10+ Books I Hope to Read for Paris in July (and More)

 Paris in July 2025

#parisinjuly2025

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Am I just imagining it? Or do I hear...French music? Are those French books I see in my current TBR stack? Have I been carefully searching for French movies to watch? And why are there bookmarks in my French cookbooks? 

Could it be...is it time again for...Paris in July?!

Hurray!

Yes, Paris in July begins today, and, happily, Emma of Words and Peace will be hosting again this year.

The aim of the month is to celebrate our French experiences through reading, watching, listening, observing, cooking, and eating all things French.

There are no rules or targets in terms of how much you need to do or complete in order to be a part of this experience – just blog about anything French and you can join in. Some ideas might include:

• reading a French-themed book – fiction or nonfiction;
  
• watching a French movie;
  
• listening to French music;
  
• cooking French food;
  
• experiencing French, art, architecture, and travel;
• tasting French wine, or testing French cocktails;
• celebrating le quatorze juillet or Bastille Day.

Whatever it is that you love about France---share it with us all. And pass the word...

So what are my plans for Paris in July? Here are some of the things I might do...

I have seven books in French I could read in July. Six of them are from the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read list: L'Enfance de Bécassine; Les Six Compagnons; Fantômette et la maison hantée; Les pilleurs de sarcophages; Oh, boy!; Quatre sœurs. I also have Une rose seule, a group read with Emma and others during Paris in July.

I have three picture books I've saved for almost a year: Claudine; Claudine and the Bridge of Two Hearts; and Bonjour, Mr. Satie.

I have A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens; An Annotated A Tale of Two Cities; Great Illustrated Classics: A Tale of Two Cities; Illustrated Classics: A Tale of Two Cities; a comic book version of A Tale of Two Cities. I will conquer you, A Tale of Two Cities.

A couple of random books: The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World; The Propagandist; Paris for Two; and Do Not Go Gentle---Go to Paris.

I shall dial Duolingo to French for the month and browse 50 French Phrases; 15-Minute French; and Say It Right in French.

I have a lovely French music playlist.

I have some French films at the ready: 

The Rules of the Game: La règle du jeu

Monsieur Hulot's Holiday: Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot

Cousin Jules: A Farmer Living in the French Countryside

The Count of Monte Cristo (2024)

Maigret

And, maybe, just maybe, I will try to do some French baking.

I hope you will be joining in, too.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.