4th Arrondissement of Paris, adjacent to several tourist sites such as the Place de la Bastille.
Nowadays, the Arsenal Library has about 10,000 manuscripts spanning from the Middle Ages to the present, as well as over 90,000 prints, containing portraits and caricatures during the French Revolution as well as the Restoration, city plans, and so on.
This is a smaller library with fewer extravagant halls, yet the front is lovely and the Salon de Musique is truly stunning. The Salon, which was recently rebuilt, boasts beautiful walls and several chandeliers.
Access Fee:
Pass BnF lecture: 26.26 USD
1-Day reader’s card: 5.47 USD
Opening Hours:
Monday: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Website: Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal
Phone: +33(0)1 53 79 59 59
Address: 1 Rue de Sully, 75004 Paris, France
5. Bibliothèque Forney
The Bibliothèque Forney is one of the most beautiful libraries in Paris. Forney Library focuses on handcraft, design, style, and graphic arts. It holds a huge collection of written documents, but it also has one of the most extensive collections of displays, pictures, postcards, and other kinds of documents in France.
The stairs leading up to the library entrance would be appreciated. It is from the Middle Ages and has been meticulously repaired and preserved. The gallery in the inner of the courtyard hosts ongoing art exhibitions. They are free and available to people of all ages.
Access Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 noon to 7:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Website: Bibliothèque Forney
Address: 1 Rue du Figuier, 75004 Paris, France
6. Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne
The Sorbonne Library (BIS) is an academic and specialist library devoted to literature and human sciences. It has extensive collections and provides services to both novice and seasoned scholars.
It’s difficult to concentrate on reading when the ceilings are covered in gorgeous ivory moldings along with romantic artwork. Take a seat and study in this amazing space that rivals the library of the Palace of Versailles.
To borrow a book, you must be a Sorbonne student, researcher, or instructor, however, anybody may enter the library for free.
Access Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Website: Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne
Address: 17 Rue de la Sorbonne, 75005 Paris, France
7. La Bibliothèque de l’Hôtel de Ville
Enter the main chamber of the Bibliothèque de l’Hôtel de Ville to discover what an early Renaissance library looks like. Its little chambers totally covered in timber and its clay globe in the center of the room will transport you back in time.
The majority of the books in this collection are about Paris, its history, architecture, and landmarks. In opulent surroundings, this is the ideal place to broaden your understanding of Paris.
The reading room, created by architect Edouard Deperthes, is one of the outstanding examples of late-nineteenth-century library architecture. Its steel structure is concealed by a light oak décor, creating the appearance of an old wood building.
The wooden spiral stairs in each corner of the Hôtel de Ville library are the most prominent feature. Visitors are unable to ascend these steps, yet their allure is obvious.
Access Fee:
Free
Opening Hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
Phone: +33 1 42 76 48 87
Address: 5 Rue de Lobau, 75004 Paris, France
8. Mediatheque Francoise Sagan
The Françoise Sagan media library, among the largest in Paris, was opened in the summer of 2015. It is situated in the 10th arrondissement, near the Gare de l’Est, and forms part of the historical property of the St. Lazarus closed estate, which is divided into three gardens.
These places’ magnificence has been restored thanks to the repairs. The Françoise Sagan Library contains a collection of about 100,000 papers and is brought to life by a diverse cultural program in its allocated areas.
Access Fee:
Subscription is Free
Opening Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Thursday: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Website: Mediatheque Francoise Sagan
Phone: +33 (0) 1 53 24 69 70
Address: 8 Rue Léon Schwartzenberg, 75010 Paris, France
9. Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar
Babel designed the Marguerite Yourcenar media library, which opened in February 2008. The Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar is a popular Parisian library among students, academics, and Parisians in general.
It is so famous that students line up from very early in the morning to get in every day. It’s extremely popular because it’s partially about music.
The media library’s free entertainment and events are held in a variety of settings, including the 120-seat theater, exhibition spaces, animation rooms, and the garden.
Access Fee:
Subscription is Free
Opening Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Thursday: 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Phone: +33 1 45 30 71 41
Address: 41 Rue d’Alleray, 75015 Paris, France
Final Thoughts on Beautiful Libraries in Paris
Each of these nine lovely havens is more than a book repository; it is a monument to the city’s rich cultural legacy and great love of knowledge.
From the majestic halls of the Bibliothèque Mazarine to the opulence of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris’ libraries serve as keepers of history, art, and wisdom.
These libraries provide an oasis for everybody, whether you desire privacy for scholastic pursuits or simply wish to immerse yourself in the tranquil milieu of literary masterpieces.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries and lived in 4 continents in the last 10 years, including France. A self-proclaimed Francophile, I love everything France.