How to Choose the Right Notebook: A Buyer’s Guide

Whether for the back-to-school season, organising your professional life, or simply unleashing your creativity, choosing a notebook is a significant decision. With a jungle of sizes, rulings, and paper qualities, it's easy to get lost.

Our mission is to help you navigate the options. This guide is designed to give you objective criteria, free from marketing hype, to find the notebook that perfectly meets your needs.

The Essential Criteria for Making the Right Choice

Before diving into our selection, let's review the key points that make all the difference.

1. Size: A Matter of Portability and Use

The size of your notebook determines almost everything else.

• The 24?x?32?cm notebook: This is the go-to size for school supply lists in France. Large enough to hold A4 sheets without them sticking out or getting damaged, it's the perfect companion for middle and high school. It offers a large writing area, ideal for structured note-taking.
• The A5 notebook (14.8?x?21?cm): More compact and lightweight, the A5 notebook is a favourite among students, mobile professionals, and journaling enthusiasts. It slips easily into a handbag or satchel, perfect for meetings, conferences, or jotting down ideas on the fly.

2. Ruling: A Grid for Every Purpose

The ruling (the lines on the pages) should primarily suit your writing style and intended use.

• Seyès ruling (large grid): A staple of the French school system. Its horizontal and vertical lines form a grid that guides handwriting and note layout.
• Lined notebook: With its simple horizontal lines, it offers greater freedom and is perfect for pure writing, taking notes on the fly, or keeping a journal.
• Graph notebook (5x5?mm): With its small 5?mm squares, it's favoured for science subjects (maths, physics), technical drawing, or creating tables and diagrams.

3. Paper and Binding: The Game-Changing Details

The quality of stationery is first judged by its paper weight. Expressed in grams per square metre (gsm), it defines the paper's thickness and opacity. A 80?gsm paper is a versatile standard, but a weight of 90?gsm or more will offer a far superior writing experience, preventing ink from bleeding through the page.

As for the binding (stapled, spiral, sewn), it plays a crucial role in the notebook's durability and handling. A sewn binding, for example, allows for a perfectly flat opening.

Our Recommended Notebooks

To guide you, we've selected three products that each excel in a specific category, from the classroom to the office.

For Students: Clairefontaine Koverbook NEON 24?x?32?cm Notebook

What sets it apart

The Koverbook is the ultimate all-in-one solution. Its sturdy polypropylene cover replaces a separate notebook cover—no need to buy one. Cleverly, its two large flaps serve as both bookmarks and pockets for slipping in a few documents. A functional and durable choice to tackle an entire school year.

Pros

• 2-in-1 cover: Integrated notebook cover with storage flaps.
• Premium paper: The famous Clairefontaine Velvety Vellum 90 gsm paper ensures a perfect glide and bleed-proof opacity.
• Tricolour Seyès ruling: Designed to improve visual comfort and writing organisation.
• Made in France: PEFC-certified paper from sustainably managed forests.

Who is it for? Ideal for middle and high school students looking for a sturdy and smart 24x32 cm notebook that can withstand the rigours of a school year without a hitch.

For Professionals and Creatives: Rhodia Colors Stapled Notepad N°?14

What sets it apart

A brand classic, this Rhodia notepad in A5 format comes in vibrant colours. Here, everything is designed for efficiency: the 80 sheets are micro-perforated to tear out cleanly, while the ultra-rigid cardboard back allows you to write anywhere, even without a surface. Its 5x5?mm grid is a real asset for technical notes.

Pros

• Detachable sheets: Micro-perforations to remove pages without tearing them.
• Rigid backing: Cardboard back for stable note-taking in any situation.
• 5x5?mm grid ruling: Perfect for diagrams, plans, and tables.
• Portable format: Compact and lightweight, it can be taken anywhere.

Who is it for? For professionals, students in science or technical fields, and anyone who juggles diagrams, lists, and sketches on a daily basis.

For Journaling and Personal Use: Jubiluu A5 Sewn Notebooks (Set of 3)

What sets it apart

This set of three notebooks focuses on aesthetics and a design tailored for personal writing. Its sewn binding allows it to open perfectly flat—superb comfort for writing or drawing across the entire double-page spread. The cream-coloured 80 gsm paper, which is easier on the eyes, and the lined notebook format make it a great daily companion.

Pros

• Lay-flat opening: The sewn binding offers great ease of use.
• Elegant design: Soft covers with various patterns (pastels, florals, minimalist).
• Excellent value for money: Sold in a set of three, it's perfect for dedicating a notebook to each project or mood.
• Cream-coloured paper: Less harsh on the eyes than bright white paper, it's popular for journaling.

Who is it for? Perfect for journaling enthusiasts, aspiring writers, creatives, and anyone who loves to organise their thoughts in notebooks that are as beautiful as they are practical.

Can't find what you're looking for?

Our selection is just a glimpse of the possibilities. If you're looking for a specific size, colour, or binding, the world of stationery is nearly endless.

Explore our complete collection of stationery notebooks to discover a wider range of products for all styles and budgets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between an A4 notebook and a 24?x?32?cm size?

Although their dimensions are similar, they are not the same. An A4 sheet measures 21?x?29.7?cm. The slightly larger 24?x?32?cm format allows you to paste an A4 sheet inside without it sticking out or its corners getting damaged. That's why it remains the top favourite for French school supply lists.

What paper weight should I choose for my notebook?

It all depends on your writing tools. For standard use with a ballpoint pen or pencil, a 70 to 80?gsm paper is sufficient. However, if you're a fan of fountain pens, markers, or highlighters, a 90?gsm (or higher) paper is highly recommended. It will absorb ink better, prevent it from bleeding through the page, and offer you an unparalleled glide.

Lined or graph: which to choose?

A lined notebook is perfect for pure writing (diaries, continuous note-taking). A graph notebook (Seyès or 5x5?mm), being more structured, is ideal for subjects requiring precision (maths, science) or for those who like their notes, tables, and diagrams to be perfectly aligned.