Sometimes, I just crave to sit in comfy loungewear, curled up with a cup of tea and a good book. Be that a trashy romance from the Fourth Wing series or something more sophisticated like Murakami. It’s nice to just look away from a screen and step into another world for a bit, especially given all the current events. But where does one find a good English book in French-speaking Geneva?
- Borrowing
- Buying
Borrowing books
I used to always buy my books but I tend to end up with a huge stack of books sitting around that I never actually read. Or worse, that I read and didn’t like. That’s when I started looking into borrowing books from the library and only buying the ones I liked and/or plan to reread. My wallet has been much happier as well, thanks to this new reading habit.
Les bibliothèques municipales (The municipal libraries)
We often forget about libraries ✨, one of the most amazing place full of books, resources, and information that the general public can access for FREE. And trust me, there aren’t many things that are free in Switzerland. Geneva is blessed with 7 municipal libraries all around town. You can check online to see which branch is closest to you, and their opening hours, as they vary by branch and by season. And yes, all the local libraries have a small section of English books! They have a surprising number of newer, popular English titles. You can search the available titles online first, to see which branch has the book you want. Bibliothèque de la Cité by old town is the biggest library and has the most English titles.
To borrow books, you can apply for a library card on the spot – all you need is your Swiss ID and a Swiss address. Once you have a library card, you can borrow up to 20 resources (books, CDs etc), 10 magazines for a 28 day period. Items can be renewed up to 3 times. The library staff are generally friendly, helpful, and many speak English.
💬 Did you know – you can also borrow ebooks through the municipal libraries! Their English ebook selection is even more extensive than the physical collections, so if you have a kindle or other e-readers, this is also a great option.
The library in English
The library in English is a volunteer-runned library based in Pâquis, that’s been operating since 1930. They have over 10,000 English books available. They have a membership based system, where it ranges from CHF 90 – 195 for a year. For an individual, it costs CHF 135 per year, which is about CHF 11 per month. Not too bad, considering the average cost of a book is easily CHF 15+.
You can borrow up to 6 titles for 4 weeks at a time, and can be renewed up to 2 times for an additional 4 weeks, unless the title is marked ‘nonrenewable’ (newer, popular titles). If you are a big reader, an English library membership is something to consider.
Buying physical books
Payot
Payot is a popular bookstore chain in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. They have the largest selection of physical English books available in Geneva, so if you need a specific English book in a pinch, this is where you should start. Their branch at rive gauche boasts an impressive 2000m2, across 4 floors, including a café and shop for gifts. It’s a wonderful bookshop to just browse and spend some time but don’t be shocked when you see the premium prices for the books!
Pages & Sips
Pages & Sips is a very popular English bookstore and café in Old Town. There’s a curated selection of English titles available at the shop, both new and second hand books for CHF5. The selection changes frequently, so you’ll need to check out what’s available in person. The scones at Pages & Sips are absolutely scrupulous, and overall it’s a great place to work and enjoy a cup of tea.
FNAC (prounced “eff-nack”)
FNAC is a French retail chain that specializes in consumer electronics, books, toys, movies, video games, and more. They have a book section that is primarily in French but they also carry some English books, mostly the latest, popular titles. Similarly to Payout, the prices for English books are definitely at a premium, so don’t be too surprised when you see the price tag.
Treasure Trove (English books for children)
Treasure Trove is a digital bookstore that specializes in English books for children. They also have a physical bookstore in Meyrin, and have an amazing selection of books. You can check on their site for the available titles and order them directly.
Wordery.com
Wordery.com is a UK-based online bookshop that offers free shipping to Switzerland. You can find almost any English book there to your heart’s desire. The only downside is that because it is free shipping to Switzerland, the shipping times may often take a long time (we’re talking like a month). So, if you’re not in a hurry, the selection is good and the prices are decent.
Amazon & Galaxus
Of course, you can find most English books on the big e-commerce sites like Amazon.fr, Amazon.de, and Switzerland’s Galaxus. The prices are quite different across the three sites, pending on the titles and formats (paperback, hardback, etc). It’s worth doing a bit of comparison ahead of time – the book prices for Galaxus can be competitive.
The library in English
The Library in English always has a small, curated collection of secondhand books available for sale. They also host several second hand book sales during the year, where you can get many amazing secondhand books ranging from CHF 3-7 per book. Definitely be on the lookout for their next sale.
Brocantes
There are quite a few “brocantes” or second hand shops around Geneva that often carry second hand books. They are primarily French books but sometimes you’ll come across English books as well. Some of my favorite second hand shops for books include Les Recyclables, La Renfile and EMMAUS. So if you’re into second hand books and love a bit of a treasure hunt, be sure to check those places out.
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