Library nights · Paris
31 upcoming free programs at 26 library venues in Paris — book clubs, talks, workshops and more. No booking for most, and nobody asks why you came on your own.
Venue by venue
Bibliothèque Benoîte Groult (2) · Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris (BHVP) (2) · Médiathèque Jean-Pierre Melville (2) · Médiathèque Marguerite Duras (2) · Médiathèque musicale de Paris – Christiane Eda-Pierre (2) · Bibliothèque Aimé Césaire (1) · Bibliothèque Amélie (1) · Bibliothèque Andrée Chedid (1) · Bibliothèque Assia Djebar (1) · Bibliothèque Drouot (1) · Bibliothèque Forney (1) · Bibliothèque Germaine Tillion (1) · Bibliothèque Italie (1) · Bibliothèque Jean d'Ormesson (1) · Bibliothèque Louise Michel (1) · Bibliothèque Louise Walser-Gaillard (1) · Bibliothèque Rainer Maria Rilke (1) · Bibliothèque Saint-Eloi (1) · Bibliothèque des Batignolles (salle bleue) (1) · Instituto Cervantes, Biblioteca Octavio Paz (1) · Jardin partagé de la Baleine verte (1) · Médiathèque Françoise Sagan (1) · Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar (1) · Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar (forecourt) (1) · Médiathèque Violette Leduc (1) · Médiathèque de la Canopée (1)
An informal monthly café where people swap their current reads and all-time favourites over tea, coffee or juice: novels, comics, essays, films and more. Entry is free and limited to 15 participants. The small circle and relaxed format make it easy to join conversations as a newcomer.
The library's monthly literary café invites you to share what you are reading or loving at the moment — novels, essays, comics, manga, crime, sci-fi or films — over tea, coffee or juice. You can present a favourite or simply listen. Entry is free, limited to 15 participants, and the small circle makes it easy to join in alone.
In the Hôtel de Lamoignon in the Marais, the city's historical library invites food historian Katherine Khodorowsky to trace how cocoa reached the court of Louis XIV, read through the witty letters the Marquise de Sévigné wrote to her daughter about it. After the readings the spiced seventeenth-century recipe is made on the spot and handed round to taste. It is free, for adults, with a free ticket to book online. «Le chocolat chaud de Madame de Sévigné» Starts 18:00, ends about 19:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The closing evening of the Bibliothèque historique's season on «ouvrières»: historians Romain Castellesi, Fanny Gallot and Amandine Tabutaud discuss the women who worked in French factories, workshops and at home in the 20th century, at least a fifth of the working class and yet long invisible. A free talk in a Marais mansion library, in French, for adults and teenagers from 15. Booking is advised. «Table-ronde « histoire ouvrière, histoire d'ouvrières »» Starts 19:00, ends about 20:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The young international brass quintet Q5, founded in 2019 in Romania, plays two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba at the Jean-Pierre Melville media library in the 13th arrondissement. Their programme mixes classical pieces by composers such as Mozart, Bach and Lully with traditional tunes, film music and covers. Entry is free, and a short Saturday-afternoon concert among the bookshelves is a lovely thing to do alone. «Concert du quintette de cuivres Q5» Starts 16:00, ends about 17:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Every Tuesday morning the Médiathèque Jean-Pierre Melville in the 13th arrondissement invites everyone learning French to a friendly conversation workshop on a different theme each time. It is free, open to adults and needs no booking. A warm way for newcomers to practise their French and meet other learners. «Ateliers de conversation FLE (français langue étrangère)» Starts 10:00, ends about 11:15. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
For Halloween the Marguerite Duras media library in the 20th arrondissement shows Brian De Palma's cult rock opera Phantom of the Paradise (1975) on the big screen: a young composer whose music is stolen by the producer Swan escapes from prison, disfigured and voiceless, to haunt Swan's new rock palace. In English with French subtitles, 92 minutes. Free, no booking, for teens from 14 and adults. «Projection Phantom of the Paradise de Brian De Palma» Starts 18:00, ends about 20:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The big Marguerite Duras media library on rue de Bagnolet, in the 20th arrondissement, ends the week before Christmas with swing. The Paname Big Band of Musique Ensemble 20e, about 25 amateur musicians conducted by Vincent Echard and with clarinet and flute alongside the usual brass, plays jazz standards and film music. Free, no reservation; come early for a seat. «Concert jazz – Le Paname Big Band de Musique Ensemble 20e» Starts 20:00, ends about 21:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The city's music library at Les Halles opens its Monte le Son festival with a live session by Venezuelan singer Amari Natura, who mixes cumbia, dancehall, dembow and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Her backing band, a DJ, two dancers and a Cuban pianist newly arrived in France join her on stage. It is free with no booking, within the limit of available places. «Monte le Son 2026 "Ô féminins" | Amari Natura - Live Session "DIVINA"» Starts 20:00, ends about 22:15. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Malian singer Oumou Diarra and guitarist Yacouba Koné close the Musiques et Exils cycle with an evening between Mandinka tradition and African-American blues. The concert at the city's music library in Les Halles is free while seats last. A library concert is an easy, low-key night out alone, with a curious crowd to talk to afterwards.
Fifty years after Agatha Christie's death, three libraries of south-west Paris celebrate the queen of crime, and the Aimé Césaire branch in the 14th arrondissement does it with a Friday evening of investigation-themed board games. Pull up a chair, pick a case and deduce alongside strangers. It is free, from age 14, with a free place to reserve online, by phone or at the desk. «Soirée jeux de société spécial enquête» Starts 18:00, ends about 21:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Librarians run an Agatha Christie-themed escape game: solve the puzzles of a murder-mystery investigation inside the library. It is free but booking is required, and it is open to adults and children aged 10+. Cracking clues as a team is a fast way to bond with strangers.
More than sixty novels, countless short stories and plays, and a century of adaptations for the big and small screen: the librarians of the Andrée Chedid library in the 15th arrondissement, near the Beaugrenelle riverside towers, take you through the cinema of Agatha Christie with film extracts along the way. For adults, free, no reservation; just walk in. «Agatha Christie portée à l'écran» Starts 15:30, ends about 17:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Every Wednesday morning the Assia Djebar library in the 20th arrondissement invites adults to chat, tell stories and get to know each other over a coffee, all in French. It is free and aimed at adults, so it is a warm, low-key way for newcomers to practise the language and meet neighbours on their own. «Atelier de conversation en français» Starts 10:15, ends about 11:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
For the festival Monte le son, the ephemeral Chorale de Meufs takes over the Drouot library in the 9th arrondissement for an hour of singing together. There is no audience, only a choir leader, good humour and a playlist of well-known songs by women; the words are handed out and you let yourself be carried. No need to read music or to know how to sing, and for this session men are invited too. Free, registration required, open from age 15. «Tous en chœur : la musique au féminin» Starts 19:00, ends about 20:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
An evening dedicated to the clavichord, a rare and very quiet keyboard instrument, played on a clavichord made by Marcel Asseman, with music from Renaissance composer Pierre Attaingnant to contemporary composer Jean-Yves Bosseur. Entry is free but booking is required. The intimate setting makes it easy to talk with other listeners afterwards.
Literary translator Marie Hermet, who has translated authors such as Roddy Doyle and Donal Ryan, leads a hands-on introduction to translating from English: rhythm, word choice, tone and the 'voice' of a text. It is free with advance booking. Puzzling over sentences in a small group is a natural way to get talking with strangers.
For its end-of-year concert the Italie library in the 13th arrondissement invites the duo Brunelle et Léon: two voices, a double bass and a guitar, and a small tour of the world through pop, cumbia, Andean music, folk, rock, pizzica, French chanson and songs from eastern Europe, mixing well-known themes with traditional tunes rarely heard. Free, no booking, first come first seated. «Brunelle et Léon en concert» Starts 15:00, ends about 16:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Once a month the library invites readers to share favourite books and pick up reading ideas over tea or coffee. It is free and informal, a gentle way to meet book lovers in the 8th arrondissement.
Every other Thursday afternoon the Louise Michel library in the 20th arrondissement invites adults to discover new board games with Pascal, who always has a few surprises in his bag. Five minutes of rules and off you go: beginners are welcome, people chat as they play, and you can bring your own favourite games to share. It is free, and a very easy way to meet neighbours in eastern Paris. «Les jeux du jeudi» Starts 14:30, ends about 17:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Heritage guide Michel Güet tells the story of the 9th arrondissement in the 19th century — a meeting place for artists — through the life of Claude Monet. A free talk at a neighbourhood library.
The record library of the Bibliothèque Rainer Maria Rilke, on boulevard de Port-Royal near the Luxembourg Gardens, hosts a convivial Saturday-morning café around vinyl. Librarians share a listening session on a musical current, an artist, a label or the art of record sleeves, and you are welcome to bring your own favourite LP to play for the group. It is free, with booking advised. «Café vinyle novembre 2026» Starts 11:00, ends about 13:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Librarians host an evening of board games for young people and adults, with French Sign Language interpreters present. It is free, but places must be booked on the official page (bookings open 20 October). Joining a table and learning a new game together breaks the ice quickly.
The monthly literary café of the Batignolles library, in the town-hall building of the 17th arrondissement, falls on Halloween this year, so librarians and readers will talk over tea or coffee about the books that frighten them. It is for adults, free and open without booking, in the library's blue room. Bring a title to recommend, or just listen. «Café littéraire des Batignolles» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
At the Instituto Cervantes library, participants try their hand at translating texts from Spanish into French and discuss the choices they make. It is free, with booking on site, by phone or online. Working through sentences together in a small group is a friendly way to meet other language lovers.
On the evening of the All Saints holiday, the Baleine Verte shared garden, hidden in the middle of a housing block in the 12th arrondissement, invites everyone to a soup party. The garden was created in 2014 by a neighbourhood association on a simple lawn and now has 42 plots, a pond, bird boxes, a ping-pong table and a little chair-library of books. It is free, and sharing a bowl of soup among gardeners is a warm way to meet Parisian neighbours. «Fête de la soupe au jardin partagé» Starts 18:00, ends about 19:15. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Iranian poet and novelist Mahtab Ghorbani, whose books are banned in Iran, leads a writing workshop about finding your own voice, linked to the exhibition 'Prisonnières'. Free; booking online.
Once a month on a Saturday morning, the librarians of the Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar invite everyone to listen to and talk about music together. This session explores the links between colour and music, from «orchestral colour» to the «blue note», through musical examples and ideas from literature and philosophy. It is free and open to all in the auditorium, an easy, friendly hour to join alone. «L'heure musicale : les couleurs de la musique» Starts 10:30, ends about 11:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
Every Saturday morning the volunteer mechanics of the CycloCube association set up on the forecourt of the Marguerite Yourcenar media library in the 15th arrondissement to help you learn to repair and maintain your own bike. Entry is free; spare parts such as inner tubes, brakes or cables can be bought on the spot by card only. Bring your bike, roll up your sleeves and chat with fellow cyclists. «Atelier d'auto-réparation de vélo avec Cyclocube» Starts 10:00, ends about 12:00. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The Médiathèque Violette Leduc, on rue Faidherbe in the 11th arrondissement, welcomes the Parisian quartet Astral Bakers for an early-evening set. With two albums behind them, the second recorded in the United States with Sam Evian, they blend soft grunge and misty, atmospheric folk, voices intertwining and roles switching in a constant dialogue between the musicians. It is free, open to all, and places must be reserved with the library. «Astral Bakers en concert : esprit indé et folk brumeux» Starts 18:00, ends about 19:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
The Canopée media library, under the wavy roof above the Forum des Halles in the very centre of Paris, takes out its board games for a Saturday afternoon: quick card games or long strategy boards, whatever you want to discover or show to others. Interpreters in French sign language are present throughout, so deaf and hearing players share the same tables. Free, from age 10; registration is advised and opens a month before. «Après-midi jeux (LSF/FR)» Starts 14:30, ends about 17:30. Ville de Paris — « Que faire à Paris ? » open data (ODbL).
New in Paris?
Phrases in the local language for your evening: Phrases for tonight · Book clubs and silent reading
Almost all of them. The 31 upcoming programs on this page are public library events in Paris; most need no booking and no library card. Workshops with limited places say so on the official page.
Yes. Most people at library book clubs, talks and language cafés come alone, there is a host who starts the conversation, and nobody asks why you are there. Arrive a few minutes early.
Usually it is free: bring photo ID and a proof of address (a rental contract or a utility bill) to any branch. Rules differ per library, so check the branch page before you go.
Other cities: Toronto · Chicago · Espoo · Rouen · Helsinki · Vantaa · Geneva · Zarautz · Arrasate / Mondragón · Rennes · Barcelona · Bologna · Marseille · Avignon · Genève · Tolosa · Villeneuve-d'Ascq · Madrid · Nantes · Talence · Toulouse · Tourcoing
Meet & Mint
Meet & Mint shows events and people near you on one map. Join an event alone, chat with the group, meet at the event. Free on iPhone and Android.