Posted on 03/05/2022 20:56
Update on 03/05/2022 23:32
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Booksellers are an institution in Paris. When the time comes to replace the oldest, the hardest part for the town hall is to choose the new candidates.
The booksellers of Paris have stood the test of time, and spanned more than four centuries. Today, their urgency is to recruit the next generation. His 2,000 books, Jérôme Calais has carefully hunted them down, to resell them to amateurs. Bookseller for 30 years, he is for the love of texts, and life on a quay of the Seine, in the open air. “We are the peasants of Paris! We are always looking at the sky, because we are wary of the fleet”, he explains. Julien Anido is new to the business. It was selected following a call for tenders from the city of Paris, and is already dubbed by seasoned booksellers.
As the job does not bring in more than a monthly minimum wage, Julien will carry out his two activities simultaneously, those of bookseller and tourist guide. Already in the 19th century, people hunted for rare works or fine prints. Then the booksellers took root. They are today 240 on 3 km of quays, yielded by the town hall. Before settling down, he built up a little treasure in his cellar, “between 500 and 600” works, found in garage sales or individuals. Estelle Janaudy has a small problem: a nice location, but no boxes to buy. From her appointment, she has three months to settle down, otherwise she may lose her place. For the 18 apprentice booksellers selected, it is therefore a race against time that begins.