The BnF Richelieu Oval Room: a free library to visit in Paris
By Rédaction My Sweet Paris · Published 18 October 2026
The Oval Room of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, on its Richelieu site in the 2nd arrondissement, is open to everyone free of charge, with no registration. According to the BnF, it opens Tuesday to Sunday (until 8 pm on Tuesdays, 6 pm on other days), about twenty minutes' walk from Hôtel Concortel (estimate).
What is the Oval Room?
At the heart of the historic site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, on rue de Richelieu, the Oval Room is a vast reading room under a glass roof, completed in the early 20th century. After a long renovation of the Richelieu site, it is now open to all, freely and at no cost, to read, browse or simply admire the space.
What can you do there?
- Sit and read under the great glass roof: thousands of books, including comics, are on open shelves.
- Admire the architecture: the circular galleries, the shelving and the overhead light.
- Visit the BnF museum on the same site (ticketed, booking advised) to see manuscripts, coins and art objects.
- Keep quiet: it is a working reading room.
When should you go and how do you get there?
According to the BnF, the Oval Room is open on Tuesday from 10 am to 8 pm and Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm; it is closed on Mondays and public holidays. The entrance is at 5 rue Vivienne. From the Concortel, walk to the Opéra then along rue du Quatre-Septembre: about 20 minutes on foot (estimate). By metro, line 3 links Havre-Caumartin to Bourse in a few stops.
Right next door, Galerie Vivienne extends the walk: see our article on the covered passages. More ideas in Discover Paris.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BnF Oval Room free?
Yes, according to the BnF it is open to everyone free of charge, with no registration. The BnF museum on the same site is ticketed.
What are the Oval Room opening hours?
Tuesday from 10 am to 8 pm and Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. It is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Where is the Oval Room entrance?
At 5 rue Vivienne, in the 2nd arrondissement, on the Richelieu site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Can you take photos in the Oval Room?
It is a reading room: be discreet and follow the silence and the rules displayed on site.
Practical information
- Oval Room, BnF Richelieu site, entrance 5 rue Vivienne, 75002 Paris — about 20 minutes on foot from the hotel (estimate).
- Tuesday 10 am – 8 pm; Wednesday to Sunday 10 am – 6 pm; closed Mondays and public holidays (according to the BnF).
- Free entry, no registration; the BnF museum is ticketed.
- Metro: Bourse (line 3) or Pyramides (lines 7 and 14).
Read next
Sources
- BnF — Salle Ovale, informations pratiques — 18 October 2026
- BnF — La salle Ovale — 18 October 2026
- Affluences — Salle Ovale, BnF site Richelieu — 18 October 2026