thomo7

Will be in Paris from the 15th to 20th December and was wondering if someone can recommend a really big shopping centre that's not right in Paris, perhaps in the general direction of CDG or a little to the east of the city.
Loved looking in the shops in the centre but my budgets not really up to Gucci or Prada so I'm thinking that a really good suburban shopping centre might be the way to go so I can get those Christmas presents before heading home to Australia.
Thanks

PalenQ

La Defense is a huge shopping center right on RER A line a few miles east of Paris centrum.

http://www.les4temps.com/W/do/centre/accueil

FrenchMystiqueTours

West of Paris.

Judy

If you don't want to leave Paris, consider shopping at Monoprix or BHV. They have some very reasonably priced merchandise.

Southam

On the south you can enjoy the shopping-centre experience at Place d'Italie in the 13th. Called Italie 2, the complex is still inside the city core, but Americanized from food court to international chains. Here is Wikipedia's description: "It features a Printemps, fnac and over 130 stores, most of which are based overseas. The centre is situated over 3 levels with one level being subterranean (bas), one at ground level (rdc) and one above ground level (haut). The shopping centre is the largest within the perimeter of boulevard périphérique, Paris' ring road."
Metro lines 5, 6 and 7 all serve the Place d'Italie station.
That area is also well worth exploring outside the plaza, or walk north past Gobelins to the Mouffetard and on to the Left Bank.

thomo7

Tks everyone, will check out those, partly depends on where we'll stay.
While I'm on shopping, does anyone have any quality department store suggestions that are popular in France (nice quality, reasonable prices)? Thanks again.

Christina

There are chain stores and malls in Paris just like the suburbs, the only difference is there is one large super-mega chain store that doesn't have a big store in Paris proper (Carrefour) only mini stores. What's the point of going to all these mega chain stores, anyway, instead of going at home? The products they carry will likely be made in third world countries just like they are where you come from.

Les Halles is a mall right in the center of Paris with chain stores just like any suburb, the other ideas people gave are good, also (like La Defense). there is also a mall at Montparnasse Tower which is smaller than les Halles, anyway.

Prices in France are never going to be that cheap due to VAT and prices are high, anyway. Sometimes they can be sort of normal during the biannual sales but those are leftovers. All the main dept stores have decent quality and prices aren't taht different, it depends what brands you buy (ie, BHV or Galleries Lafayette or Printemps). I've never noticed prices at BHV to be any cheaper than the others, they have expensive brands in there, it seems to me. I guess Bon Marche is a bit more upscale, it seems to me. For cheaper, Monoprix would be the main one I think of but it isn't really a fullscale dept store like the others.

thomo7

Thanks Christina,
Since I'm an Aussie there are a lot of brands that aren't that easy to get at home, and yes, I guess most things in the big stores aren't made in Europe but it gives me a lot of variety and there are still heaps of specialty things that I haven't seen at home. I'll always love a bargain but I'm not really hunting madly just not interested in the seriously upmarket items.
I have done a bit of shopping and have managed to find some lovely locally made gifts already from Germany, Austria and Italy..thanks for the suggestions, I've noted all the names to check out. cheers

Judy

thomo7, one advantage of shopping in one of the department stores is the ability to have all of your purchases made on the same day added together to qualify for the vat refund. If you spend 175 Euros in one day they'll do the paperwork for you.

PalenQ

http://www.tati.fr/

Tati stores inside Paris itself are famous for having great bargains for clothes and incidentals.

rhettski

Thank you thomo for starting this thread,we are visiting Paris and Provence for three weeks and had similar questions. To buy in Melbourne or Paris? Palen7 has provided access to the Tati store catalogue which is a great help, The prices,variety and good size availability due to VOLUMES make shopping in Paris the choice.....our visit to Washington DC last year we faced the same shopping decisions and were glad we took the train to an outer suburban mall,no tourists,prices were better than OZ,more variety and not all MADE IN CHINA!...we like shopping OS.

thanx Rhettski.

thomo7

Sorry for the delay, other travel issues to sort! We've found the suburbs are usually the way to go too..have a fun holiday!
Cheers, JT