Cooperative Bookstores Hold First National Meetings in Montpellier

The Reader Times desk 25 October 2026 Based on Livres Hebdo reporting

Engraved illustration of a richly stocked bookshop brightened by flowers and warm light. — Editorial illustration for The Reader Times.

Around thirty cooperative bookstores from across France gathered in Montpellier on 25‑26 October for their inaugural national meetings to discuss practices and shared challenges.

Organisers hosted the two‑day event in Montpellier, bringing together cooperative bookshops from a wide range of French regions.

Participants aimed to exchange experiences, identify common difficulties and seek collective solutions that individual stores often face alone.

The meetings marked the first national gathering of this sector, signalling a coordinated effort to strengthen the cooperative model within the French book trade.

Attendees highlighted the importance of mutual support and the potential for joint initiatives to sustain independent retail in a changing market.