The Tree of Letters - Bastille, Bookshop in the 12th arrondissement, Paris, France
L'Arbre à Lettres - Bastille is an independent bookshop in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, close to Place de la Bastille. It carries fiction, essays, children's books, and a selection of foreign-language titles.
L'Arbre à Lettres is a Parisian bookshop chain founded in the 1980s, with several branches across the city. The Bastille location is one of the longest-running among them.
The shop's name comes from a poetic image: a tree that carries letters instead of leaves. This kind of name is common among independent bookshops in Paris that build a strong literary identity around their image.
The shop is easy to reach on foot from Bastille metro station, which is just steps away. Visiting on a weekday tends to be quieter than on weekends, when the surrounding area gets busier.
L'Arbre à Lettres runs several branches in Paris, but each one has its own profile with different thematic focuses. The Bastille branch is known for its selection of literature from francophone Africa and the Caribbean.
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