The Beautiful Bibliothèques of France

Justin Postlethwaite enters the hushed and hallowed rooms at some of France’s most prestigious and grand reading places…

France is blessed with many stunning libraries, both public and private, that welcome not only those studying, researching or reading at leisure, but also those inquisitive visitors who enjoy soaking up aged architecture and furnishings, and wallowing in the bookish, intellectual atmosphere. They also provide so rare these days-havens of calm and reflection in bustling towns and cities, while preserving the lineage of France’s intellectual history.

Our shortlist of five handsome bibliothèques is thoroughly subjective: there are many others worth visiting, with châteaux hosting some of the finest collections of books in France – in decidedly atmospheric, historic surroundings, of course. Smaller private libraries such as Napoleon’s one for personal use in the Petits Appartements at Château de Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne); the collection of 19,000 volumes exhibited in the Reading Room at Château de Chantilly (Oise); and the splendid oak-panelled treasure trove at Château de Serrant (Maine-et-Loire), invite passionate bibliophiles to step back in time in style.

Plenty of contemporary libraries are equally eye-catching: Le Havre’s chic concrete Bibliothèque Oscar-Niemeyer, completed in 1982; La bibliothèque municipale de Tours (1957), a notable example of post-war reconstruction architecture; and La bibliothèque d’architecture contemporaine Jean-Louis Cohen (with a vast collection of architectural tomes) at Paris’s Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine.

A great time to explore libraries, often with a tour guide, is during the European Heritage Days (Journées européennes du patrimoine) weekend, which this year is September 19-20. This year’s theme is Heritage at Risk. Keep an eye on the website for details: www.europeanheritagedays.com.

Alternatively, why not just drop into a library during your next break to France?

1. BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE (BNF) RICHELIEU, 1 PARIS

As one of the Bibliothèque nationale de France’s two main sites (the other being the François-Mitterrand site) the Richelieu building is the historic cradle of the BnF. Constructed in the 17th century, originally as the palace of Cardinal Mazarin, the King’s library was moved here in 1721. Among the unmissables to enjoy are the epic Salle Ovale (Oval Room) -perhaps the most iconic library room in the whole of France and open to all-the garden, terrace, Rose Bakery café, bookshop and a fabulous museum. “From books to manuscripts, by way of jewellery, coins and medals, maps and plans, musical scores, prints, posters, costumes and photographs, almost 900 outstanding works await your discovery in the heart of Paris,” says the museum.

www.bnf.fr/en

2. BIBLIOTHÈQUE MAZARINE, PARIS

Housed within the Palais de l’Institut de France in the 6th arrondissement, this is the oldest public library in France and is indelibly linked to the personal collections of Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661), Richelieu’s successor and chief minister during Louis XIV’s minority from 1643 to 1661. Must-sees among some 600,000 volumes are a Gutenberg Bible (a copy is displayed in the beautiful 140-seat reading room; the original is safely tucked away in a vault) and 2,300 incunabula from the early days of the printing press (circa 1450-1500).

www.bibliotheque-mazarine.fr/en

3. MÉDIATHÈQUE JEAN JEUKENS, BAR-LE-DUC, MEUSE

A left-field pick away from major urban centres, this media library in the Meuse department is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Housed in the resplendent Château de Marbeaumont, built between 1903 and 1905 by the Varin-Bernier banking family, its design both inside and out sings of eclecticism (a mixture of elements from previous historical styles to create something that is new and original), blending styles from Renaissance to Art Nouveau. Not many French libraries sit within English-style parkland, but this one does it is an intellectual hideaway and one of the historic Grand
Est town’s gems.

mediatheques.meusegrandsud.fr

4. LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE STRASBOURG, BAS-RHIN

This epic library is the second biggest in France, with some 3.5m documents and 70km of book-lined aisles, and is the only one outside Paris defined as ‘national’. A monument historique in the Neo-classical style on Strasbourg’s Place de la République, its ancient exterior (adorned with iconic historical figures) belies stunning contemporary décor within -the imposing spiral staircase, fashioned in wood, steel and glass, is a dazzling feature of the atrium.

bnu.fr/fr

5 BIBLIOTHÈQUE D’ÉTUDE ET DU PATRIMOINE, TOULOUSE, HAUTE-GARONNE

Inaugurated in October 1935, the building housing the library was designed by Toulouse’s city architect, Jean Montariol. It is acknowledged as his career masterpiece, and drew inspiration from the Sainte-Geneviève Library in Paris and the Art Deco Carnegie Library in Reims, inaugurated in 1928. Its geometric style (large vertical and horizontal lines, right angles) and bold colours are aligned with a layout that prioritised functionality alongside form.
This is a personal pick with a close link to France Today-pop through the monumental doors whose artistic ironwork depicts the history of printing, then into the hushed Salle Étude on any given day and you may spot me tapping away on a keyboard as I work on research or articles. How apt for a print magazine!

bibliotheque.toulouse.fr

From France Today Magazine

Lead photo credit : Photo: Shutterstock