France has now introduced its short story machines in 24 stations, following a trial in Grenoble (Photo: JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

There’s nothing worse than having to wait for your train when you’ve forgotten your book, all the free papers have gone, or you just don’t feel like falling down the rabbit hole of the Internet via your smartphone.

Which is why France’s idea to install free short story vending machines is genius.

The idea was trialled a year ago in the country’s Grenoble train station, where it went down so well that they decided to roll it out across more stations.

Passengers choose a one, three or five minute long story, which is printed on paper (Photo: JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

You simply choose your wait-time – one, three or five minutes – and the machine will dispense a story accordingly. All for free.




The stories are all printed on paper, and topics range from children’s stories to lyrical poetry.

The authors of the stories are all anonymous, and over 5,000 have submitted stories.

Passengers reading their short stories in the waiting room at Grenoble (Photo: JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

The machines have been installed at 24 train stations all over France, with plans to introduce them at a further 11 by the end of the year.

The idea was dreamt up by publishing house Short Edition, which specialises in short stories.

‘Our ambition is to see distributors pop up everywhere to encourage reading – and writing – and to promote our artists,’ Short Edition director Christophe Sibieude told Télérama. ‘The paper medium is a breath of fresh air, it’s more unexpected that a smartphone screen.’

Considering that we’re coming into ‘leaves on the line’ season, it might be a good idea to start installing these at commuter hubs in the UK…

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