Shakespeare bookshop Paris tea party

A few years back, while rummaging around the dusty bookshelves of Shakespeare's bookshop on Paris' left bank on a Sunday afternoon, I was approached by the young male shop assistant with a rather gentrified English accent. "Would you like to come and join us for some tea upstairs" he announced.

I've never knowingly turned down the offer of a cup of tea so I climbed the rickety staircase passing through stacks of second hand books passed the old typewriter and numerous cats until I stumbled upon a small group of people sitting around chatting and sipping tea from chipped porcelain cups.

This was my first experience of the Shakespeare bookshop tea party a Paris Institution that's been going on for many, many years. Everyone is welcome, you'll find tourists, customers from the bookshop and Parisians who turn up to practise their English. It's supposed to take place every Sunday at 4pm but these days George, the nonogenerian owner, is sometimes too tired to hold the tea party so it's best to check at the desk first.