Esquelbecq is a new booktown located in the North of France, close to Bergues, not far from Dunkerque and Lille.

3 years ago a group of villagers decided together to form an association (called Esquelbecq Village du Livre) in order to develop activities regarding everything that concerns books and old papers.

The aim of The Esquelbecq Village du Livre association is also to create in Esquelbecq a booktown as Haye on Wye (wales) or Redu (Belgium) where visitors can find many secondhand bookstores and related craftmanship. Two bookstores are already running and a third is on its way for the end of the year. We are aiming at much more.

The village of Esquelbecq is animated all year long with books and literature. Every month the 3rd sunday of the month, the association organizes a secondhand books market in the Westhoek house (maison du westhoek) and every 1st monday of the month it organizes also a meeting with a writer. We call it "café littéraire".

The big event of the year takes place every first saturday of July and it's called "la nuit du livre". This bookfair starts in the middle of the afternoon and ends around 2am.
This bookfair brings together many secondhand booksellers but also writers coming from all over the country, craftmen like bookbinder, editors, poets, artists. The fair takes place in the center of the village, outside in the streets and the village square. Comedians read texts, musicians play in bars and coffeehouses, readers can meet authors and get autographs...