Specific Shopping Questions for Paris

I'm such a dope I apologize for premature posting. I really want this trip to be wonderful and I know your advice will definitely help me that possible.

To save time, I would recommend visiting the chain shops in the Forum des Halles -- which also has level "-1" devoted to new designers who are trying to make a name for themselves. But all of the Mango, Etam, Zara, Kookai, Morgan, etc., places are all grouped together in one place. Warning : the Forum can be a madhouse just about any afternoon and is totally unbearable on Saturday.

Hi BK,

You might want to visit the Rue Bonaparte between the Seine and Place St. Sulpice in the 6th.

You can combine shopping with sight seeing.

Enter "rue Bonaparte" and "Paris" at www.pagesjaunes.fr for a list of all of the shops on the street. You can also see photos.

Along the way you will see:
Book stalls on the Seine.
The facade of the Louvre
Eglise St Germaine des Pres
Place Furstenburg
Les Deux Magots
Cafe Flor
A very good pharmacy
Ecole des Beaux Arts
Laduree
Pierre Herme'
St. Sulpice

There are also some shops on Pl St. Sulpice.

The Luxembourg gardens are about 2 blks S of St Sulpice.

See www.mappy.com

Have a nice visit.

I think you're most likely to find fashion shops in the Marais in the area between rue de Turenne and rue vieille du Temple, especially along the rue des Francs-Bourgeois and down some of the side streets towards rue des Rosiers (I remember one in an old horse-butcher's shop along rue Pavée or rue des Ecouffes, but it may have gone). I don't claim to know how cutting edge or worthwhile they are, but the area's interesting in itself, with various quirky boutiques of all kinds. I've some photos at www.patrickwallace.me.uk/france.htm (start from about picture 27).

I meant those shops that are in the Marais, not that there aren't any anywhere else!

Just an observation---while you may be focused right now on clothes, it's accessories that last (almost) forever. Those spectacular earings, necklaces, handbags etc. that will remind you of Paris every time you wear them.

You need a book
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34690557

Some more ideas
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34765455

I think the best plan is to leave the baby, stroller and husband in the park while you shop. You should also read this trip report

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34613278

Re books: Born to Shop is probably a little old and middle of the road for you. I haven't read StyleCity, but I do like Born to Shop Paris. The one thing I wish it contained is a couple of " high-style shopping tour" lists for visitors to Paris. It's organised alphabetically by shop name (with some lists at the back).

Department stores like Bon Marché, Galaries Lafayette and Printemps have very good coverage of designers and labels. You can go one of these shops and find high-end designers as well as the equivalent of Banana Republic (or similar stores) represented in the department stores. They're open until about 7, except one night a week when they stay open until 9 or 10. Late opening nights vary from store to store, so you can visit Bon Marché in the evening one night, and Galeries Lafayette on another.

Most shops are closed on Sunday, except in the Marais and on parts of the Champs Elysees. I think the shops in the Carousel de Louvre (a decent, small shopping mall) are also open on Sunday, so you can combine shopping with a visit to the museum. Plan accordingly.

Some of my favourite labels and shops in Paris, which I think you also might like, are Tara Jarmon, agnes b and comptoir des cotonniers. I also like Gerard Darel for work clothes, although the line might be a bit stuffy for you. Furla (for leather purses etc) is a good value in Paris (even though it's Italian, I think). I also like La Bagagerie's private label purses. For lingerie (which you and your husband deserve), I like Darjeeling for moderately priced things. There's a nice shop on Rue Passy in the 16th, but there are probably more.

Make sure that when you walk into shops, that you catch a salesperson's eye right away and say politely "Bonjour madame/monsieur". If you just want to look around, you can reply to their question, "Je regarde, seulement, merci". When you leave, catch someone's eye again and say "Merci, madame/monsieur, au revoir". It is amazing how much better you will be treated in shops if you follow these courtesies.

By the way, Paris is great for buying reasonably priced children's clothing, too. My favourite place to shop for gifts for my friends in North America is the department store, BHV (Bazaar de l'Hotel de Ville), next to the Marais. I'm not impressed by its clothing for adults (very middle-of-the-road), but they've got a great selection of kids' stuff. And you can send your husband down to the extraordinary basement full of hardware, tools and other stuff to amuse himself while you shop on the kids' floor.

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One of my favorite shops is A La Bonne Renommee in the Marais, 26, rue Vieille du Temple. I bought a winter jacket there 3 years ago during the Paris winter sales that I still get compliments from people on the street whenever I wear it. I've also bought an evening coat, blouses and other jackets there over the last few years. The clothes are somewhat classic style, but a little funky and fun -- often using fabric patchwork accents.

As someone else mentioned, DO NOT go to the department stores on Saturday. We made the mistake of trying to shop on a Saturday - this was mid-March (not exactly the high season and no big sales were going on)and the department stores were honestly more crowded than a US mall on the last Saturday before Christmas. I could not believe the mobs.

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I've bought things in small chain shops and the Department stores. Get your discount card at the Galleries Lafayette desk by showing your passport and you wil get 10% off (at least I did three years back. I bought a beautiful pair of trousers/skirt combo (too hard to describe) in Galleries Lafayette and get every pennys worth from them. They have seen more weddings and events than any other items of Clothing I own and I still get complimented on them as well as my mango coat at 10% off with a fake futr collar. Enjoy shopping!

You are so lucky! Paris is great for shopping because for the same prices you'd pay at Banana Republic or JCrew for something cute but not great that you then see a hundred other people wearing, in Paris you can get some really cool unique clothes. I like the same stores you do and am about the same age. I have had great success shopping in Paris.

The Marais is fun. I found that most of the same boutiques are in the Marais and the St. Germain des Pres area. I love St. Germain so tend to go there. There are tons of shops around rue Bonaparte as someone suggested and all over the neighborhood. Just go in when you see a window you like and you might be surprised at how affordable the clothes are. There is one store that I really like but I am forgetting the name (two people's first names). It is a chain and has a lot of very colorful funky stuff with a store in the St. Germain area.

Maybe you can get your husband to play with the baby for an hour in the Luxembourg Jardin or sit with him by St. Suplice so you can do some serious shopping. It doesn't take long!

I second the vote for the department stores. Especially Galeries Lafayette which is set up like a bunch of small boutiques. I bought a whole bunch of stuff there and found that there was a lot of great styles in the Galeries Lafayette brand. Great collection of bags there too. I haven't had much luck with shoes because I am tall with very unfrench size 9.5 feet.

Le Bon Marche is good too and opens fairly early in the morning. I remember a last minute spastic shopping trip with my husband before we had to leave for the airport to go home during our last trip. In his frenzy he ended up buying purple espadrilles (seemed like a good idea at the time)!

Louis Vuitton, Hermes and the like are out of my budget and even if they weren't I can buy the same stuff here in Boston or NY so I'd rather spend precious shopping time in the smaller stores where I will actually buy something.

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~The selection in those expensive shops have a whole range of items not available in the Boston stores.

I don't like shopping very much, and don't ever spend what you do on clothes, so don't have any favorite shops -- but there are some chic boutiques clustered around place des Victoires which is on the border of 1/2 and not far from the Jaredin du Palais Royal. There are also some designer shops around Eteinne Marcel more and more, but I think the best thing is just to go to a good dept store or maybe St Germain, as others suggest. I think some previous posts recommended a few specific places in the Marais for clothes, but I don't know them.

Given what you spend on clothes and style, I wouldn't think you'd like the Forum des Halles and those kind of shops are pretty cheap chain "designer" stuff; it is popular with teens. Zara isn't really very special, it's a chain sold all over, as well as Etam, etc. But Kookai and all those are in St Germain and some other shopping areas, anyway.

I just think given the amount of money you spend, you should invest in one of those shopping books that is more specific. As for the showing, not touching thing -- I don't shop in expensive boutiques, as I said, but I would assume you would be shown stuff in them. YOu certainly can touch things (and would wait forever if you expected personal service) in large dept. stores and chains like Zara. I think you can tell just by looking around, but if clothes are piled up a lot on various surfaces out in the open and on racks in the open, I think you can assume you can touch them. In Bon Marche, they may not even have a salesclerk anywhere near some of the displays (sometimes they are only at the register). They have dressing rooms in the dept. stores where you take stuff to try on, pretty normally.

One is never obligated to purchase anything just because you've tried it on, anywhere.

When my luggage was lost, I picked up a few inexpensive things to wear at the BHV. on Rue de Rivoli.

I am overwhelmed. Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful responses. We leave on Monday and I have to admit the stress was getting me down. But now I am so excited. Last night I was close to tears when I posted this and this evening I'm close again, but for a much better reason! You guys are all amazing. Thanks

I cant' recall if there is H&M in Paris, but I went with a woman about your age to Switzerland a few years ago and she loved this store for "trendy" at a good price....

Yes, I stopped by the H&M also located on the Rue De Rivoli.

Have a wonderful trip BKP! Enjoy your shopping, and do share what you like!

The biggest H&M is in the Forum -- it covers 3 levels.

OH BKP, have a beautiful time with your family in Paris. Do have fun and good luck with the shopping. You certainly have been give a lot of information that should be a tremendous help to you!

I hope you will find time after you are back home to share some of your wonderful purchases with us. Well I don't mean share as in giving them to us, LOL..just some fun descriptions regarding what you bought and what your experience in Paris was like compared to here at home. Best wishes, a safe and comfortable trip and fun days that will be remembered forever!

Personally I wouldn't recommend the Forum des Halles (I hate shopping there!). The clothes shops there are nothing special (same chain stores you'll find all over Paris) and the place is a maze. As Kerouac says it can get absolutely mobbed, mainly with teenagers from the suburbs who go there to hang out. The atmosphere can actually be quite unpleasant at times (large groups of guys hanging around) and I have felt uncomfortable there in the past. Still, there's no denying that it has loads of shops (none of them particularly upmarket, however).

I think the Bon Marché is the chic-est of the big department stores, and it carries some names that Printemps and Galeries Lafayette do not. And it's never as crowded as those two stores, even at weekends. The other advantage of Le Bon Marché is the wonderful food hall - La Grande Epicerie - located in the building next to the main department store.

I find Blvd St. Germain itself rather disappointing, but the area south of it (walking away from the river) from Bon Marché (to the West) and then heading east to be much better. In particular, Rue du Cherche Midi, Rue de Rennes, Rue du Vieux Colombier (which turns into Rue Saint Sulpice) and similar streets in that area are good. So, a good shopping day would be to start at Bon Marché, then wander through these side streets and then meander over to the Jardin du Luxembourg, visit the Musée Cluny for a little culture and then relax in one of the famous cafés on Blvd St Germain.

I can think of a few reasons that the Forum should be visited as a destination in itself, even if the fashions sold there do not suit you. For one thing, it has the highest sales turnover of any shopping mall or shopping street in the world. Shops are on the waiting list for years before finding rental space there. It is hard to believe that any place can have so many customers until you have seen it for yourself.
Also, it has the largest book and record store in France, definitely worth seeing. FNAC has become a cultural institution throughout France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Brazil and the #1 store is in the Forum.
Finally, it is the best indicator of what young Parisians are actually wearing -- both by looking at what is sold in the shops and to see how the customers are dressed.
I fear that a visit to the department stores, to Avenue Montaigne or the Faubourg Saint Honoré, not to mention Boulevard Saint Germain, will mostly give you an idea of what wealthy matrons, Middle Eastern money, and North American tourists are willing to spend money on.
And as one last note, it should be pointed out that the Forum is going to be completely TORN DOWN in the next 3 years and rebuilt from the guts up -- see it now or you many never see it.

I cannot remember where I read this, but there is an area on the edge of the Latin Quarter where one could buy cool and cheap shoes. I believe it may be a shop or an area of shops geared towards students on a budget. Does anyone know of what I am talking about here?

Just throwing this out there for you to possibly consider. There are two gals that run tours in Paris. They started out doing just photo walking tours and have added shopping and other custom tours to their menu. I have not used them, but may, if I ever get back to Paris. One of them is from Texas and married a frenchman, moved to Paris and also built a house in Provence. The other gal is from Belguim, lived in the US for a number of years and now lives most of the time in Paris. I got "familiar" with them when I was on the AOL board several years ago. Their names are Chris and Linda. I was just thinking perhaps you might want to leave your baby with your husband for a day and off you go. Perhaps by using someone like these gals, you could just "cut to the chase". Anyway, you can either google Paris Photo Tours or the web page is: http://lindamathieu.com/paris/. I'm sorry, I don't know how to do a live link. I tried both of these and they both work. As I say, just a possible idea for you.

So, I guess the links just "live themselves". Good to know. I wasn't sure. Anyway, have a wonderful time. And yes, a shopping report please...I LOVE to shop. No time to at home so I love to shop when traveling.

No fashionistas hanging out at Les Halles but plenty of pickpockets and pot.

>..the Forum is going to be completely TORN DOWN in the next 3 years and rebuilt from the guts up ...<

Somehow, that doesn't mean as much to me as when they tore down the earlier Les Halles. That one lasted over 100 years.

So true, IRA

Buy Where to Wear Paris. It's a great book that has almost every store in Paris in it. It helps a lot when you know you are going to be in a certain area in Paris and can then look up the stores in that area and make sure you get to the ones that look appealing to you-

I was just there in March and it was my bible! Very helpful!

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I wonder how many of us enjoyed walking through the running rats and stinking rotten food items in the old Halles about which so many of us are nostalgic.

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For great and not too expensive kids-clothes try Okaïdï and Obaïbi (www.okaidi.com). They have multiple locations all over Paris.

For great man's clothes try Celio (www.celio.com).

Rue de Rennes has most of the usual (French and international) chain stores. These kind of shops can also be found in the Forum des Halles mall and the Quatre Temps mall in La Defense (the high-rise, futuristic business part of Paris).
So if it rains; get inside. If the weather is great; go to Rue de Rennes.

Small mistake; I meant Rue de Rivoli, instead of Rue de Rennes....

I just found this blog that has some great info...

http://chicshoppingparis.blogspot.com/

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When you shop be sure to have your passport or a copy of it with you. If you spend over 175 euros in one place on one day, ask for the paperwork for the vat tax refund.
Sometimes it helps to look at the name brand shoe and handbag shops mentioned above but then see if one of the large department stores has the same merchandise and purchase it all on one day to get the tax refund.

Is a thread that is 4 years old all that useful?

This to me is a classic example of a thread with good information and no feedback from the OP. I realize it's an old thread now but I would have liked to know where she shopped and what she liked best.

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/trip-report-baby-makes-3-shopping-editionlong.cfm

Here you go gomiki. There was no way I wouldn't report back after getting such wonderful advice! As a novice at the time I just created a new thread instead of replying to the original one.

Seeing this thread be topped brought back some lovely memories. My son is now almost 5. Where has the time gone? I still have most of these clothes in my closet, especially the ridiculously overpriced blouse. The best part is -- I still fit into all of them.

BKP, Thank you! It sounds like you did very well. I hope you have worn the blouse a lot! I've never had your budget but I do love to shop in Paris.

I bet the exchange rate was not the same in 2006.

Goodness, I shouldn't post before coffee!

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