Éditions Belin
Éditions Belin is a historic French publishing house focused on school, university, scientific, and extracurricular works.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Éditions Belin, also known as Belin éditeur, is a French publishing house founded in Paris in 1777 by François Belin-Jacques, a printer-bookseller originally from Haute-Marne. The company began as Librairie Belin and developed over more than two centuries from a general bookseller and printer into a specialist educational publisher. Its long history includes works for schools and universities, reference books, scientific publishing, language-learning materials, extracurricular titles, poetry, art books, and botanical works. The house established an early connection with education. In 1785, the University of Paris selected Belin titles as student prizes. During the French Revolution, François Belin published a version of the Constitution adopted by the National Constituent Assembly and accepted by the King. He was briefly arrested in 1794 on a charge connected with a subversive act, but was released soon after the arrest of Robespierre. By the time of his death, the catalog contained 1,219 titles. Belin remained associated with the founding family for generations. François's sons Léonard Belin, known as Belin-Leprieur, and Auguste Belin-Mandar were also printers. Auguste's 1826 acquisition of the Librairie Classique Élémentaire de Lamennais strengthened the educational direction of the business, particularly in civic and religious instruction. The company also published William Duckett's Dictionary of Conversation and Reading in 1832. Belin combined printing and publishing activities until 1954, while schoolbooks were produced through outside printing partners including the Crété press in Corbeil-Essonnes and Georges Lang in Paris. During the twentieth century, Belin broadened its educational and cultural portfolio. The Imagine You're English collection was launched in 1974. In 1977, the company became associated with Pour la science, which published the French scientific magazine of the same name and expanded into scientific books. Belin also entered poetry through the journal Po&sie, developed an art and illustrated-book presence through its 1987 acquisition of Herscher, and republished major botanical works such as Gaston Bonnier's La Grande Flore. By the 2000s, non-school publishing accounted for approximately one-third of the house's activity, according to the cited historical account. Family control ended in 2014, when SCOR SE, the French reinsurance group managed by Denis Kessler, acquired all of Belin's capital. The ownership change concluded Belin's period as the oldest continuously independent French publishing house. SCOR subsequently combined Belin with Presses Universitaires de France, another publishing business under the same shareholder. The combination was organized from January 2017 and operated under the name Humensis, also incorporating the Éditions de l'Observatoire imprint. Belin therefore became part of a broader French education, academic, science, and humanities publishing group rather than continuing as an independent family-controlled company. The company moved from its historic premises on rue Férou to 170 bis boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris on March 6, 2017. Within Humensis, the Belin name continues to identify publishing activity centered on educational, academic, scientific, and general-interest works. Its historical identity rests on the continuity of its educational mission, the breadth of its catalog, and its unusually long presence in French publishing.
History
Éditions Belin was established in Paris on March 10, 1777, under the name Librairie Belin by François Belin-Jacques, a printer-bookseller from Haute-Marne. Its early catalog was broad rather than exclusively educational. In 1785, the University of Paris selected Belin publications as rewards for students, providing an early indication of the house's relationship with formal education. During the revolutionary period, François Belin published a version of the French Constitution adopted by the National Constituent Assembly and accepted by the King. He was arrested in April 1794 for a subversive act and released shortly after Robespierre's arrest. At the time of his death, the catalog had reached 1,219 titles. The founder's sons continued the printing tradition. Léonard Belin, known as Belin-Leprieur, and Auguste Belin-Mandar both worked as printers. In 1826, Auguste acquired the Librairie Classique Élémentaire de Lamennais, which issued civic and religious instruction manuals. This acquisition helped move the business toward educational publishing. In 1832, Auguste printed William Duckett's Dictionary of Conversation and Reading, a successful reference work. Belin continued to combine printing with publishing until 1954, after which it concentrated more clearly on publishing while relying on external printers for production. The company retained a family identity into the modern period. Max Brossollet, grandson of Paul Belin and son of Jacques Brossollet and Solange Belin, became managing director in 1960 and chairman in 1969. He led the company until 1994. His sister Marie Claude Brossollet then managed the business until 2008, when Sylvie Marcé, who was not a member of the family, became president. Belin's catalog expanded substantially during the second half of the twentieth century. The company launched the Imagine You're English collection in 1974, extending its educational activity into language learning. From 1977, it was associated with Pour la science, which published a French scientific magazine and developed a related scientific-book program. Belin also published the poetry journal Po&sie, entered illustrated and art publishing through the acquisition of Herscher in 1987, and returned to botanical publishing through a republication of Gaston Bonnier's La Grande Flore. The non-school segment represented around one-third of the company's turnover during the 2000s, according to the cited account. A decisive ownership change took place on October 30, 2014, when SCOR SE acquired 100 percent of Belin's capital. The transaction ended the family's ownership and ended Belin's position as the oldest still-independent French publishing house. SCOR's ownership also created the conditions for a later combination with Presses Universitaires de France, which had the same shareholder. The combined publishing organization was set up from January 1, 2017, under the name Humensis. The new group also included the Éditions de l'Observatoire imprint. On March 6, 2017, Belin left its historic premises on rue Férou and moved to 170 bis boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris. The Belin publishing identity subsequently operated within Humensis, continuing its emphasis on school, university, scientific, reference, and extracurricular publishing. The company is therefore best understood as a long-established French publishing brand whose institutional form changed from family-owned independent house to an imprint or operating brand within a larger publishing group.
- 2017
Paris headquarters relocate
[1]The business moves from rue Férou to 170 bis boulevard du Montparnasse on March 6.
- 2016
Humensis is created
[1]Belin and Presses Universitaires de France are brought together in the publishing group Humensis.
- 2014
SCOR SE acquires Belin
[1]SCOR SE purchases the entirety of Belin's capital, ending the family's ownership of the house.
- 2008
Sylvie Marcé becomes president
[1]Sylvie Marcé succeeds Marie Claude Brossollet and becomes the first leader identified in the supplied account as outside the founding family.
- 1994
Marie Claude Brossollet succeeds Max Brossollet
[1]Leadership passes within the family to Marie Claude Brossollet.
- 1987
Herscher is acquired
[1]The acquisition broadens Belin's presence in illustrated and art publishing.
- 1977
Belin becomes associated with Pour la science
[1]The business develops a scientific publishing activity around the French magazine Pour la science and related books.
- 1974
Imagine You're English collection launches
[1]Belin expands its educational catalog with a language-learning collection.
- 1960
Max Brossollet becomes managing director
[1]Leadership passes to Max Brossollet, who later becomes chairman and guides the family-controlled house for decades.
- 1954
Printing and publishing functions separate
[1]Belin ends its longstanding combination of in-house printing and publishing activities.
Products and positioning
A historic French educational and scholarly publisher combining school textbooks with university, scientific, language-learning, cultural, and illustrated books.
Educational publishing
School textbooks
School books are a central part of Belin's historical catalog. The house has published materials for formal education and developed its reputation around textbooks and other resources used in French schooling. Production was carried out through external printing partners, including the Crété press in Corbeil-Essonnes and Georges Lang in Paris.
Academic publishing
University and academic works
Belin publishes university-level and academic works, forming part of its broader educational mission. This activity complements school publishing and places the brand within the French higher-education and scholarly book market.
Language learning · 1974
Imagine You're English
Launched in 1974, Imagine You're English is an English-language learning collection associated with Belin's extracurricular and educational publishing. It illustrates the company's expansion beyond standard school textbooks into language instruction.
Science publishing and magazine · 1977
Pour la science
Pour la science is a scientific publishing activity associated with Belin from 1977. It includes the French magazine of the same name and related scientific works, giving the company a presence in science communication as well as education.
Poetry
Po&sie
Po&sie is a poetry journal published within Belin's non-school and cultural catalog. Its inclusion reflects the house's diversification into literary and intellectual publishing.
Botany and natural history
La Grande Flore
Belin republished Gaston Bonnier's La Grande Flore, adding a major botanical reference work to its scientific and natural-history list. The title represents the brand's interest in specialist illustrated and reference publishing.
Art and illustrated books · 1987
Herscher illustrated-book list
Through the 1987 acquisition of Herscher, Belin expanded into art books and other highly illustrated publications. This activity formed part of the non-school segment that complemented the company's educational base.
Brand decisions
2017
Relocation of the Paris premisesStrategyBackground
Following the creation of Humensis, the business left its historic premises on rue Férou.
Action taken
Belin relocated to 170 bis boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris on March 6, 2017.
Aftermath
The move placed the publishing operation in a new Paris location within its post-independence organizational structure.
2016
Formation of Humensis through the Belin–PUF combinationM&ABackground
Belin and Presses Universitaires de France had the same shareholder after SCOR SE's acquisition of Belin.
Action taken
The two publishing businesses were combined into a new group named Humensis, which also included Éditions de l'Observatoire.
Aftermath
Belin continued as a publishing brand within a larger group focused on education, academic, scientific, and humanities publishing.
2014
SCOR SE acquires 100 percent of BelinM&ABackground
Belin had remained family-owned and was described as the oldest still-independent French publishing house until the transaction.
Action taken
SCOR SE acquired all of Belin's capital, ending the Brossollet family's ownership and placing the publisher under corporate ownership.
Aftermath
The acquisition prepared the way for Belin's later combination with Presses Universitaires de France within Humensis.
Recent events
- 2017
Belin relocates to boulevard du Montparnasse[1]
Other
The publishing business moved from its historic rue Férou premises to 170 bis boulevard du Montparnasse in Paris.
- 2016
Belin and Presses Universitaires de France are combined within Humensis[1]
M&A
A merger involving Belin and Presses Universitaires de France led to the creation of Humensis, a publishing group also associated with Éditions de l'Observatoire.
- 2014
SCOR SE acquires all of Belin's capital[1]
M&A · Other
The acquisition ended the Brossollet family's ownership and Belin's status as an independent family-controlled French publishing house.
Sources2 sources
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