If you’re familiar with Dol-de-Bretagne (its medieval houses and buildings, its quaint cobblestone streets and its lively Saturday market), you’ve probably noticed our bookshop, La Belle aventure, sitting right at the top of Dol’s busy high street. You haven’t? Well – here’s a reason to discover our shop: a Book Club for English speakers!

In October 2025, we launched a first club de lecture: readers come together every 6 weeks to exchange views and thoughts on current French novels. It’s a chance to socialise, too, with snacks and a glass of wine or a soft drink to help feed the discussion. It worked out so well that we decided to launch a second club, in English this time. Considering the history of the city and its close relationship with Britain, it makes perfect sense.

Intrigued? Here are details of how the Book Club will work:

  • Who is it for? All are welcome to join us, whether you are a native English speaker or enjoy speaking English as a second language. You do not need to be perfectly fluent in English; what is important is a love of the language and its literature.
  • How often do we meet? Every 6 weeks. As we usually end these sessions with a light apéritif, feel free to bring things to eat or drink and share with the group.
  • What will we read? For the first session, we’ll spend time getting to know each other and agree what we wish to read in future sessions. In the French club de lecture, we agree on a list of themes with examples of books that we wish to read. In this Book Club, we will focus on English language fiction. We are happy to propose a title which best exemplifies this theme, but you are free to choose your own book, and in the following session members come along and tell us what they think about their chosen book. Everyone will be encouraged to give their thoughts and ideas.
  • How does it work? The first session is usually dedicated to introductions: getting to know each other and deciding collectively what we want to do during the future sessions is a useful first step. In the French club de lecture, we fixed together a list of discussion themes that could be illustrated by one of the books we read. As the club organizers, we suggest one book that can best exemplify this theme for us and during the following session, each participant will tell us why he/she thinks his/her book is worth reading.
  • How many people can join? Space is limited to10-12 people. We may decide to split the group into two, so that everyone has a chance to talk about their favourite book.
  • When does it start? Thursday 19 February at 7 pm. Generally, the club will meet for 1 – 1.5 hours and finish by 8:30 pm.
  • Is there a membership fee? Nope! It’s free to join
  • Interested? Click on this link to register or pop unto the bookshop to join.

We look forward to meeting you!

Patrick & Anne

Meet the organizers

Simon FROST

“Anne and I have lived in beautiful Dol since late 2025, and discovering this wonderful bookshop has been a revelation! I love various types of literature, from the classics (Thomas Hardy and Ernest Hemingway immediately come to mind) to contemporary fiction. New authors such as Tom Hindle (cosy crime), Eve Woods (The Lost Bookshop is an amazing piece of work) and Nina George’s French based books are a delight to read.”

Anne FROST

“I have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember! In my earlier years Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five and any of the Ladybird books were always within easy reach. Nowadays I read for the pleasure and escapism it brings, transporting me into new worlds and experiences, I always learn something new when I read a book. I am partial to some chick lit as well as cozy crime and maybe the odd biography and enjoy a wide range of authors and topics. I am excited about the prospect of a book club in English, in France, and am looking forward to meeting fellow readers and exchanging ideas along the way. Hope to see you soon :-)”

Patrick LENORMAND

« I’ve been interacting with English for… the past 40 years (ouch, time flies!) and I’m still having fun with it, admiring its flexibility, its precision, its subtleties and understatements, too. I’m a great fan of the British sense of humour – John Cleese (from Fawlty Towersto Monthy Python or  A Fish named Wanda) remains a reference for me. Reading books in English used to be a treat, it’s more difficult these days as my English got a bit rusty. But launching this bookclub with Simon and Anne will certainly help reviving it! »