Going to Paris, any shopping suggestions?

#16
I was just there, and my suggestion is to not buy anything you can get in the USA! Because the exchange rate is a killer!

I bought my mom Guerlain perfume (a fragrance only available in France, thank goodness) for 150 Euro, and when I got the credit bill, it was like $250.
 
#17
go along the Champs Elysees and then make your way to the Avenue Montaigne and Avenue George V (this street has YSL, Givenchy, Balenciaga and it leads to Hermes!)..I recommend going to Galieries Lafayette and Printemps..i remember there being locations near the Opera House like behind it. Montmartre is wonderful for art.
 
#18
Oh stuff on the Avenue Montaigne: Chanel, Gucci, Dior, valentino, Harry WInston, Chloe, Nina Ricci, LV, Armani, Prada and Miu Miu i think, there's more i just can't remember

Over where the Ritz Carlton is the Place Vendome with nearby Van Cleef and Arpels, more Chanel, Dior, jewelry stores mainly i think..

I remember a Ralph Lauren being somewhere near Concorde at the end of the Champs Elysees where the obelisk is and the beautiful fountains.
 
#21
ztainthecity said:
Over where the Ritz Carlton is the Place Vendome with [...]
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Sorry that I have to correct you! It's only The Ritz not a Ritz-Carlton Hotel ;)


So Kathy: For me as a German, Paris is much closer than to you. So fortunately I went to Paris twice a year. So here are a lot of shops sorted by streets:
Avenue Montaigne:
Bvlgari
Chanel
Dior
Dolce & Gabbana
Fendi
Giorgio Armani
Gucci
Jil Sander
Jimmy Choo
Louis Vuitton
Prada
Ralph Lauren
Valentino
Versace

Shop-in-Shop at Galeries Lafayette on Blvd. Haussmann:
Bvlgari
Cartier
Chanel
Fendi
Dior
Gucci
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jimmy Choo
Louis Vuitton
Prada
Tod's

Shop-in-Shop at Printemps on Blvd. Haussmann:
Bvlgari
Cartier
Chanel
Dior
Dolce & Gabbana
D&G Dolce & Gabbana
Gucci
Jil Sander
Jimmy Choo
Prada
Tod's
Yves Saint Laurent

Boulevard Malesherbes:
Burberry
Ralph Lauren

Rue de Rennes:
Burberry
Cartier

Place Vendôme:
Bvlgari
Cartier
Chanel
Dior

Champs Elysées:
Cartier
Hugo Boss
Louis Vuitton

Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré:
Cartier
Chanel
Gucci
Hermès
Hugo by Hugo Boss
Lanvin
Prada
Tod's
Valentino
Yves Saint Laurent

Rue Cambon:
Chanel

Rue Royale:
Chanel
Dior

Rue de Rivoli:
D&G Dolce & Gabbana

Avenue George V:
Armani Collezioni
Hermés
Jean-Paul Gaultier

Boulevard Saint-Germain:
Emporio Armani
Louis Vuitton

Rue de Grenelle:
Christian Louboutin
Prada
Yves Saint Laurent

Galerie de Montpensier:
Marc Jacobs

Place Saint Sulpice:
Yves Saint Laurent

Rue de Louvre:
Christian Louboutin
Yohji Yamamoto
 
#22
A first post and a favourite topic (:heart:shopping in Paris:heart:) for me. Do try a personal shopper for an afternoon. It's a great way to see all of the less obvious places and find some vintage gems.

Jodie from www.wonderfulexcuse.com is a friend of mine and a native Californian, but has been living in Paris for years. She knows of every fabulous, little boutique there is to find in Paris, and can give you some great nightlife tips in the process! Just follow the 'Lifestyle' link on the site and you'll find her.
 
#23
The Avenue Montaigne and Champs-Elyséés are incredible, and please stop on the Rue Royale for Dior... AND Rue Faubourg St. Honoré for the Hermes flagship store, it is lovely. Also Christian Louboutin on the Rue de Louvre, and of course you can stop by the Louvre :graucho:

I agree with the poster above me; a Personal Shopper is a must in Paris so you don't end up just absolutely overwhelmed and bewildered.
 
#24
I second Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette!!
The department stores are safe because some of the small designer boutiques can be very intimidating. There a fun to go into, but don't expect the red carpet in every shop. Louis Vuitton on the Champs Ellsees is amazing and they have everything. A little something from LV would be the perfect souvenir. :tup:

Definitely take one of the naff bus tours around Paris. You can hop on and off over a few days and can see most of the city. We had so much fun! The Louvre is amazing, but you need a few days to really enjoy it.

The most important thing to is to make sure you eat at restaurants away from the touristy parts, as they can charge twice as much for the same food. Ask at your hotel for a few places popular with locals. We ate at a great restaurant on Place de la Republique that had the best Moules and Frites (mussels and fries) after a tip from a lovely hotel employee. It is really popular with local people and is usually very busy!
 
#25
I don't recommend a personal shopper unless you plan to buy a lot. I am not even sure if you can get one to take the task very seriously unless you have plenty of cash to splash...and you will have to pay for the service.

What I do suggest is that you get a map and a travel book and just play it by ear. Browse around the gorgeous shops and you will certainly find something nice to take home with you. Afterall, you do still want to be able to pay the mortgage when you get home!
 
#26
kerilynn3 said:
I don't recommend a personal shopper unless you plan to buy a lot. I am not even sure if you can get one to take the task very seriously unless you have plenty of cash to splash...and you will have to pay for the service.

What I do suggest is that you get a map and a travel book and just play it by ear. Browse around the gorgeous shops and you will certainly find something nice to take home with you. Afterall, you do still want to be able to pay the mortgage when you get home!
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Absolutely right. I would love to go back some time in the future and shop like a madwoman, but the vacation alone is going to be prohibitively expensive. I'd like to stay away from the things I can get at home, and try to find a couple of small things that are uniquely French and unfindable here.

That said, you guys have been a wealth of information, as always. Thanks!!!:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:
 
#27
Kathy K said:
Absolutely right. I would love to go back some time in the future and shop like a madwoman, but the vacation alone is going to be prohibitively expensive. I'd like to stay away from the things I can get at home, and try to find a couple of small things that are uniquely French and unfindable here.

That said, you guys have been a wealth of information, as always. Thanks!!!:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:
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I agree - Gerard Darel - I was there last summer and loved the boutique! Check here on the forum for some unique bag styles that you can't get in the US.
The exchange rate had me enjoying window shopping and absorbing the style trends there so I could come home and copy.
Have a fabulous trip! you are so lucky!

check the Celebs and their Gerard Darel Bags ( 1 2 3 4 5)
thread - I can't seem to make the link work, but it shows some great bags!!
 
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#28
Actually, the personal shopper mentioned above (and others you can find not working for the bigger travel companies) is/are not that expensive at all. The major bonus being that your shopping trip will be so uniquely French, that you won't end up with the usual bits from the destinations mentioned in all of the guidebooks. I won't labour the point, but the amazing finds and 'insider info' is well worth looking into!
 
#29
Kathy, I love Paris, and I've been lucky enough to go three times in the last four years! I never had a lot of money to splash out on designer stuff. I'm a fan of the Left Bank, and the things that I think the French do really well are accessories. Of course there are hand bags, but if you are looking for something cute and different, find a hat store, or a store devoted entirely to leggings and stockings, buy some gloves, or a cute pair of shoes. I also love fine paper stores, and there are a few around. In the Marais District, I can tell you my favorite shoe store: Hoses http://www.hoses-limited.com/en/welcome.html

I have a belt that I bought in the south of France one year that still makes me smile. My current journal was purchased in France, too, and that makes it special.

I would suggest the non-material types of souvenirs, too, like really great gelato (Ilse St Louis), or a cheesy crepe (I like the ones by the Sorbonne, cuz the students know where to go where it's cheap and good!). Or a 5E drawing of an antique shoe from the vendors on the left bank of the Seine.

Get some ideas of what's fashionably cool out there, and you will be anticipating trends here a year in advance.

Gallerie Lafayette, Bon Marche, etc are very large department stores. They have great variety, and good eating, but do not offer the small store experience. Worth it to try both small and large. If you spend over a certain amount at one place (I can't remember...200E?) you get a tax refund back on your cc a couple months later if you apply for it.

Oooh, and check out the pharmacies! They have all kinds of really cool lotions and potions. I particularly like Roche Posay sunblock. Can't find it here in the US, and it's wonderful.

Take lots of pictures! I hope you have a great time!
 
#30
I would highly recommend a boutique called Griff' Troc. It is a depot-vente which is basically a high end used boutique, but everything is in excellent condition. They have quite the selection. I bought my chloe bags there for almost half the retail price on both!
 
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