On the Seine, near the Notre-Dame Cathedral, an unusual cultural project has begun — the floating bookstore Nanna. The Paris city authorities have granted the organizers permission to place the barge in the historic center of the capital for the next ten years.
The creators of the project aim to turn the vessel into a new meeting place for lovers of literature, art, and modern urban leisure. The space combines the traditions of Parisian bohemian culture with new formats of communication and recreation.
On board the barge, there is a library of over 5,000 books. The publications are organized by thematic sections, with a special emphasis on works by women authors. Classic French and world literature, poetry, and drama are also represented here.
The main feature of the project lies in its open format. Visitors can take any book they like for free without the obligation to return it. Additionally, anyone can contribute to the collection by leaving their own books on board for future readers.
In the evening, the space changes its character and transforms into a cultural venue with a rich program. Guests can enjoy meetings with writers, poetry readings, themed events for literature lovers, and musical evenings featuring DJs. There is also a bar operating on the barge.
One of the project's founders, Nicolas Lajero Lasser, noted that the Seine has inspired artists, writers, and poets for centuries, so the literary space on the water fits organically into the cultural life of the French capital.
The opening of Nanna occurs against the backdrop of a challenging situation in the French book market. According to the National Book Center, last year the number of closed bookstores exceeded the number of new openings for the first time. The project's authors hope that the unusual format will help attract a new audience to reading and remind people of the value of printed books in the digital age.
