Paris holidays

Edward Rutherfurd

An epic novel following four families over hundreds of years: bound by forbidden loves and marriages of convenience; dogged by vengeance and murderous secrets; torn apart by the irreconcilable differences of birth and faith, and brought together by the tumultuous history of their city. A book which bursts to life in the intrigue, corruption and glory of its people.

Chosen by Stuart

Stephen Clarke

A humorous bestselling novel about what the French are really like from the point of view of an Englishman who moves to Paris to start a new job.

Irène Némirovsky

A poignant two-part novel about French society at the point of the German invasion of WW2. Originally intended as 4 parts, the author's untimely death in Auschwitz in 1942 prevented the rest from being written. This was discovered and published 65 years later and is now hailed as a masterpiece.

Sarah Turnbull

The author met "a very French Frenchman" whilst backpacking around Europe, accepted an invitation to spend a week with him, and never left. This is a perceptive and humorous book about the culture clashes and paradoxes of starting a new life in France.

James Baldwin

David meets Giovanni in a bar in Paris and they're drawn into an intense love affair that David can't fully acknowledge. His girlfriend returns from abroad forcing difficult, life-altering decisions and desperate consequences.

Patrick Suskind

A beautifully written and sensuous novel set in 18th century France. An unwanted and "unscented" child is born with an extraordinary sense of smell and uses his gift to become the finest perfumer in France. But his dreams of creating the world's finest perfume bring out murderous instincts. A cult classic, you won't have ever read anything like it!