>>Keep It Simple, Stupid = KISS<<

That's other people's advice for a romantic marriage? Or a romantic goodbye? In Paris?

And do people really think all men get excited by porn in Pigalle? Or that no women do?

I really do think JaneRebecca and her husband should pick their own hotel room! (In consultation with each other.)

Gabrielle,

Thanks so much for posting the link to your website - really enjoying reading your comments about the different rest. in Paris. You might want to think about posting a separate thread on fodors so others can see your website.

JaneRebecca, look at it this way. Luxuriate in the fact that what with the psychotherapy couch that folks have insisted you lie down on while you get counselled for 'addiction', you'll be able to sleep comfortably on the transAtlantic flight while the rest of us are up all night jammed in economy seats.

;)

Look, it sounds like you and your spouse lead very busy lives. This means it's almost inevitable that you end up piling too much on this holiday. It's almost as if the two of you are struggling to make up for lost time on just about everything,- spending time together, spending time alone, doing quiet stuff, doing active stuff, the works. And no arguments.

LOL, a perfect recipe for disaster. As you well know, which is why you are trying to do a pre-emptive 'fix it.'

I suggest for this trip at least, you resign from the role of 'fixer' and go with the flow. If he wants to rush you while shopping, then take him up on the challenge. There's a theatre company in London that puts on a condensed "complete works of Shakespeare" play. Heck, if they can do the Bard's complete works in 90 minutes, the two of you can surely hit twenty shops in twenty minutes. Get your skates on! Winner gets to choose which museum or cafe you go to next.

Start being a little silly, have a little fun and the rest will start falling into place. (Such as arranging for a chance for you, armed with the info you picked up on during your Speed shop, to come back later and review a couple of shopping prospects in more detail.)

I know relaxation sometimes sounds scary, but it gets easier with practice. :))

Have a good trip.

Concorde is the ticket for Romance and shopping. Its a 5star hotel n the heart of where you want to be and you should ge ta deal during he fall. Try American Air Vacations, we got a room for less than 300/nt

There are 7 Concorde hotels in Paris. ? ? ?

I don't understand why you need to be near Galeries Layfayette. Why not try Bon Marche? In my opinion, it's the best department store in Paris. It's in the 7th and right at the Sevres Babylone metro station.

It's a less crowded store and with more personalized service. The Hotel Lutecia (sp?) is right down the street. You could stay there and then there are all of the absolutely great boutiques in the area on rue Grenelle, rue de Fours, and on side streets in the 6th. tons of them.
I've been shopping the 6th and 7th for 3 decades. While you're shopping, your husband can sit in the park, if weather permits, in front of Bon Marche department store, and read the paper.

There's also Bon Marche's gourmet grocery store next to the department store. He can get something to eat there as they have an eating area. Happy Travels!

Hi,

My DH and I have been to Paris a few times. The last trip I said I want to go for a few days and just shop and eat. We went last Feb. and it was fabulous. We did not buy a lot at all. I have no extra money and the fashions do not fit me well, but the shops are so beautiful that I loved looking. We went into flowers shops, cheese shops, chocolate, food stores, decorating stores, antique stores, children shops etc. We did not stay long in any of these places, but the wondering around the 6th was so relaxing. When DH got tired he went to a cafe and enjoyed people watching and a glass of wine. We did hit 2 museums and we ate very well. When we returned home we were relaxed after visiting Paris. It was a different vacation to Paris than we usually have, but it was nice and I would recommend it. Have a fabulous time.

Yipper

Good grief people! It doesn't sound to me like she has a shopping problem - or any other problem for that matter. There is nothing wrong with a little shopping by herself while her husband is either back at the hotel, or doing something else he enjoys. She did not say she was going to shop all day every day - or imply that shopping was all she wanted to do. She sounded like a thoughtful wife trying to find a way to make each of them happy during a few hours of shopping.

Jane, I stayed at the Intercontinental Grand this summer - nice but very expensive. I'm sorry I have no real help to offer you. Good luck and enjoy a wonderful romantic trip with your husband.

My mom stayed at the Lutetia mentioned upthread. She quite enjoyed it--she likes a big old hotel with a bar, a lobby, etc. Perhaps that would be fun for you and your husband. Convenient location for all sorts of activities.

By the way, I'm not much of a shopper, JaneRebecca, but thanks for starting this highly entertaining thread. I snorted with laughter a few times.

Why not just go shopping one day and while you shop, put him on one of those double-decker buses that goes around Paris...that ought to keep him busy... and then meet later for drinks? Smiles. Happy Travels!

Guenmai wrote: "put him on one of those double-decker buses that goes around Paris...that ought to keep him busy.."

I suspect that JaneRebecca's husband is an adult with a mind of his own, not a problem person to be placed or sent somewhere out of the way.

I would quite enjoy it if he discovered this forum and posted about going to Paris with his wife, asking for our views about how he might drag her away from the shops.

Place de la Concorde in Paris very close to the galleries if there was any doubt

Padraig....Lighten up and get a sense of humor. It was a joke...SMILES. Happy Travels!

She could take the RER out to the fantastic Val d'Europe shopping mall and then her husband could spend the day at Disneyland, too. ;)

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