Tried to book accomodations in some of the small charming French hotels today and many we unavailable due to Fashion Show the week of my visit 9-4 thru 9-10. Must be quite large for many hotels were already filled. Is anyone aware of what this fashion event is? Are tickets available to the public? <BR>Thanks

We had to compete with the Intl Auto Show in October. After that it was a major Food Show! Paris is a center for European business after all. I think on my next trip, I'll check out the trade show schedule and see where the gaps are.

We had to compete with the Intl Auto Show in October. After that it was a major Food Show! Paris is a center for European business after all. I think on my next trip, I'll check out the trade show schedule and see where the gaps are.

Those fashion shows are the couture presentations for the winter 2000/2001 collections. Needless to say those are highly private and invitation-only shows ! The fun side though is the possibility of some model-gazing at "in" places. The most accessible might be the Café Marly opposite the Louvre pyramid (most fashion shows are held within the Louvre).

<BR>Vincent is right, the couture houses have fashion shows that are by invitation only. If you have any favorite popular restaurants book them before you go because you may find that tables are hard to get. <BR>Some of the department stores like <BR>Samaritaine and Printemps do have fashion shows from time to time that are open to the public, but reservations are needed. Perhaps your hotel can inquire for you.

Galeries Lafayette has shows on Wednesday at 11:00am and on Friday at 2:30pm. Make reservations at http://www.galerieslafayette.com/gbdefile.htm <BR>Printemps has shows on Tuesday and Friday at 10:00am. Not sure about Samaritaine (probably about the same times). I saw one a couple of years ago (can't remember which store) and it was excellent (not the cutting edge fashions you'd see at couturier shows, but definitely FRENCH).