Rhodia Notebook Review: 7 Questions About Journaling Paper I Had to Answer the Hard Way

You Want to Start a Journal with a Rhodia Notebook. I Made All the Mistakes So You Don't Have To.

I've been journaling on and off for about six years. In that time, I've bought maybe a dozen Rhodia notebooks—some great, some wrong for the job, and a couple that I just gave away because I didn't understand what I was buying. This isn't a generic product review. It's a list of the questions I had to answer by wasting time and money. I hope it saves you some of both.

Let's jump into the questions I hear most often.

1. Which Rhodia Notebook Should I Actually Buy for Journaling?

This was my first mistake. I bought a Rhodia Staplebound notepad because it looked classic and was a few dollars cheaper. It's great for quick notes. It's terrible for a journal you want to keep for years. The pages tear out too easily.

For journaling, get a Webnotebook or a Rhodia Goalbook if you like numbered pages and an index. These have a sewn binding that lies flat—huge for actually writing comfortably in bed or at a cafe. The Webnotebook also has an elastic closure and a ribbon bookmark. Small details, but they matter when you're writing every day.

I wish I had bought the Webnotebook first. The staplebound one sits in my drawer, half-used.

2. Is Rhodia Paper Actually Fountain Pen Friendly? Or Is That Marketing?

Short answer: Yes, it's genuinely good. Long answer: It depends on what you mean by 'friendly.'

Rhodia uses 90 gsm paper that is coated. This means it resists feathering and bleeding much better than standard notebook paper. I've tested it with a Lamy Safari with a medium nib and a Pilot Metropolitan (fine nib) using Noodler's Black ink—no bleed-through, barely any ghosting. I don't have hard data on exact coating specifications, but in my experience, it handles fountain pen ink better than most notebooks at this price point.

That said, no paper is 100% guaranteed with every ink. I've had an issue with a wet, broad nib and a very saturated ink (Diamine Oxblood) that ghosted on Rhodia. It was readable on the other side, but noticeable. For most journaling, it's excellent. For heavy ink layering or art, you might want something heavier like 120 gsm (which Rhodia doesn't usually make in their standard notebooks).

3. Dot Grid vs. Lined vs. Blank: The Decision Kept Me Up at Night

This is a real struggle. I went back and forth between dot grid and ruled for about two weeks. I finally chose dot grid, and I'm glad I did.

Here's my thinking:

• Dot grid gives you guidance for writing straight, but doesn't clutter the page. It's also flexible if you want to sketch or do a quick layout. This makes it the best all-rounder for journaling.
• Lined is fine. But if you ever want to draw a diagram or a simple mind map, the lines get in the way.
• Blank is for artists or very messy writers. I can't write straight in a blank notebook. It looks like a toddler's handwriting after a coffee spill.

Dot grid. That's my answer for a first journal. Get the A5 size—it's the sweet spot for portability and writing space.

4. Is It Worth Paying More for a Rhodia? I Almost Bought a Cheaper Notebook.

My honest take: If you use a fountain pen, or you care about the feel of the paper, yes.

I almost bought a $6 notebook from a big-box store. I had a bad experience a year before with a different cheap notebook—the paper was rough, the pen skipped, and I ended up abandoning the journal after three weeks. The tactile experience matters more than people admit. If the paper feels bad, you write less.

In my opinion, the extra $10-$20 for a Rhodia Webnotebook is worth it because you're paying for consistency. The paper quality is reliable. The binding doesn't fall apart. It's not the cheapest option—but it's probably the most cost-effective one for someone who actually plans to write.

I don't have exact data on how many people quit journaling because of bad paper. But I came close to being one of them.

5. Can I Use a Ballpoint Pen in a Rhodia? Or Is That a Waste?

You can use anything. But you might be disappointed.

Rhodia paper is smooth. Really smooth. If you use a cheap ballpoint with a lot of pressure, it can feel slippery. I tried it once with a standard Bic—the writing was thinner and looked faint. It works, but you're not using the paper's strengths.

If you're not using a fountain pen, use a good gel pen (like a Pilot G2 or a Uni-ball Signo). The ink sits on the surface nicely. Avoid heavy-handed ballpoints—they tend to create indents and the writing looks weak.

6. What Size Rhodia Should I Buy for Journaling? A5 vs. Pocket vs. A4

I bought an A4 once. Big mistake. It's too large to carry comfortably. It sits on a shelf and feels like a school textbook.

A5 is the standard answer. It's portable, fits in most bags, and gives you enough space for a decent daily entry. Pocket size is cute, but I find it too small for real journaling—your hand cramps after a few paragraphs.

If you're a minimalist and write only a few lines a day, pocket could work. But for most people, A5 is the best.

7. How Do I Actually Start a Journal Without It Feeling Forced?

This isn't a product question, but it's the question behind the product question. I struggled with this for months.

Here's what worked for me: Don't try to write like a diary. Don't aim for 'Dear Diary, today was...' That felt fake. Instead, I started writing one sentence per day about something I learned. Some days it was just 'Bought the wrong notebook.' Other days it was longer.

After a week, I wanted to add more context. After a month, I was writing half a page naturally. The key is to lower the barrier to entry. A good notebook helps—but starting with a bad one can actually kill the habit.

A trick that helped: I use the Rhodia with a fountain pen and a nice ink color (like a deep blue or a burnt orange). Looking forward to using the pen got me to open the notebook. The notebook itself was just the stage.

If you're stuck, just write 'I don't know what to write.' Often, that's the sentence that breaks the block.