Going to Paris next week for 8 days, and yes I promise to visit museums and all the other touristy spots, but come on, I love, I mean I love to shop...and aside from all the big department stores, where do the locals go? Let's face it, I'm from Boston and we don't spend all our time in Lord & Taylors. What's the skinny on their version of Marshalls and TJ's and Home Depot and Pier One Import and Potty Barn? Are there places like Canal St. & Century 21 from NYC in Paris? Someone told me I would like C&A stores? Thanks, and my condolences to those of you that wish I'd asked more about the Louve etc....

No, you will not like C&A if you are from the US. Much better stuff where you live. Apart from the obvious streets(Faubourg St Honore, Avenue Montaigne, Place Victoire, and check out the jewellery on Place Vendome) I cannot really help you any further, but I am going to Paris later this month (only shopping, no museums!), so if you have any good tips, let me know!

I really don't understand why you'd go to Paris to buy cheap discount crap like you can get in the US. It's not made in France, but in the usual third world countries.

C&A stuff is really cheap. There's nothing wrong with it if you want cheap clothes, but it is nothing you can't buy in the US. I bought a few cheap sleevels blouses or think T-shirts there last summer because it was hotter than I'd expected, that's all. It was not some great travel experience to shop in there.

If you want cheap junk, I will advise you to go to Tati's in Paris, that is a cheap store of French origin so locals will be in there. There is a big one up on the way to Sacre Coeur from the metro stop.

There aren't big box stores in central Paris, but in the suburbs, so if you want hardware, it would be best to go to a dept. store like B&V. I think there may be a law against it, actually, I read something about that.

Funny, I never think to look for discount stores in Paris or when in England! I guess part of it is mind set, I am in Paris now, I want to buy some fine Parisian fashion and Marshalls is not the first store to come to mind.
I imagine if you want bargains, you can go to the flea markets or small stores away from the more touristy areas.
I spent hours in the Marais last trip, going in and out of small shops buying handmade sweaters and jackets, great prices.

Type "discount shopping AND paris" in the search box. Also try shopping AND paris. Also try anything in particular you're interested in (ie shoes) AND Paris. With the exchange rate not in our favor, things aren't cheap although some things like Longchamps handbags are less $ than here and styles are different/more plentiful.

What is the french = to KMART & Wal-Mart? I don't want to take a chance on going into discount withdrawal over there. And you never know when you might have to replace your pink flip-flops or baseball cap! Or is it soccer caps in France?

Hi Molly,

Shopping in Paris - oooooh, one of my favorite topics!

Since you mentioned Pottery Barn, you might like Le Cedre Rouge. It's much like a Pottery Barn, but the things are a bit more elegant. The one I go to is at 25 rue Duphot, near the Madeleine, but there are also stores at 116 rue du Bac, and 25 avenue Victoria near Chatelet. Another one near the Chaussee de la Muette Metro, but I don't have the exact address.

Enjoy Paris, and happy shopping!

KirRoyale

Tati is going out of business(if it isn't already closed)

I didn't have time last trip to do justice to all the fascinating little shops I saw in the Marais. In particular there were a few on the rue du Pont Louis Philippe -- between the bridge to Ile St Louis and the Marais. Wonderful one-of-a-kind jewelry and gifty things.

prisunic is similar to tar-jay and K-Mart.
Monoprix is a notch above prisunic and here you can buy Bonjour cosmetics the prototype of the Chanel line.

Not to nit pick, but Bourjois, at Monoprix, is the cosmetic name, I think.
Easy to get all these names mixed up!

you're not sue - you're right, my mistake in spelling.

i think it was "Potty Barn" that molly mentioned, KirRoyale. trying to imagine what that place might look like... and somehow, Home Depot and Paris in the same sentence don't quite work for me.

why not do some out-of-the-box shopping molly.

Even though it is a big department store, I think Galleries Lafayette (and Bon Marche) are great. They carry the real expensive designer stuff but also have their own brands with very stylish clothes that are a lot less expensive. I remember getting some sort of 10% of tourist coupon too. I got a lot of clothes there when I was there last December. You would be surprised at how inexpensive some of the clothing is. It is a beautiful store and set up like small boutiques. When I was there it was freezing out so being inside was a welcome bonus.
Stores around St. Suplice are great. A lot are expensive but some aren't. You need to check out the prices in the window or go inside and look.
For house stuff you could go to madura (but you could also go to the one on Newbury street).

'Jardin en Plus"is more like Pier one.
Go to Copley place at that international magazine shop or the Harvard Square kiosk and thump through the back pages for listings of stores, magazines like Cote Sud, Marie Claire Maison, Atmospheres, Ambiance.
Tho we have Hermes, Chanel, Longchamp, Madura, Lóccitaine, Olivier &sons,and so many more, it's still fun to go into the Paris one for a larger and usually different selection.

DEGAS
In case I lose my fanny pack do you think the=of wally world carries those also?

John, the American Embassy in Paris has a hotline you can call to get an emergency replacement for your fanny pack. I used it when a tragic accident resulted in mine being thrown through a stained glass window and then lost to brazen street looters.

Anyway, passports take two days, but, due to popular demand, fanny packs get same day service. Don't ever settle for a cheap, non-american brand when it comes to critical travel items.

Cigalechante - is that newsstand still open? I haven't seen them out there for a while.

Thanks much DEGAS. Really takes a load of my mind. Without the fanny pack I wouldn't know where to put my extra Red Sox t shirt

Strolling through different arrondissements, you will come across some lovely smaller boutiques, privately owned, not chains; they offer fair prices for quality and you would be bringing home more unique items. Some main streets will have the discount stores and you'll be able to see if you like those.

Department stores have pretty much everything a large north american department store has; I picked up some Occitane candles at la Samaritaine; they were on sale at 3 for 25 euros; cheaper than here but not much.... I usually won't bother buying stuff we can readily have at home.
The saving is small and I'd rather buy interesting costume jewellery, for example, at a small quaint shop; that for me is interesting Paris shopping.