Librairie Furet du Nord (Ferrets of the North Bookstore), Lille (must see)

In 1936, a small fur shop was transformed—almost as if by magic—into a bookstore. Georges Poulard, a secondary-school headmaster, purchased the approximately 70-square-meter premises and opened “The Ferret of the North.” He retained the former shop’s unusual name, which referred to the local tradition of hunting rabbits with ferrets. It also proved unexpectedly suitable for a bookstore, where customers could “ferret out” an interesting new read.

Paul Callens began working at Poulard’s bookstore in 1947. A passionate reader with ambitious plans for the business, he purchased it around 1950. Later, he learned that Galeries Barbès, a furniture store on Lille’s Main Square, was closing and successfully secured the premises. The bookstore moved to the Main Square on August 1, 1959, introducing a spacious self-service system that allowed customers to browse books freely—an innovative concept in France at the time. A dedicated paperback department followed in 1963, further broadening the store’s appeal.

The new branch initially occupied only part of the former furniture store, but it expanded steadily into adjoining premises. By the early 1990s, its sales area had reached approximately 8,000 square meters. Between 1992 and 1999, it was promoted as the largest bookstore in the world. Today, the flagship branch remains one of France’s largest and best-known bookshops, offering several floors devoted to literature, history, travel, comics, children’s books, stationery, gifts, and other cultural products.

In 1969, the Main Square façade was redesigned to remove later alterations and recreate an 18th-century appearance. Its design was inspired by François Watteau’s painting The Procession of Lille in 1789, which depicts the buildings that once lined the square. Even those not searching for a book may wish to step inside: the enormous store has become a Lille institution, while its carefully reconstructed façade contributes to the historic character of the Main Square.