Hi all, I am very excited about our trip to Paris and the Loire later this month.

Since we are travelling with 2 small (3 and 7)children and since Paris is a big city, I was thinking that I should not try and look for things to shop in Paris unless they were really easy to get to, and shop in Loire where we have more time and obvoiusly the towns are much smaller and easier to shop in.

I am looking for very french fabrics (for upholstery or cushions etc., amybe some nice throws). I love Toile. Also, I love to explore flea /antique markets for interesting finds. Perhaps some soaps and definitly some food items like spreads and pates.

We will be staying in the Marias area and I want to avoid taking the whole family in the metro for just shopping.

Thanks for your help.

Sorry - forgot to add - some nice cooking pots - copper or a Le Cruset pan

You will have many chances to buy cooking pots including Le Creuset; the most famous Parisian shop selling kitchenware is within a walk of the Marais:

E. Dehillerin, 18-20 Rue Coquilliere (lots of GREAT copper)

Another is A. Simon, nearby on rue Etienne Marcel.

But you surely will find much of what you are looking for in the Loire as well..I once bought a Le Creuset in a large hardware store in France.

Deepa:

To whet your appetite, so to speak, here are a few of Dehillerin's copper offerings:

http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/cuprinox-extra-thick.php

Thanks for your reply. I have already short listed the pans I am buying! Any more suggestions on flea markets/ street markets?

Hoping to catch your eye for more replies.

I think we will take a trip to the Monmarte area which I believe is the best for fabric shopping but I am not planning on going to the Clignancourt (sp.?) flea market since it would mean a whole trip there just for the shopping. Any other nice antiquey type markets closer to where we will be on in adjoining areas of St. Germaine etc.?

For fabrics, I found the area around the rue Jacob home to some excellent fabric shops, although they are pretty high end. But the quality really does show. You could walk there easily from the Marais (cross over the bride to the Ile St. Louis, then past Notre Dame, then over to the Left Bank and to the rue Jacob area. Poke around all the little streets.

While you are in Paris, pick up (or leaf through) some of the home decor magazines and also the Cote Ouest, Cote Sud and Cote Est magazines. Lots of fabric idea in there and they'll give you Paris addresses.