The Paris visite pass gives a 10% discount on purchases.
What I would like to know as someone who has not been there, does Galeries Lafayette have stores selling mid range priced clothing, and not high end gear. Question relates to mens clothing.

Thanks in advance

"mid-range" clothing - what's your definition of mid-range clothing? In 2009 I bought a shirt for my husband at a Paris department store (GL or AuP, I forget which); I paid about 70 euros and that was in the middle of their price range, as I remember.

They tend to aim higher IMHO. Great fun to look at, but I have never actually bought much in the way of cloting (I find that it tends to cost more in Europe even with discount cards adn VAT refunds. Maybe it's the "sale period" restrictions?)

I have used my card for accessories, cosmetics and decor. Remember that a lot of the top brands are excluded from the discount (but not the VAT refund) They have "red dot" sign in the display area to let you know. Designer purses for example, generally no discount same for some of the big name perfurmes!

The 10% discount is a good deal although many counters within G.L. are "points rouge" which means you can't use the discount card.

For purchases of most of their mid-range clothes (at least women's and children's in my experience) you can use the discount card. It's mostly the high-end stuff and concession stands that don't accept it.

Coupled with getting the TVA back, you can save a good deal of money. The 10% discount is applied immediately, no need to go to the TVA detaxe office in the store. But, if you plan to do that as well, save all your receipts.

Don't expect bargains. But you can get that discount in tons of places, you don't need a Paris Visite to get it. I see it listed about everywhere -- it's in the airline magazine on the AF flight over, it's on the free maps you get at stores or McDonalds, etc., it's in some newsmagazine I get from the French embassy, etc. You can probably get it at the tourist office, and I think you can probably get it just by going to the visitors service desk at the store (you used to be able to, anyway)- the bureau d'accueil.

That discount isn't good on a lot of things--food, services, books, things on sale, etc. But it would probably be good on regularly priced men's apparel. I wouldn't call that mid-priced by my standards, but it might be by yours.

It seems you can always get it in Franceguide, which is a nice publication of the French Tourist Office. It's online and has GL promotions, go to www.franceguide.com

You don't need a Paris Visite pass to get the discount. The store has signs everywhere offering it - you just go to the visitors desk at the store. GL is not a cheap place to shop, and with the euro-dollar exchange definitely not a bargain. In the bazillion trips I've made to Paris I think I've maybe made two purchases from the GL, and only one clothing item. I've never even found much of their clothing all that attractive. My ex-H did buy a lovely jacket there once, though.

I remember our last time in GL. DW has a thing for hats, so when I caught up with her in the hat department she was just trying on a simple little black felt thing. I looked at the price tag.

It was €600.

We left.

I like to check out the perfume counters, they usually have some great gift with purchase promotions. The perfume I wear is no longer available in the U.S., so it is always a good opportunity to stop there and see the beautiful dome. Not sure, but I don't think the discount was valid for perfume.

Thanks for the replies,
I'm only after a coat and maybe some shirts, not high end cost.
I may post a seperate question on mens clothing at a later date.
Thanks again