I've been using Rhodia notebooks for about six years now. In my first year (around 2019), I made the classic mistake: I bought the thickest, most expensive Rhodia pad I could find, thinking it was the "best" one. Turns out, the A4 dot pad I got was completely wrong for my daily carry. It didn't fit in my bag, the paper was overkill for quick meeting notes, and I ended up using barely 20% of it.
That $22 mistake taught me something: there's no single "best" Rhodia notebook. What works for a fountain pen artist is going to frustrate a bullet journalist. The right choice depends entirely on how you actually write, draw, or organize your life.
Three Common Scenarios (Which One Are You?)
After trying more Rhodia products than I care to admit—and plenty of mistakes along the way—I've found that most people fall into one of three camps:
- The Journaler: You write daily, have a dedicated writing space, and want a notebook that lies flat and looks good on a shelf.
- The Visual Thinker: You draw diagrams, mind maps, or doodle alongside your notes. You need a blank or dot grid, and portability matters.
- The Fountain Pen Snob: You use fountain pens (or fine-liners) and obsess over paper performance. You need the smoothest, most bleed-resistant paper possible.
I've been in all three at different points. Here's the breakdown by scenario, including the mistakes I made along the way.
Scenario 1: The Journaler
The Mistake I Made: I bought a Rhodia Webnotebook (the hardcover) for journaling. It felt premium, but the lay-flat binding was terrible for writing near the spine. My left-hand pages always looked cramped.
What I Wish I'd Known: For daily journaling, the Rhodia Rhodiarama Softcover notebook is the better choice. The elastic closure is similar, but the softcover version bends more easily, so it sits flat on a desk. Plus, the colored covers (the Rhodiarama series has great options like "Deep Red" and "Pacific Blue") make it feel less like a school notebook.
The paper is 90gsm—same as the Webnotebook—which handles fountain pens effortlessly. I'm not 100% sure, but the softcover might even have a slightly smoother finish.
Best pick for Journalers: Rhodia Rhodiarama Softcover, A5 or Pocket size, lined (if you write in straight lines) or dot grid (for flexibility).
Scenario 2: The Visual Thinker
The Mistake I Made: I thought dot grid was a compromise. It's not. I bought a lined A5 pad for meeting notes with diagrams. The ruled lines fought with my sketches. Looked chaotic.
What I Wish I'd Known: The dot grid is arguably Rhodia's best feature. It gives you horizontal and vertical guides without overwhelming the page. For visual thinkers—mind maps, flow charts, UX sketches—the Rhodia No. 16 Dot Pad (A5, 80 sheets) is the sweet spot. It's staple-bound, so it tears out cleanly if you need to share a sketch.
But here's the nuance: if you carry your notebook everywhere, the pad's cover is thin. It gets beat up quickly. I've had edges tear off. For daily carry, a Rhodia Rhomia A5 with Dot Grid (the wirebound one) holds up better. The wire binding means you can fold it back and write on a single page (great for sketching on a lap), and the cover is much sturdier.
In my opinion, the wirebound format is underappreciated. Most people skip it because it looks less "premium." That's a mistake. The practicality beats the aesthetic.
Best pick for Visual Thinkers: Rhodia No. 16 Dot Pad (desk use) OR Rhodia Rhomia A5 Wirebound Dot Grid (on-the-go).
Scenario 3: The Fountain Pen Snob
The Mistake I Made: I assumed all Rhodia paper is the same. It's not. The Rhodia Premium pads use 90gsm paper, but the Rhodia Ice series uses 80gsm. I bought a Rhodia Ice pad for a wet fountain pen. Ghosting was terrible. Looked like a bad photocopy.
What I Wish I'd Known: For fountain pens—especially wet writers—the paper thickness and surface coating matter. Rhodia's 90gsm paper (found in the Webnotebook, Rhodiarama, and standard orange pads) is the gold standard. The 80gsm paper (Ice series) is lighter and more translucent. It works for ballpoints and fine-liners, but I'd argue it's not truly fountain pen friendly.
Here's something vendors won't tell you: even the 90gsm paper can bleed with extremely wet nibs (like a broad Lamy with Noodler's ink). If you're using a gusher, go for the Rhodia Premium 100gsm pads. They're harder to find, but they exist.
Seeing the Rhodia 80gsm vs 90gsm vs 100gsm paper side-by-side made me realize: the extra weight is worth it for ink performance, but it adds bulk. If you're a writer who uses only fine nibs (EF or F), the 90gsm is perfect. For broad nibs, go thicker.
Best pick for Fountain Pen Users: Rhodia Webnotebook (90gsm) for standard use. Rhodia Premium Pads (100gsm) for wet nibs.
How to Figure Out Which Category You're In
Still unsure? Ask yourself these two questions:
- Where do you write most? At a desk (flat surface) or on the go (lap, couch, commute)? If desk, staple-bound or hardcover. If on-the-go, wirebound or softcover.
- What do you write with? If it's a fountain pen with a broad or stub nib, prioritize paper weight (90gsm+). If it's a ballpoint or fountain pen with a fine nib, almost any Rhodia paper will work, so prioritize format and portability.
The worst thing you can do is buy based on looks alone. I did that twice. Once with the Ice pad, once with the Webnotebook. Both cost me money and left me frustrated. Now I match the notebook to how I actually write, not how I want to feel. It's less romantic, but it works.
And if you're still on the fence? Start with a Rhodia No. 12 Dot Pad (A5, 80 sheets). It's cheap enough to be a safe bet ($7-9), the dot grid works for 90% of uses, and the 90gsm paper handles most pens well. After you use it for a month, you'll know what you want to change—and that'll save you from making my mistakes.
That's it. Go buy one. Write in it. Then buy the right one next time.
