7. Albertine French Bookstore
Photo by Jess Nash
Albertine, a French Bookstore and reading room opened last year inside the French Embassy on Fifth Avenue and 79th Street. This project of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy houses more than 14,000 contemporary and classic titles from 30 French-speaking countries. In addition to the reading material, the Albertine hosts debates and discussions, conferences, workshops and the monthly Albertine Bookclub.
It is worth noting that the French books at Albertine comply with French law that states book prices cannot be reduced more than five-percent in an effort to protect French publishers and booksellers. This Stanford White Italian Renaissance mansion, built between 1902 – 1906, has been the home of the Cultural Services of the French embassy since 1952. Located at 972 Fifth Avenue.