What are the rules for disposing of books in France?
You could make some money but this is rarely more than a few centimes
It is easy to accumulate books… getting rid of them is another matter
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Reader Question: I have a lot of old books I no longer have use for, some in French but many in English. What can I do with them as opposed to just throwing them out? Some are a bit mouldy.
There are multiple ways to dispose of your old books, especially those in good condition.
Books that are in a poor condition or potentially dangerous to someone’s health can still be recycled (see below), but should not be passed on.
You may be able to get some money for them from an online site which buys old books, films, video games etc, such as Momox.
However, this will likely be only a few centimes per book – if any – and it is sometimes more hassle than it is worth to organise and scan the books.
You can enter the ISBN number of a few of your books into online sites to see if you think the prices are worth it.
Although, if the books date from before 1970 then they are likely not in the ISBN register.
Otherwise, you can apply to set up a stall at a vide-grenier (boot market) near your home.
This can be useful if you have other things in your home that you want to get rid of, but there are rules surrounding these sales, and it is by no means a guaranteed solution.
Read more: Do I need to sign up for French car boot sales?
Donating the books
If you do not think the books are worth much, you can donate them.
Contact local services in your area – libraries, schools, elderly care homes and social centres – to see if they would collect the books.
Libraries and secondary schools will be more likely to collect English books.
A particularly sweet French custom is to leave old books on outside window sills or building entryways, signalling to others they are free to take.
This is common with French pocket books, which are cheap and unlikely to be worth much when resold, only costing €2 or €3 in the first place.
Read more: Six things that show the French love for books and reading
Your local area may also have a book-nook (boîtes-à-livres), a small shed or installation where people can leave books for others to take.
Disposing of the books
If there are no other options available, you can have the books recycled and their paper turned into pulp.
Your local dump should have a bin to collect paper and card for recycling. Nonetheless, call before your visit to make sure.
Books also go into blue paper bins, however in some areas (depending on local rules) you need to remove the covers of the book, which would go in the green bin.
Contact your local commune to see the rules if you are unsure.
