Contrary to common belief, the book industry is far from unwell, especially in terms of production and sales. Sales have managed to remain relatively stable, while more and more authors are given their chance. The number of book titles available on the French market has been steadily increasing since 2010, whereas the average number of books printed annually has been declining rather sharply. One possible reason for this decline of printed book numbers is the emergence of digital books, or e-books, which have seduced many readers thanks to the flexibility and adaptability they offer. Digital book sales have indeed gone through the roof since 2010 and reached their peak in 2016.
The revenue of book publishers has stayed constant over the past ten years. Novels and shorts stories are the most profitable genre, both in terms of revenue and sales. The strength of the French publishing market is reinforced by its publishing houses, which vary in size and scope. Industry giants such as Hachette, Flammarion and the Bayard Group are true pillars that are the driving force behind many authors and books. Lagardère Publishing, the publishing branch of the French media group Lagardère, generated a total revenue of around 2.38 billion euros in 2020.
