Shop in Paris

We bet there are a lot of people who still believe that Paris is the most expensive city in the world (not true!) and that there is little or next to nothing that they can afford to bring home, apart from an Eiffel Tower key chain and a bottle of Chanel No.5. Paris is a shopper’s dream, of course, and the “glitterati� will feel quite at home in the Haute Couture shops found on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement. Top quality shoes, bags, and leather goods are the province of Rue du Cherche-Midi and rue de Grenelle in the 6th. Truly trend-setting fashions may be seen in the shops on Rue Etienne Marcel and Place des Victoires bordering the 1st and 2nd arrondissements. Some of the better-known emporiums of Haute Couture and jewelry include: Cartier (8th), Celine (8th), Chanel (1st & 8th), Chaumet, Christian Dior (8th), Christian Lacroix (8th), Piaget, Yves Saint Laurent (16th), and Van Cleef & Arpels (8th).
Bookshops
Paris has a number of bookshops that cater for English-speakers.
Abbey Bookshop (tel 01 46 33 16 24, metro Cluny-La Sorbonne, 29 rue de la Par cheminerie, 5e), Brentano’s(tel 01 42 61 52 50, metro Opéra, 37 ave de l’Opéra, 2e), Espace IGN (tel 01 43 98 85 00, metro Franklin D Roosevelt, 107 rue La Boétie, 8e). Librarie Gourmande (tel 01 43 54 37 27, metro Maubert Mutualité, 4 rue Dante, 5e). Les Mots a la Bouche (tel 01 4278 8830, metro Hotel de Ville, 6 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4e). Shakespeare & Company (tel 01 43 26 96 50, metro Saint Michel, 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 5e). WH Smith (tel 01 44 77 88 99, metro Concorde, 248 rue de Rivoli, 1er).
Department Stores
Paris boasts a number of grands magasins, including the following. Sales (soldes) are generally held in January and June/July.
Bazar de l’Hôtel de Vile (BHV tel 01 42 74 90 00, metro Hôtel de Ville, 14 rue du Temple, 4e). Au Bon Marché (tel 01 44 39 80 00, metro Sèvres Babylone, 24 rue de Sèvres, 7e). Galeries Lafayette (tel 01 42 82 34 56, metro Auber or Chaussèe d’Antin, 40 blvd Haussmann, 9e). La Printemps (tel 01 42 82 50 00, metro Havre Caumartin, 64 blvd Haussmann, 9e) La Samaritaine (tel 01 40 41 20 20, metro Pont Neuf, in three buildings between Pont Neuf and 142 rue de Rivoli, 1er).
Tati (tel 01 55 29 50 00, metro Barbès Rochechouart, 4 blvd Barbès, 18e).
Flea Markets
Paris’ marches aux puces (flea markets), easily accessible by metro, can be great fun if you’re in the mood to browse for unexpected treasures among the brocante (second hand goods) and bric-a-brac on display. Some new goods are also available, and a bit of bargaining is expected.
Marché d’Aligre (metro Ledru Rollin, place d’Aligre, 12e). Marché aux Puces de Montreuil (metro Porte de Montreuil, ave de la Porte de Montreuil, 20e). Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves (metro Porte de Vanves, ave Georges Lafenestre & ave Marc Sangnier, 14e). Marché aux Puces de Saint Ouen (metro Porte de Clignancourt, rue des Rosiers, ave Michelet, rue Voltaire, rue Paul Bert & rue Jean-Henri Fabre, 18e).