Running along the left and right bank of the Seine, from Quai Voltaire to Île Saint-Louis, are the book stalls of the renowned Bouquinistes of Paris. The Bouquinistes are second-hand and antiquarian booksellers, a tradition that dates back to the 16th century, that has inspired open-air bookshops around the world.

In 1991 Paris' Banks of the Seine were deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site.The conforming green, wooden boxes installed along the walls house an assortment of antiquarian books, postcards, posters, and periodicals. The book stalls open daily from morning to dusk.