Will be in Paris soon, and wondered if the airport has a duty free shop?

Yes, both terminals have an extensive array of shops.

For your general information, all major international airports have duty-free shops.

My humble thanks. Apparently, I need to get out of the house more often.

this may sound odd, but what exactly is a duty free shop?

A duty free shop is a store wherein you do not pay any taxes or international fees. They generally sell high end items for very good prices. Great place to buy very good alcohol, perfume, china and like items. Rome, Paris, London all have wonderful shops.

thanks sounds like a great place

illusion: Not to be trite, but the duty free shops are often a bit of an illusion as far as prices go. I've rarely found any bargains in them, and even when they deduct the TVA I usually can find the same goods in the country of origin far cheaper. It's not as though you can do a big shopping spree at the duty free shops as you exit the country and think you've saved a bundle. They are usually offering high-end items (like, say, Hermès scarves in Paris) for the same price as in the high-end boutiques, minus the TVA. NOT that big a deal, at least for this discount shopper.

sorry to bust a bubble, but don't expect any buys at duty free...in fact things often cost more...booze is uusually the best but not always..

And also don't forget you'll need to declare those items you buy (for high prices) at a duty free shop when you returh to the US (assuming you are), and then pay "duty" on them if you're over your limit.

Agree with rhkkmk on that last post, and others regarding pricing at duty free shops.

We live a mile and a half from Canada, and travel there often for dinner or entertainment (more prior to 9/11). We have shopped the duty free store at the bridge, and have found that you have to know your prices, and search for bargains. Though they can be found - just not a big difference on most items.

When we returned from Florence last week I took a few minutes to check out the duty free shop there - the absolute WORST prices I have ever seen. Since we did a bit of shopping in Tuscany, and Florence I had a pretty good idea on the prices for items, wines and liquors. I found their "duty free" prices to be much higher than those found in stores and enotecas in Florence (which tended to be higher than what we found in the countryside of Tuscany).

In Amsterdam prices for most wines, liquors, perfumes were higher than what I can get here in the states, but their sale items did provide pretty good deals when compared to what we can find here in Michigan.

Guess the best advice is to have an idea of what you want, and the prices before you go, and pick up those things that you really need, or can find on sale if you want to shop at these stores.

I bought a huge weekend leather bag
(one of my bags was lost) at Longchamp but the price was the same as it is here in Boston for the exact same thing.
But on the other hand, you can buy things that aren't sold in your city. As a woman who may wear Sonia Rykiel, the selection there is always different than in her boutique here in Boston.
Brands of Pastis, I can't find here.
This year I discovered an Andruett shop where I bought cheese and a wooden cow.

I live overseas and have been to many duty free shops in many countries. I wholeheartedly agree with StCirq and rhkkmk regarding the high prices often found in duty free shops.

There are a few exceptions though - Dubai duty free has the best prices on alcohol I've found anywhere, even cheaper than US discount liquor warehouses (in my home state anyway).

Frankfurt has good prices on chocolate from Switzerland, Germany and Finland. The drawback is that I'm now hooked on a type of chocolate I can only find in duty free shops!

Duty free shops also offer items unique to a particular area, which can be fun if you're just passing through.

The best thing about duty-free shops is that it's a good place to spend those "extra" euro, pounds or whatever that you have left over at the end of your trip.

I also have never seen bargain prices at a duty free shop in any airport. In fact, their prices (which are supposedly without VAT) are about the same as the posted prices in Paris WITH VAT. So, even if VAT isn't included, the prices aren't regulated so they just charge more because a lot of people buy stuff just assuming it's a bargain, I guess.

Some people think that stuff doesn't count on your customs form or that you won't have to pay duty on it in your country, but that's not so, it counts like anything else on your customs form, it's the selling country tax that is supposedly "free".

However, I do like an airport with good shops just as a place to pass time if you have layovers or long waits, and maybe pick up last minute gifts so you haven't carried them around the whole vacation.

I agree with HowardR - duty free is for dumping the last of your cash before you get on the plan....on the other hand....on your way over...it is the place to buy hard liquor for your vacation...I say that as I sit here drinking my first Cosmo of the evening!