maison d’edition

What maison d’edition does

Editions Malpertuis is a French non-profit publishing house (Association loi 1901) founded on November 4, 2006 in Seine-Saint-Denis and operating around Paris / Noisy Le Sec, specializing in classic and modern fantastic / weird fiction. The publisher issues novels, short story collections, annual anthologies (the Malpertuis I–XVI series), graphic novels, and essays in both print-on-demand physical format and DRM-free epub, with 75+ titles released since inception. It runs a 3-person core editorial team led by president Christophe Thill (statistician by profession) and editor/translator Thomas Bauduret.

The catalog is produced via print-on-demand through an English printer, distributed through the publisher's own e-commerce site (ed-malpertuis.com), three partner independent bookstores specializing in speculative fiction (Scylla in Paris, Abraxas-libris in Bécherel, Ciel rouge in Dijon), the Electre bibliographic database for ordering by any French bookstore, and direct festival sales at 6+ annual French genre conventions. Print titles price from €9.90 (short works) to €30 (luxury editions), with DRM-free ebooks at €4–7.

Revenue comes from one-time purchases of print and digital books, plus a 35% trade discount to bookstores/libraries. Marketing relies on Facebook and Instagram engagement, the website (built on the open-source SPIP CMS), word-of-mouth within the French fantastic-fiction community, and a heavy festival presence that doubles as both customer acquisition and point of sale. The publisher has received genre recognition including a Prix Masterton 2019 win for best short story collection and a Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire 2008 nomination.

Name

maison d’edition

Legal name

Association loi 1901 Editions Malpertuis

Website

https://ed-malpertuis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Editions Malpertuis is a French non-profit publisher founded in 2006 that specializes in classic and modern fantastic and weird fiction, releasing novels, anthologies, graphic novels, and essays in print-on-demand and DRM-free digital formats for French-speaking readers of speculative literature.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Fantastic Literature Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAJAAAB

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Book Publishing (Trade & Consumer)

SECONDARYMPAJAAAC

Literary & Classics Publishing

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Book Publishing (Trade & Consumer)

SECONDARYMPAJAMAG

Digital Publishing Creation & Formatting Tools (EPUB, conversion, layout)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Digital Publishing Platforms (E-books & Online Articles)

Keywords

• Independent book publishing
• Fantastic literature
• Print-on-demand publishing
• French language fiction
• Weird fiction anthologies

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales (Print): One-time purchase of physical books manufactured via print-on-demand. Prices range from €5.90 to €30 depending on format and page count.
2. Digital Book Sales: Sale of DRM-free epub ebooks at lower price points (€4-7), representing a growing digital catalog of titles also available in print.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Editions Malpertuis is an independent French-language publisher that produces and sells classic and modern fantastic literature in both physical print-on-demand formats and DRM-free epub digital formats. Its catalog spans novels, novellas, short story collections, annual anthologies, and translated classics (such as Robert W. Chambers' Le Roi en jaune), with a stated editorial line that explicitly excludes mainstream SF, fantasy, crime, and paranormal memoir genres. The publisher operates on a small-team, low-overhead model using POD technology, the open-source SPIP CMS, and an Association loi 1901 legal structure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Malpertuis Annual Anthology Series
• Club Diogène Detective Series (1890-1895)
• Les dossiers secrets de Harry Dickson Adaptation Series
• Translated Classic Fantastic Literature
• DRM-free Digital Ebook Catalog
• Notes de bas de page Essay Collection

Quantifiable outcome

• Nomination for Prix Masterton 2000 (L'autobus de minuit)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Zone franche Festival (Bagneux)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Zone franche literary festival for L'amicale des jeteurs de sorts anthology. Festival provides editorial support and venue for author events.
• Scylla BookstoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner bookstore in Paris 12th arrondissement specializing in fantastic/speculative fiction, maintaining physical display of Malpertuis titles
• Abraxas-librisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup of 3 bookstores located in Bécherel (France's book village), maintaining Malpertuis inventory
• Ciel rouge BookstoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized bookstore in Dijon focusing on fantastic literature and carrying Malpertuis titles

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Éditions La Volte: French independent publisher of speculative and fantastic literature. Comparable to Malpertuis in editorial selectivity, small catalog, and award-winning output within the French genre-fiction market.
• Le Bélial': French independent publisher specializing in speculative and fantastic literature, with a curated catalog and strong editorial reputation. Comparable to Malpertuis in niche focus, award-recognition track record, and small-press operating model.
• ActuSF: Leading French independent publisher and review platform focused on science-fiction, fantasy, and fantastic literature. Closely comparable to Editions Malpertuis in French genre-fiction specialization, author-roster overlap, and festival participation.
• Mnémos: French publisher focused on fantasy and imaginary literature. Comparable to Malpertuis in genre specialization, author relationships, and presence at major French genre festivals.
• Éditions Rivière Blanche: French small publisher covering fantastic, mystery, and related genres. Comparable to Malpertuis in independent-press scale, genre breadth within speculative fiction, and direct-to-reader distribution approach.

Broad incumbents

• Éditions Philippe Picquier: Independent French publisher with strong literary and translated-fiction catalog. Comparable to Malpertuis in independent-press character and focus on quality literary translations, though with broader genre reach.
• Bragelonne: One of France's largest French-language fantasy and science-fiction publishers, with deep author roster and broad distribution. Comparable to Malpertuis in genre specialization but operating at significantly larger scale and with commercial trade reach.
• Gallimard: France's largest general trade publisher, with genre imprints such as Folio SF. Comparable as an incumbent that competes for shelf space, author rights, and reader attention in the broader French publishing market.

Emerging players

• Éditions du Typhon: Small French press publishing fantastic literature with a focus on atmospheric and weird fiction. Comparable to Malpertuis in narrow genre focus, small-team operations, and curated catalog approach.
• Éditions du Cygne: Small French publisher focused on poetry and literary works with some genre crossover. Comparable to Malpertuis in small-scale independent operations and curated literary output in the French market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EditionsMalpertuis
• Instagraminstagram.com/editionsmalpertuis/?hl=fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maison-d%E2%80%99edition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about maison d’edition