Shakespeare and Co: A writer's haven on the River Seine

George Whitman, who died this week, ran a remarkable Paris bookshop that has for decades been more than just a place to buy books in English, but also a writer's refuge and tourist destination - a place with an atmosphere all its own.

George Whitman made his money selling books, but he never forgot what he owed to those authors.

His bookshop was a refuge for them. Over the decades, thousands of writers have helped out there, giving their time in exchange for a few hours, or even longer, with kindred spirits.

Whitman's dictum was, "Give what you can, take what you need."

A few lines of WB Yeats are painted on the wall: "Be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise."

Visiting authors and students were able to work here, sleep amid its piles of books and soak up its unique literary atmosphere.