It is a work that Tryphon Tournesol would probably not have denied. On a colorful display, The Complete Guide to the Pendulum, by Marc Neu (ed. The lotus and the elephant), offers everyone the chance to embark on the art of dowsing. This divinatory process, as serious as the tarot, astrology or witchcraft, is part of the abundant offer stored at Fnac in the “esotericism” category. In Paris, in the brand’s building near Montparnasse station, there are many shelves dedicated to the subject, prominently between those devoted to well-being and personal development. There are endless tarot boxes, books on oracles for beginners, on cellular alchemy, or on Wicca witchcraft.
Well aware of the attraction of its customers for these new spiritualities, the cultural sign has furnished its stores with a wide choice oriented towards the pseudo-sciences and the paranormal. On its website alone, the brand presents nearly 1,000 references devoted to these subjects. She didn’t have to try too hard for it: the days of pretending to turn the tables and summon spirits were over for a handful of eccentrics. Cause or consequence, the democratization of these practices has been accompanied by a proliferation of works devoted to them. Authors, publishers and even big brands: it’s a whole ecosystem that now benefits from this watered down version of the occultism of yesteryear, revisited with a new age sauce.
Popularized in part by major brands
The estate has benefited from the questions raised by the health crisis. Since the arrival of Covid, the esoteric publishing market has recorded unprecedented growth. Between 2019 and 2021, turnover increased by 40 million euros to 66.8 million euros, according to data from the GfK research institute. In 2022, sales remained at this very high level (65.6 million euros). And the publishers assure it: the interest of readers does not weaken, even if the offer is close to saturation. Among the hundreds of titles marketed for the most part in a few thousand copies at best, a few star authors stand out. The medium Patricia Darré has already sold 850,000 books in a decade according to her publisher, Michel Lafon – rather 610,000 according to Edistat data consulted by L’Express, which remains an excellent performance. Former journalists Natacha Calestrémé and Stéphane Allix also distribute their opuses by the hundreds of thousands of copies, with titles focused on personal development (The Key to your energy, Finding my place…) for the first and the paranormal for the second (Our forgotten souls, The Test. An incredible experience: proof of the afterlife?….).
“The most promising themes are the divinatory arts, the uses and knowledge of witches, signs, intuition, life after death… Answers to questions that we can ask ourselves about the role we have in this life, on the meaning and our mission on Earth. Many books deal with well-being, personal development and spirituality at the same time”, says one at Cultura, a major brand of cultural products present, such as the Fnac, everywhere in France. These two distributors have largely contributed to the success of esotericism in our country by treating it in an uninhibited way, in stores that are perhaps less intimidating than specialized shops: “The public who come to look for a well-being book tests an incense, stops in front of a title on meditation, and comes back later for an oracle”, we note at Cultura.
The oracle craze
For a long time, the esoteric department was the prerogative of specialized publishers. Starting with those of the Trédaniel group, founded in 1974, which is now available in 18 brands (Guy Trédaniel Editeur, Exergue, Véga or Dervy for the most important). “We were pioneers at a time when we didn’t talk much about spiritualities”, recalls Cathy Selena, editorial manager of Exergue. Since then, several large publishing houses have entered this field. Starting with Hachette, which created a dedicated brand in 2019, Le lotus et l’éléphant. With all of its production (also at Nouvelles Energies, Larousse and Marabout), Hachette is in second place in the sector, according to GfK data published in Weekly Books. Albin Michel, who notably publishes Natacha Calestrémé and Stéphane Allix, is not to be outdone, just behind the specialized group Piktos and Madrigall (J’ai lu).
Beyond books, publishers are also taking full advantage of the oracle craze. Card games similar to the tarot, but which serve more to answer intimate questions than to predict the future. “This represents a significant share of the market, confirms Amélie Maillot, general manager of DG diffusion, which notably owns the Piktos group. New customers often arrive there.” The Oracle of Love, The Oracle of Witches, The Oracle of Brocéliande, The Oracle of Goddesses… there are already several hundred of them. “The publishers call on many illustrators, it’s very rich: these games are as interesting for their background as for their design, we can collect them”, underlines Amélie Maillot.
Children, a new target
In the front row to observe this growth, the Strasbourg bookseller Thierry Jobard still cannot believe it: “Esotericism is encroaching more and more on other sectors, when it does not simply absorb them, such as religion or spirituality. “, he explains to L’Express, fascinated to see young people using their Pass culture – a budget of 20 to 300 euros per person, financed by the State, to allow 15-18 year olds to access a cultural offer – to afford oracles or books on witches. The publishers confirm this rejuvenation… to which they are no strangers: “When we started publishing books in this segment, the offer was more aimed at those over 35, with fairly austere works. We conducted surveys to understand what the expectations of the youngest were, and we have designed titles to meet them, more accessible, more empathetic, with more up-to-date covers”, says Karine Bailly de Robien, associate director of Leduc editions (group Albin Michael).
More recently, publishers have begun to target a new audience: children. “Parents tell us that they need media to transmit to their children what they themselves have understood”, justifies Tigrane Hadengue, director of the specialized house Mama editions, which is about to publish Sara and the secret of the law of attraction. A trilogy, “simplified version of the thought that we are co-creators of our reality, with proverbial phrases and words of wisdom”, indicates the publisher. Beyond the novels, there are also stones and even oracles specially intended for the little ones. “All the cards are positive: by drawing them one each morning, we give them a little boost of energy, we help them get rid of their limiting thoughts”, assures Karine Bailly de Robien. So, tempted by a hint of esotericism in your bottle?