Can anyone recommend a great place to buy cooking items or food that cannot be found in the US?

Auchan is one of the big hypermarche supermarkets. Carrefour is another. There is an Auchan in La Defence in Paris near the Grande Arc.

My husband and I visited the restaurant supply stores, which are mostly grouped together nrar Metro les Halles. Our 2 favorites: Dehillerin at 18-20 rue Coquilliere, and A. Simon, at 36-38 rue Montmartre. We bought a commercial grade mandoline slicer for under $100, and saw one just like it in Zabar's in NY for $175.<BR><BR>For foodstuffs, Fauchon and Hediard, both near the Madeleine Metro stop, are good sources. We also have fun poking around in the Monoprix stores--my favorite is on rue de Rennes, near St. Germain des Pres.<BR><BR>I found these sources(and many others) in Suzy Gershman's &quot;Born to Shop Paris&quot; Her book is one I carry on the trip, as I have had fun shopping many of her recommended sites.<BR>

It would be hard to walk down any block in Paris and not find a place to buy &quot;cooking items or food.&quot; I think you need to be more specific. All the major department stores have food halls - Galleries Lafayette, Bon March&eacute;....- and then there are all the specialty stores like Fauchon. But any neighborhood alimentaire will have stuff you can load up on to bring back home. And then there are all the outdoor markets. I don't think this is something you need to fret about and do a lot of planning for. Paris IS food! You won't have to look for it - it will find you.

If you are referring to ingredients (rather than cookware and utensils), head straight for Grand Epicurie at Au Bon Marche in the 7th. Take the metro to Sevres-Babylone and you're almost at the entrance. Here, you'll be in grocery store heaven.

All of these are in the Latin/St.Germain Quarters <BR><BR>Christian Constant - Chocolatier (REALLY good chocolate!)<BR>37 rue d'Assas<BR><BR>Debauve and Gallais - Another really good choclatier<BR>30 rue des Sts-Peres<BR><BR>On Isle St.Louis;<BR>L'Epicerie - lots of gourmet sauces and such that are good gift ideas<BR>51 rue St.Louis-en-l'lle<BR><BR>Calixte - Great place to go to get stuff for a picnic, pates, croissants, etc.<BR><BR>Near the Tuileries<BR>Hediard - Fruits, vegetables, oils, spices, and lots of gourmet food<BR>21 pl de la Madeleine (two minute walk from the Madeleine Metro Stop)<BR> <BR>Place de la Madeleine is dotted with specialty and gourmet shops - it made me wish that I had a kitchen to use while I was there!<BR><BR>

Every time we are in Paris we go to G Detou (58, Rue Tiquetonne Paris 2; Metro Etienne Marcel or Les Halles) and I stock up on chocolate-Cocoa Barry pistoles and all sorts of dried mushrooms-cepes, morels etc. It is a restaurant supply store and has all sorts of nuts, almond pastes, chocolates etc. The prices are much better than Grand Epicurie at Au Bon Marche.

I adore going to the right bank 'general store' and table d'hote called Granterroirs....after lunch at the communal wooden table, I stock up on olive oils, herbs, spices, cassoulet, wine, mustards, etc...Metro Miromesnil...<BR><BR>Wendy

Wendy, I am going to put this in my file for my next trip. Thanks.

Food items that cannot be found in the US, are probably illegal for you to bring back.<BR><BR>For example soft cheeses that are aged less than 60 days.<BR><BR> Keith

FYI: Food items packaged in sealed containers are allowed.<BR><BR>I forgot there is website...<BR>www.granterroirs.com

Wendy, that does not agree with the US Customs web site: http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/trave...tricted.xml#11

Don't forget to stop at your local Monoprix. Picked up lots of neat stuff to eat there.

Also in Chinatown at Place d'Italie there are some stores with kitchen items. I don't know WHY I have not seen some of those cooking items here in the US Chinatowns, but they did have some things (reasonably priced, too) that I could not get at home. Also, if you watch &quot;Iron Chef&quot; on the food network, they had those kinds of hats......

If you like tea, Mariage freres makes some wonderful teas... Funny in some way because the French are not known particularly for being tea drinkers (unlike the Brits). However this tea is really extraordinary. I think the main store is in the 6eme, and has a museum, restaurant,etc. but you can buy the tea at any of the main department stores. Marco Polo is probably my favorite, though someone also gave me Imperial Wedding which is very nice... a bit chocolaty... Even if you don't buy, it is worth just going for the scents...

Thank you Keith!<BR><BR>Looks like I can bring back everything I wanted with the exception of cassoulet.<BR><BR>Wendy

anon,<BR>The main store of Mariage Freres is definitely the one in the Marais.<BR>The one in the 6th is pretty small, but just as charming.

Try the open air markets of Boulevard Richard Lenoir (locals shop there). They sell tinned foie gras, cassoulet, oils, vinegars etc. and they usually have tastings.<BR><BR>Also Le Grand Epecerie at Bon Marche is the best in Paris. It has the widest variety under one roof.<BR><BR>Le Granterroirs is expensive, the prices reflecting for the American tourists, but outrageous for Parisians.<BR><BR>

Granterroirs is filled with local Parisians (rarely have I seen 'tourists')at lunch over cheap and cheerful meals... the prices of the food items reflect the quality of them as the owner insists on only using small producers who do not mass produce... it is like visiting some of the best farms around France without leaving Paris.

Thank you all--these are some really great recommendations! Exactly what I was looking for....