A new literary venue has taken to the Seine in central Paris, directly beneath the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral. The barge Nanna, moored at Quai de Montebello, opened this month and will remain in place for a decade, offering a self-service library of more than 5,000 books with no requirement to return them.
Co-founder Nicolas Laugero Lasserre described the concept as a natural fit for the river. “The Seine has always been a great source of inspiration for artists and poets. That is why it made perfect sense to place this literary barge on the water,” he said.
From Book Club to Nightlife
By day, Nanna functions as an open-air reading room. Books are organised by category, with a strong emphasis on women authors alongside French classics, world literature, poetry, and drama. Visitors can borrow any title freely and are encouraged to leave books of their own in exchange.
In the evenings, the barge transforms into a social space. DJ sets, literary speed dating, author readings, and a bar turn the vessel into a hybrid of bookshop and cultural salon. “Here, you can enjoy a drink, browse the books, and indulge your passion for literature,” Lasserre added.
Hugo Buton, the barge’s literary curator, explained the borrowing ethos: “People come here to borrow books, and that’s it — they do not have to bring them back. They can also drop off books of their own.”
Visual artist Aurore Chevalier, who visited during opening week, said the project gave her hope. “It can encourage more people to engage with books and literature,” she noted.
A Challenging Moment for French Bookselling
The launch of Nanna coincides with a difficult period for France’s book trade. According to the Centre national du Livre, 2025 was the first year in recent memory in which more bookshops closed than opened in the country — 85 closures against 83 new openings. The floating bookshop’s founders hope their unconventional model can help reverse that trend by making literature more accessible and social.
Paris has long been a city of literary innovation, from the bouquinistes along the Seine to the famous Shakespeare and Company. Nanna adds a contemporary, mobile twist to that tradition, blending the city’s love of books with its vibrant nightlife. The barge’s location, directly under the iconic cathedral, also ties it to the broader cultural revival of the Île de la Cité following the 2019 fire.
For visitors and locals alike, Nanna offers a rare combination: a place to borrow a classic novel, listen to a DJ set, and watch the sunset over the Seine — all without a due date.
