Paris library guide - activities

The Mazarine Library, the oldest public library at the Institut de France

The Bibliothèque Mazarine is France's oldest public library, and certainly one of its most beautiful. Open to all as part of the Institut de France, it's a cultural and heritage gem well worth a visit.

The Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, in the heart of the Latin Quarter

The Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève is a landmark in the Latin Quarter. Discover its history!

The Sainte-Barbe library: a free place to study with a view of the Panthéon

Just 100 meters from the Pantheon, in the heart of the Latin Quarter, is the Bibliothèque Sainte-Barbe. The BSB - as it's nicknamed - is a must for students studying for their mid-term exams, and a real Paris hotspot!

BnF François Mitterrand, the huge Parisian library ideal for revision, but not only

In the 13th arrondissement, it's impossible to miss these 4 immense buildings overlooking the banks of the Seine: designed to resemble an open book, the four towers of the François Mitterrand library offer a place to read, work in silence, do research and consult hundreds of thousands of documents.

BULAC, a free library dedicated to languages and civilizations from other parts of the world, where you can study and review

Not far from the famous François Mitterrand library, the Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et civilisations (BULAC) is the perfect place to borrow and consult a wide range of documents, especially if you're a language student! For all others, it's the perfect place to study for free, all day long and until 10pm in the evening.

The Bibliothèque Publique d'Information, the huge library in the Centre Georges Pompidou

The Bibliothèque publique d'information, or BPI, is located in the Centre Georges Pompidou, in the Marais district of Paris. With the longest opening hours in France, it's a popular place for students, teleworkers and other curious visitors to find sources of information, training and information on a wide range of subjects. We'll take you on a tour of one of the biggest libraries in Paris!

Where to study in Paris? The perfect libraries and places to study for your exams or your bac

The midterms are coming up, the exams are next week or the bac is coming soon? Don't panic, if you are looking for a place to study quietly, without noise, to be sure to pass your exams, many places in Paris welcome you during the week as well as on weekends, sometimes until late at night.

The Sorbonne Library, in the 5th arrondissement

If you're still a student, then you have the chance to visit the Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne, in the 5th arrondissement. A wonderful place to study in peace and quiet.

The Richelieu Library, historic birthplace of the BNF

The Bibliothèque Richelieu is one of the most beautiful libraries in Paris. Discover it for yourself!