Bourges bookstores
Bifurcations
Open since November 15, the Bifurcation bookstore is the latest in Bourges, the result of a project matured for almost 20 years by the two sisters Karine and Maud Hervé.
For them, going to a bookstore is like going to an exhibition, it’s a cultural place open to the city. Lack of human sciences: history and philosophy, political texts as well as fine arts. The bookstore is atypical since you find right at the entrance, and equally, history and the human sciences on one side and literature on the other. This bias results from a desire to highlight an offering of history, philosophy and even political texts at the same level as literature. There is also a space dedicated to Fine Arts and a small children's and comics section very focused on classics and literature, independent and graphic arts.
Anecdote
The name bifurcations comes from Cassandre's typography "Le Bifur" of art deco type but it is also a tribute to Michel Leiris, one of their favorite authors.
Events
Bifurcations regularly organizes literary meetings, the dates of which you can find on their social networks (Facebook and Instagram).
Their current books
Karine : Bacon Blue by Yannick Haenel
Maud: In truth Alice by Tiffany Tavernier
Bifurcations
15 Rue du Commerce, 18000 Bourges
The Poterne
Annabelle Woelflé took over the bookstore in September 2022, a stone's throw from the Cathedral and the tourist office.
Founded by Mr. Joly more than 40 years ago, it is a general bookstore where you can find literature, human sciences, history and youth as well as a section dedicated to local, in Bourges and Berry. This “local” space is close to his heart and supports local authors who are passionate about their region. Leslie, who has been working with Annabelle for almost a year, is passionate about Japanese literature.
Events
Meetings and signings as well as artist exhibitions are organized regularly in the bookstore. Once a month a reading club meets to discuss the works they have discovered. Annabelle also works with schools and libraries.
Their current books
Annabelle Woelflé: The blood of the innocent by S.A. Cosby
Leslie: The department store of dreams by Mi-ye Lee
The Poterne
41 Middle Street, 18000 Bourges
The Dungeon Pages
Bénédicte and Yannick Oudinet opened this game store, as they call it, in 2009, because it is both a bookseller and a gamer. Initially it was both a board game store for all ages as well as a children's bookstore for 0-20 year olds. With time and customer requests, they ventured into a slightly more adult area with regard to books and for 2 years, with the opportunity to expand their space, they decided to integrate an adult literature space. where Justine works. There are novels, classic literature, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, but also essays, tourism books, cookbooks and even creative hobbies. The bookstore therefore has two poles: bookstore and board games with the addition of stationery, manual activities…
Events
Les Pages du Dunjon organizes activities based on books and games, board game evenings in partnership with Manga Thé, culinary evenings with Artisane or even sensory readings for 1-3 year olds with an educator.
You can find their entire agenda on their social networks (Facebook and Instagram) and on their website.
Their current books
Bénédicte Oudinet: A beautiful trip by Balink Szako
Yannick Oudinet: Nine lives by Peter Swanson
Justine: Rio and the lost whale by Hannah Gold
The Dungeon Pages
56 Rue Coursarlon, 18000 Bourges
Librairix, Mangacomix and Librairix Jeunesse
Open for more than 40 years, Librairix is basically a children's bookstore which specializes in both children and comics. At the end of 2001, she opened the section specializing in manga and comics: Mangacomix. And since November, a third annex has opened for children's literature, which allows everyone to find themselves in one of the bookstores according to their tastes and needs.
Events
Signings are regularly organized with European authors in comics or children's books. Librairix is also present at the Bulleberry festival organized in October. Manga events are also organized throughout the year, such as “One Piece Night” and “Harry Potter Night” in February. The bookstore would also like to create a May the 4th (May the Force) animation for International Star Wars Day. And this year, the big event for them was the launch ofGoodbye Paris! by Raynal Pellicer and Fred Langout edited by Denis Moreau, manager of 3 Librairix, and whose boards were exhibited at the Château d'Eau-Château d'Art during the Humor & Wine Festival.
Their current books
Librairix:
Denis Moreau: Goodbye Paris! By Raynal Pellicer and Fred Langout
Lea: I am their silence by Jordy LafebreLibrairix
Mangacomix:
Gaëlle: Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by singNsong
Thomas : Magu God of Destruction by Kei Kamiki
Librairix Youth:
Natalie: A better best friend by Olivier Tallec Ed. Leisure school
Librairix
43 Rue Coursarlon, 18000 Bourges
Simone(S) Bookstore-Café
Magali Gibeau opened Simone(S) in 2022. It is a hybrid place with two spaces made up of a bookstore part where there are new books and a café part where there are armchairs, benches and tables. On the bookstore side, we find a series of works of French and foreign literature, contemporary poetry, a feminism and gender issues background, a political background, and also graphic novels, philosophical and well-being, practical and some children's albums. And in the café area, you can sit down and enjoy the pastries made by L’Artisane as well as hot chocolates, tea, coffee and cold drinks in the summer. It is in this space that all the activities take place such as the monthly reading club on Thursdays (for which you can still register with Magali). There are workshops on Saturdays during the day or in the evening, meetings with authors, concerts: a real place of life in which we get together, meet and exchange.
His current books
Adult side: The language of hidden things by Cécile Foulon
Youth side: As many families as there are stars in the sky, by Émilie Chaser and Clémence Sauvage
Simone(S) Bookstore-Café
31 Rue Coursarlon, 18000 Bourges
The Feather of the Sarthate
Opened in 1992, by Isabelle Le Cleac'h, La Plume du Sarthate aims to be a local bookstore and meeting place as close as possible to people in the neighborhood and a vector of social ties.
There we find literature, theater, poetry and youth among others.
Events
Approximately every 6 weeks, Isabelle organizes readings, meetings, signings. Over the years, she has set up reading committees in primary, middle and high schools and soon in libraries.
Anecdote
The name comes from a dream she had when she was little in which this phrase appeared. The pen had meaning for her in relation to writing and therefore books. And it was only last year that she discovered the meaning of Sarthate which in Indian means “inner wealth”, a nice message.
His book of the moment
Mrs Hayat by Ahmet Atlan
The Feather of the Sarthate
83 Av. Arnaud de Vogüé, 18000 Bourges
KimeShoten
Opened in 2001 by Stéphane Meslage, the bookstore specializes in manga and related products as well as comics. At KimeShoten you can find between 12000 and 14000 mangas as well as many derivative products: figurines, textiles, objects…
Events
For two years, the bookstore has been organizing, in partnership with the CGR, manga and comics theme evenings where the public can enjoy a special cinema screening with films considered classics of the genre. You can also find all their news on their social networks: Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.
Their current books
Stéphane Meslage: reissue of the manga Mars by Fuyumi Soryo
Lou-Ann: Volume 1 of Country by Kazumi Yamashita
KimeShoten
95 Rue d'Auron, 18000 Bourges
La Procure Bibliou
Open since 2006 and at the top of rue Bourbonnoux since 2008, La Procure Bibliou specializes in Christianity and in particular in Bibles since it offers around 150 forms of Bibles for both adults and children.
Guy and Dominique Colrat also have a range of books around the city of Bourges, and general literature. There are also Abbey products such as jam from Sept-Fons Abbey, cosmetics from Chantelle Abbey and even syrups from Aiguebelle Abbey.
Events
They participate in History book fair events as well as conferences on books.
Their current books
Guy Colrat: Simone Weil, Rooting
Dominique Colrat: A cry to God, Piaf by Pierre Fesquet
La Procure Bibliou
91 rue Bourbonnoux, 18000 Bourges
The second-hand booksellers of Bourges
The Corner Eye
At l'Œil en Coin, it is old books and more particularly second-hand modern books that Philippe Géric has been offering for 10 years and at second-hand prices. Drawings and paintings that he created are also on display.
His book of the moment
The Adventures of Captain Hornblower by C.S. Forester
The Corner Eye
33 Rue Gambon, 18000 Bourges
Archaic Future
Mélissa Demay took over the shop a little over 3 years ago after the first confinement but the bookstore has existed for over 20 years. Among the thousands of books in the bookstore, there is something for all tastes and budgets.
His book of the moment
Blood Crumbs by Claire Cavan
Archaic Future
16 Rue d'Auron, 18000 Bourges
Passage
For more than ten years, Marie-Pierre Siméon has been selling second-hand books in all genres and themes: philosophy, psychology, medicine, poetry, comics, feminism, photography, thrillers, science -fiction… you can find everything there. She is keen to constantly offer books at low prices because it is important to her that everyone can access books. You can also find at the Pass’agence bookstore, a small flea market that marked an era, vinyls but also old press (satirical, fashion, politics, cinema).
His book of the moment
Lyrics by Prévert
Passage
57 rue Bourbonnoux, 18000 Bourges
There are also second-hand booksellers present every Saturday on the Halle au Blé market. Furthermore, in Bourges there are many ways to obtain books at a lower price, we can mention book boxes but also associations. We went to meet Martine and Marie who, along with other volunteers, are running the Tourne-Livres.
The Book Turner
The Tourne-Livres association aims to make books accessible to everyone. They take donations, clean the books and arrange them by genre. Between €0,50 and €1,50 for the majority.
With the funds collected from the sale of books, the association organizes various activities around books for children or adults through different workshops...
Events
Cultural themed evenings are organized every month as well as trips to middle and high schools, during which students are invited to participate in games to win books. Last year, the association distributed between 1300 and 1500 books.
Their current books
Married : Pandemic by Franck Thilliez
Martine: Far by Alexis Michalik
The Book Turner
16 Rue Hippolyte Boyer, 18000 Bourges
