Galeries Lafayette has a fashion show on Fridays, reservations required. I haven't been to it myself. Here's a link.

http://www2.galerieslafayette.com/in...fontLang=latin

That was quick Kristina! Isn't this new rain just dreadful here in L.A., although we really need it? It's just so hard to drive in with all the maniacs out on the freeways. I guess I'll stay in all day and just stay on the forums. At least the weather is not cold. Smiles. Happy Travels!

Wow, this has been an active web site today. I found Kristina - thanks so much, she is the one I was thinking about. It sounds like her trip is along the lines of what we are thinking about. I thank everyone with their comments about shopping, a lady really does need to buy one thing made in France so I better budget in a bit more!! I would love to know why, in 4.5 days, it isn't enough time to see Versailles? I'm taking your word for it but my thoughts are that I'd rather skip a museum and spend a day at Versailles? What 2 museums would be suggested by the way (other than the Louvre)? Thank you again, I'm getting excited even talking about it. Prices are high right now for flying - from Calgary return will cost $1,350.00. By the way - we are engulfed in snow right now and the temperature is -30!!!

If you really want to shop in Paris, then shop for somethng unique and affordable - not just a poor qaulity version of what you would get at home for the same price.

Some options are scarves (they have uber expensive, but also some nice quality at a reasonale price) and casuale jewelry - with some nice designs - but obviously not anything real for that price.

It's not that you can't do Versailles in that amount of time, it's just that it's a big mess out there...crowds....crowds...crowds...lines...lines. ..lines. And I personally wouldn't take a day off of Paris to go to Versailles. I'm usually in Paris anywhere from 7 days-10 days, not 4.5.

I always tell friends, who might happen to drop into Paris when I'm there, that there's one thing that I won't do and that's go to Versailles. I put them on the metro/RER/train or whatever, and lead them in the right direction to get there on their own. The last two friends that I sent out there, back in 2005, came back to the hotel having not even seen it. They said that there were so many people that they couldn't even get in and that was in November.

There's also one place, here in L.A., that I make clear to visiting friends that I will not go to and that's Universal Studios. So, when my Parisian friend came to visit, in Oct/Nov, I took him to Enterprise and had him get a rental car to go to Universal Studios, not far from where I live. So, he had the rental car, for two days, of his 2 weeks with me, and was able to zip over to Universal Studios and to some other places while I was at work. The rest of his stay here, I drove him to wherever he wanted to go. Happy Travels!

Hi Micah3

I missed when you are planning to go? If winter, you may want to skip Versailles, because it would be a shame to miss the outdoor areas.

Now, shopping: I have purchased a very cute pair of ballet flats on the Rue Rivoli, very near where you are staying. I wish I could tell you exactly where the shoe stores are, but my memory isn't that great. I believe if you started at the St Paul metro stop, walking west, on the north side of the street, you will encounter many shoe stores with fairly inexpensive shoes. IMHO, the styles and quality surpass your local Payless. Or least my local Payless.

There are several accessory stores sprinkled throughout the Marais, where I think you will be staying. I've purchased a lot of things in that area, including purses and totes. Kind of hip and modern, maybe a little young. I am in my late 50s, and have still found nice things.

BHV: I kick myself constantly for not buying a very charming summer dress I saw there, for about 100 euro. I have seen some styles at BHV that are in my budget and attractive.

Thank you all for your very honest and candid comments - we will definitely rethink Versailles. I'd be so upset if I used up a whole day and didn't get to see it. We will be in Ste. Guileme le Desert for 12 days before we get to Paris at the beginning portion of Oct. The village we will be staying in is a historical place approx 45 min. from Montpelier so we will need to do a lot of planning to get there as well. Thanks once again!

hi micah,

i am probably going to get flamed for this comment but here goes anyway ...

if you're really set on going to versailles even though you have 4.5 days, then do it. if you don't, you'll probably go home and kick yourself for NOT doing it.

yes, it's more complicated than staying in the city. yes, it's crowded. but if you're well-organized and move FAST, it can be done.

we caught one of the early trains to versailles from the st. michel RER station on a sunday morning. it was a bit painful having to get up that early. however, we made it to versailles in plenty of time. we were the FIRST PEOPLE in line. we had our museum passes with us so we did not need to line up to buy tickets. this will save you A LOT of time. i believe you can bypass the ticket line with the forfait loisirs pass as well - but i'm not sure so double check. i also had an audioguide that i downloaded from rick steve's website. so, another line that we didn't need to wait in. it seemed to me that a lot of people waited in several different lines for quite a while!

DH and i moved FAST. we were the first people INSIDE versailles ... and we had the entire hall of mirrors to ourselves. it was amazing. we were done the inside in less than one hour - which was plenty time for us to see what we wanted to see. we spent the rest of our time out in the gardens (much more interesting IMHO). we left the grounds around noon ... and the place was ABSOLUTELY MOBBED. i've never seen anything quite like it.

so yes, we RUSHED through ... but we were pleased with what we saw so we were happy.

you will find MORE than enough things to keep you occupied in paris proper; but if you want to see versailles, then do it!

The above post is perfectly reasanable - as a rule, if you get to Versailles at or before ten the lines are shorter, once the tour buses get there you are toast. All things considered, I would advise against it, unless, as stated above, your heart is set on it.

Spent a week in Paris two years ago with DW and 3 daughters, hit lots of department stores and found NOTHING. period. Don't kill yourself looking. One idea, however, is to hit a street market. You won't find the sweater you want but there is the occasional barain on stuff when you least expect it, the food wares are fun to browse, and you get a better sense of Paris as seen by the locals.

When I was young, I'd buy too many cheap things that I never kept or gave away. Now I only buy one thing of high quality that will last me for years.

I like the advice you're getting about focusing on accessories, given the budget, such as scarves or handbags. Check out how the Parisian ladies arrange their scarves too-always interesting looks.

If you do want to look at clothing, a discount designer shop I've had good luck at is Anna Lowe, 104 rue du faubourg-saint-honoré, paris 8th.

Go through your closet before you leave home and find the basics and jot down clothing items and the colors.

For decades, I've even photographed many of my clothing items if I'm going to look for "THE" perfect scarf or handbag to go with them.

Then I take the photos along...sure beats schlepping the clothing items...and out I go shopping as if on a treasure hunt! It's all about accessorizing... great handbag, great scarf, and if the right costume jewelry gets one's attention, then it's that great piece of jewelry. And Paris is great for buying accessories.

One can take the same basic, well-tailored outfits and wear them for years if the accessories are updated! Happy Travels!

At the risk of being way out of line, I would suggest Micah3 curtail the sejour at St-Guilleme-le-Desert and add a day or two more in Paris! (We have a house about 30 km from St-G-le-D, and fascinating as it is to visit the Huguenot museum there, there is very little else, so unless you are staying with good friends, or using it as a base to visit the environs, a little may go a very long way!

<i>When I was young, I'd buy too many cheap things that I never kept or gave away. Now I only buy one thing of high quality that will last me for years.</i>


Like kitchen towels with a map of the London tube printed on it? Like a &quot;real&quot; ancient vase obviously unearthed from an important Greek archaeological excavation site (it and the thousands of others in every souvenir shop in Athens)? I can relate!

I don't buy much on vacation -- lots of window shopping, but little buying. When I do buy, it's one nice thing that will remind me of my trip when I use it at home -- a pair of crafty earrings, a hand-made ceramic piece, that kind of thing. But I love the purse idea!!

I like the Longchamp bags! I bought mine, which is fold-up, and a coinpurse the next year, at Galeries Lafayette. However, there's a Longchamp store in the 6th arrondissement, as well as other places in Paris.

Longchamp
21 rue Vieux Colombier 75006
Tel: 01 42 22 74 75


Sandy

But I can buy Longchamp at the luggage store in my building in San Francisco!

BHV also carries Longchamp.

We bought a couple purses from Longchamp. We found one style that is not available in the states, so that is one of DD's prized purchases.

Has anyone bought gloves in Paris? I need a new pair of lined leather gloves. Maybe something not to pricey at a department store?

macha3

150 Canadian is less than 100 euros
- not a lot for Paris but not impossible.
Dep. stores are a good suggestion ( saves time - you only have several days), although I find Bon Marche rather expensive .