Continuing from Part 1… While exploring the ground floor of Librairie du Globe in Paris, we noticed a soft green light glowing through the glass bricks beneath our feet—an intriguing hint that another hidden level of the bookstore awaited below.
Enjoy some music while browsing.
A narrow staircase next to the sales counter lead downstairs to a landing, where one finds a mix of antique and decorative objects – a gold-colored skull, a vintage rotary telephone, a black candle, a stuffed raven, and several small bottles of oils, perfumes, or elixirs ?
We’ve visited many bookstores in our travels, but none quite like this. It is perhaps the most dramatic and mysterious setting we’ve seen for showcasing books and artworks. The room exudes a theatrical ambiance, more like a stage set than a typical bookstore. Dark walls, dim lighting, and richly patterned carpets set the tone.
We had never imagined how deep green lighting could mix with the warmth of yellow spotlights until seeing the set up here. The combination is carefully composed and totally unexpected.
The green lighting underneath the shelves casts an unusual glow, suggesting secrecy and hidden layers.
In Russian tradition, golden tones are tied to icons, church domes, and imperial ornament—symbols of reverence and grandeur.
The effect calls to mind the atmosphere of classic cinema, with shadowy menacing spaces that suggest the lairs of figures like Doctor Frankenstein or Count Dracula.
At the same time, the mood also suggests the exotic setting of the John Wick film series, with its focus on Russian crime syndicates and stylized gun violence.
Apparently, the bookstore frequently organizes author talks, screenings, seminars, and cultural events—turning the venue into a living cultural hub, not just a retail space.
Rows of French-language graphic novels glow under the green lighting, many of them centered on Russia’s past and imagined futures.
Titles such as Les Fils d’Octobre by Nikolai Maslov, Le Chien de Dieu, and Kamarades reflect the political and social upheavals of the Soviet era.
Here, French authors and artists reinterpret Russian themes through vivid visual storytelling, combining fact and speculation – Corto Maltese en Sibérie by Hugo Pratt, Jour J: Les Russes sur la Lune imagine Soviet dominance in space, while Secrets: Le Serpent sous la Glace explore Cold War tensions.
In addition to the books, there’s a selection of paintings hanging on the walls, which we presume are for sale. Click on the photo to see the entire painting.
In the painting on the left: the text on the T-shirt reads: “Mommy, mommy, do you remember me your little son, your own flesh and blood !” We suspect that Google Translate cannot deliver the full meaning of the message and wonder if Ukraine is the subtext here.
If you are curious about the owner of this bookstore, Natalie Turine, a former journalist in Moscow and Paris. There is an interview with her on YouTube.
If you find yourself in Le Marais, be sure to stop by this bookstore—even if you don’t read Russian, it’s well worth a visit.
Missed Part 1 of this two-part post? Click here to catch up.
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