Founded by Louis Hachette in Paris in 1826, Hachette Livre is constantly reinventing itself to meet the expectations of readers and the education segment worldwide. Today it brings together prestigious publishers in all segments of the book market. It has also become a major player in the partworks, board game and high-end stationery segments.
EN
Key dates
1826
At the age of 26, Ecole Normale Supérieure graduate Louis Hachette opened the Brédif bookshop just steps from the Sorbonne.
1833
The Guizot law required every town in France to open a public primary school. Louis Hachette, who had begun work on a primer in 1829, was the only publisher able to fill the government’s order for a million textbooks.
1846
L. Hachette et Compagnie founded. Émile Littré and Louis Hachette signed a contract to publish a dictionary. The first volumes came out in 1863.
1852
Thanks to a concession agreement with seven rail companies, Louis Hachette built and began operating station bookstalls. They sold travel guides like the Guides Joanne, novels by authors such as Charles Dickens, Gérard de Nerval and George Sand, and books from the children’s collection La Bibliothèque rose, including those by the Comtesse de Ségur.
1864
Louis Hachette died on 31 July.
1896
Launch of the monthly magazine Lecture pour tous.
1914
Acquisition of Éditions Hetzel, which published Jules Verne.
1919
The Guides Joanne became the Guides bleus. Launch of the children’s collection La Bibliothèque verte. Hachette et Cie became Librairie Hachette.
1953
Henri Filipacchi spearheaded the launch of the paperback imprint Le Livre de Poche.
1954
Publisher Grasset, Fasquelle joined Librairie Hachette.
1958
Librairie Arthème Fayard joined Librairie Hachette.
1961
Publisher Stock joined Librairie Hachette.
1977
Librairie Hachette became Hachette SA.
1978
Book distribution centre opened in Maurepas.
1980
Hachette SA acquired by the Matra Group, run by Jean-Luc Lagardère. Publisher JC Lattès joined Hachette SA.
1988
Spanish publisher Salvat joined Hachette SA.
1992
Hachette SA’s book publishing assets regrouped under a new company name: Hachette Livre.
1993
Calmann-Lévy joined Hachette Livre.
1995
Founding of Hachette Collections, which went on to become the number one partworks publisher worldwide.
1996
The Alexandre Hatier Group joined Hachette Livre.
1998
UK publishers the Orion Group (Gollancz, Weidenfeld, Nicolson and Phoenix) and Cassell joined Hachette Livre.
2001
Spanish publisher Bruño and UK publisher Octopus joined Hachette Livre.
2003
Vivendi sold the Editis Group. French publishers Larousse, Armand Colin and Dunod and the Spanish group Anaya joined Hachette Livre.
2004
Aquisition of Hodder Headline (Headline, Hodder, Stoughton, John Murray, Hodder Children’s Books, Hodder Education, Hodder Headline Australia New Zealand). Today Hodder Headline, Octopus, Orion and Franklin Watts collectively form Hachette UK.
2006
US publisher Time Warner Book Group (Warner Books, which is now Grand Central Publishing, Little, Brown and Company, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Bulfinch Press, Warner Faith, Center Street and Time Warner Audio Books) joined Hachette Livre. Today they form Hachette Book Group (HBG). Little, Brown Book Group joined Hachette UK.
2007
UK publishers Piatkus and Philip Allan and Mexican publisher Patria joined Hachette Livre.
2008
French publishers Pika and Éditions des 2 Terres joined the Group. Acquisition of 60% of Éditions Albert-René, publisher of the Astérix comics.
2009
Hachette Livre founded a joint venture with Librairie Antoine in Lebanon.
2011
Hachette Livre took full ownership of Éditions Albert-René.
2013
Hachette Book Group purchased Hyperion’s adult backlist.
2014 - 2016
Acquisition of UK publishers Constable, Robinson, Quercus, Kero, Rising Stars and Bookouture. Acquisition of US publisher Perseus Books.
2016 - 2017
Hachette expanded its business to include mobile games by acquiring the studios Neon Play and IsCool Entertainment.
2019
Hachette Boardgames founded. Acquisition of board game publisher Gigamic and distributor Blackrock Games. Funny Fox and Studio H founded.
2020
Hachette UK acquired Laurence King Publishing. The Hachette Livre Group acquired Livrescolaire.fr.
2021
Acquisition of Workman Publishing in the United States. Acquisition of John Catt and Illuminate Publishing by Hachette UK. Acquisition of board game publishers Sorry We Are French, Hiboutatillus and Le Scorpion Masqué. The Group acquired shares in the Randolph Group.
2022
Acquisition of Éditions Bragelonne and La Boîte de Jeu in France. Hachette UK acquired Welbeck Publishing and Paperblanks, the number two premium stationery brand worldwide.
2023
Acquisition of a majority stake in Catch Up Games.
Mama Editions joined the Hachette Livre group.