In Lèves, a few minutes from Chartres, La Fable Enchanthé is a bookshop café inside a former 18th-century flour mill on the banks of the Eure. Often searched for under the spelling "La Fable enchantée", its actual name plays on the French word thé (tea), combining books and a cosy break. It opened in May 2026.
What will you find at this bookshop café?
Founders Cécile Boudet and Johanna Kernavy have created a welcoming reading space stocked with novels, comics, children's literature, new releases and independent publishers. The shop listed around 1,600 titles at opening. Visitors can browse, ask for book recommendations or settle down with a coffee or tea.
The extra touch: a terrace beside the water
The former Moulin de Lèves stands directly on the Eure. The terrace is ideal for extending a break with pastries, sharing boards or a light meal. The building has had several lives, from a flour mill to various workshops, before being turned into a bookshop café—a little piece of local heritage in its own right.
Why stop during a walk or cycle ride?
La Véloscénie, the cycling route linking Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel, runs very close by. La Fable Enchanthé is therefore a convenient reading or refreshment stop for cyclists and walkers, alongside occasional events such as talks, creative workshops and board games, depending on the programme.
Before you visit
The address is 9 rue des Grands Prés, 28300 Lèves. The Chartres tourist office lists its café, bookshop, terrace, vegetarian options and cultural events. As opening hours have already changed between seasons, check the venue's latest information before travelling.
