La Griffe Noire denied CNL LiR label

The Librairie La Griffe Noire in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés has been denied the LiR (Librairie indépendante de référence) label by the Centre national du livre (CNL). The bookstore, founded in 1987 by Gérard Collard and Jean-Edgar Casel, announced the refusal in a video on its social media on August 26.

Gérard Collard expressed his frustration to Livres Hebdo. He said the store received a brief two-line email with the news. "If we are not a reference bookstore, I don't see who is!" he stated. Collard, who appears weekly on Sud Radio's "Les coups de cœur des libraires," criticized the opacity of the decision-making process. He suggested the refusal might be politically motivated. "We are perhaps labelled as right-wing, which is very bad in this milieu, but that is completely false," he said. "I have never given an opinion on anything."

Authors rally with petition

Support for the bookstore has grown rapidly. A petition denouncing the CNL's decision was launched online on August 27 by historical fiction author Jean-Christophe Portes. By the time of the Livres Hebdo report, it had gathered over 1,600 signatures. Portes thanked fellow authors of historical crime fiction for their support, naming Isabelle Duquesnoy, Nadine Monfils, Céline Ghys, Éric Fouassier, Romain Slocombe, and Éric Giacometti.

The petition describes La Griffe Noire as a vibrant space that supports authors and inspires new generations of readers. It argues the store is vital in a climate of economic pressure toward uniformity. The signatories call on the CNL to reconsider its decision. The bookstore has co-organized the "Saint-Maur en poche" book fair since 2009, an event rebranded as "Créteil en Poche" for 2025.

Collard remains defiant. "We will not let this go, I want an explanation," he said. He has not contacted the CNL since receiving the refusal. He added, "In the end, they have done me a favour, people are talking about us even more."

CNL cites incomplete application

The CNL has responded to the criticism. Olivier Lombardie, the institution's Director General, said he was saddened and surprised, calling the allegations a "tissue of falsehoods." On social media, the CNL, chaired by Régine Hatchondo, sought to set the record straight.

The CNL stated that the application dossier submitted by La Griffe Noire was incomplete. The institution said it requested clarifications from the bookstore and that the responses provided were partial. The CNL also provided a timeline of the store's previous engagements with the label.

Olivier Lombardie emphasized that the label is awarded based on criteria established by decree. The CNL's role is to implement these criteria as objectively as possible, without personal opinion. Applications are reviewed by a 19-member commission representing the state, local authorities, book trade professionals, and qualified individuals.

"In this instance, if the commission did indeed give a negative opinion concerning La Griffe Noire, the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (Drac) has not yet made a final decision," Lombardie clarified.

The CNL also expressed its firm indignation at the public and personal criticism directed at some of its staff. It noted that, under its president's leadership, it has been working for months with booksellers, including the Syndicat de la librairie française (SLF), on an emergency plan to help independent bookstores navigate the current crisis.

The final decision from the Drac is still pending.