Check T.J.Maxx and the other discount stores for Longchamp. I think I saw them at T.J.Maxx. We have over 15 T.J.Maxx stores here in the L.A. area. I personally try to buy, in Paris, something that I can't easily get here at home. Happy Travels!

if you read my trip report. I was alone in Paris and going to Chanel
to buy only lipstick was a highlight on that trip. They trated me better than the ChANEL HERE IN BOSTON. They sat me on a stool and tried on a few shades, offered me a drink(non Alcoholic)wrapped it in ribbon with the signature and the camelia. In the summer I wear them as a choker. The white bag also has a camelia glued on

I suggest that you relocate to the 5th or 6th. The Montparnasse area is one of my favorites. It borders the 14th and 15th. Metros, buses, and RER can take you anywhere. Everything is less expensive on the Left Bank, but that is not to say that anything is cheap.

There is a Galleries Lafayette at Gare Montparnasse, plus many other smaller stores. I'm a gent so I bought a cashmere scarf for my girl at one of those small shops. That was good for an extra kiss at Christmas last month!

You really have to stroll the rue de Rennes as mentioned above for all kinds of girl stuff. And do not leave the city until you have visited the Galleries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann. The domed atrium is spectacular. The BHV is one of my all time favorite stores in Europe. I like the basement.

Art reproductions are items that you can enjoy for a long time. Calendars are also beautiful, and cheap. Save the art. Go to Gibert Jeune at Place Saint-Michel for a wide selection.

Maybe you would like some French lyrics? There is a discount shop on Blvd. Montparnasse named Disc King with thousands of CDs. I brought back a few, including Edith Piaf, of course.

Another great handbag store is Coccinelle at 326, rue Saint Honore. Metro:Concorde or Madeleine Opened:Mon-Sat 10-6.

I first saw these handbags at the Coccinelle boutique in Singapore. I was window shopping at the mall and those bags just pulled me in like a magnet.

As for gloves, I used to go to a glove boutique, but I've been racking my brain to try to remember where it was. I think it was on rue Rivoli, in the part of rue Rivoli that runs along the Tuilerie Gardens. The department stores have lots of gloves. But, there definitely were boutiques that just specialized in gloves. Happy Travels!

If anyone like bags, expensive but unique, Jamin-Puech in the Marais,
Unfortunatly, they were closed the day I tried to look at the bags.

Back to the gloves, I can't think of the glove boutique, but...don't despair. The Causse glove company has its own boutique now. They've been around since the late 1800s and have made gloves for many design houses. Their glove boutique is located at : 12, rue de Castiglione 75001 Tel: (1) 49.26.91.43
www.gant-causse.com

I'm one who loves to buy gloves. I wear them in Paris all of the time in the early spring. The above boutique is right off the rue Rivoli. That's the same street that the Catherine discount perfume shop is on and the street that leads into Place Vendome (The Ritz Hotel).

Another item I love to buy, in Paris, is umbrellas. I've shopped at the umbrella store on Blvd. St.Germain, in the 7th, for decades. It was called Madeleine Gely, but was sold and the present owner has named it Alexander Sojfer. It's at 218 Blvd. St. Germain
Tel1) 42.22.17.02 Metro: Rue de Bac . They sell about every kind of umbrella imaginable and only sell umbrellas. Happy Travels!

Melissa- Oops, you wanted gloves not too pricey. Then I really recommend buying Nordstrom's leather gloves. Nordstrom.com. They have the best all purpose, leather gloves around and at about $40.00 a pair for the cashmere, lines ones. I've have a box of them. Happy Travels!

Went to Au Printemps for the first time last March. There is one whole floor of shoes. I took a picture of the directory to see all the brands. I love Arche shoes and my friend got a gorgeous pair of orchid colored slip-ons. She only wears them on carpet

Another vote for Coccinelle! I have several of those bags and love them.

I never heard of Cocinelle until this thread, but I googled them and came up with this site that is a fabulous handbag "store". I can't tell whether (or where) they have a bricks-and-mortar store:

http://www.forzieri.com/usa/Default.asp?l=usa&c=usa

I go to Paris at least four times a year (will be there Saturday) and if I had only 4.5 days there the last thing I would do is spend it shopping. I live in Switzerland and I shop when I go home to the U.S. at TJMaxx and Marshalls. You won't find anything really unique over here in the $150 price range, not even at the depôts ventes which are designer clothing consignment stores.

And I would go to Versailles, super early like the other poster but also with my tickets purchased beforehand at FNAC. I believe you can also get a package that includes the RER ticket from them too. In any case, you can just run down the stairs at St Michel RER while visiting Notre Dame and get the train tickets. My sister wanted to go when she visited me last summer and I balked because I had been there before in the winter but went along with it and am glad that I did! In the summer, the gardens are not only lovely but a welcome respite from the heat of the city.

I have a Madeleine Gely umbrella! Such a shame the store is no longer as I would love another one.

I just got the latest copy of Born to Shop Paris and Suzy says that Herve Chapelier handbags/totes are the must-have accessory. Most are around 100e. Stores in the 6th and 8th.

I've never been into those Herve Chapelier totes. Suzy has been pushing them for some years. They're similiar to the Longchamps ones, from what I remember, and as I said, Longchamp can be found at discount stores here in the States. I've been in that Herve Chapelier store in the 6th. I personally wasn't impressed.

As for the living-in Switzerland poster's comment about not spending 4.5 days to shop, we weren't suggesting for the original poster to spend all of her days shopping. But, it's Paris, and usually shopping takes place. I've been finding plenty to buy there for over 3 decades.

As far as her budget goes, yes it's tight and in that budget range, a lot could be gotten here in the States for less, But, she's Canadian. I haven't been to Canada, so I don't know what they have up there in the line of discount stores and mega outlets like we have here in California.

I think we are hoping that she can stretch her budget a little and then she will be able to buy something that she might not be able to get at home. I find plenty to buy in Paris that I might not be able to find here at home and I live in L.A. County which is shopping heaven. I shop for accessories and housewares in Paris and have found plenty to buy. Happy Travels!

Melissa-It's still an umbrella store, just a different owner and name. Happy Travels!

I just noticed that the Nordstrom , cashmere lined gloves are now $59.90. The last pair I bought, I paid $40-$44. Happy Travels!

Well I love those Herve Chapelier totes. I have several and use them all the time. They are the only ones that I can stuff full of things and they still fit flat under my arm when I use them on my shoulder. I've bought them for friends and they loved them too.

Love my HC bags, too!

Speaking of Catherine's Perfume, she also has a shop on Castiglione right next to the Westin. It's off of the Northwest corner of the Tuilleries.

The best thing about this shop is her handbags. I got a dark red sort of alligator bag for about 175 euro--a real steal and I get tons of compliments on it.

One thing that can't be bought at Catherine's is Chanel perfume. A friend went in looking for it and I remember I once went in looking for a certain number for a friend of my mom and was told that it could only be bought at the Chanel boutique. Happy Travels!

Nordstrom carries Annick Goutal now. This is great particularly for people like me who only go carryon and cannot carry liquids on the plane.