I'll be in Paris next month and doing a good deal of shopping. In the Passage du Havre, they say there is a detaxe counter. Does this mean I could shop at several stores (spending more than 175.01 euros at those stores total) and get a VAT refund?

Thanks for any help!!

I doubt it. How can the authorities be assured that you are taking the item out of the country unless it is verified when you leave the euro zone? You probably will get the form that can be filled out and turned in when you leave the euro zone.

50 years ago it was possible to do what you suggest. I did it for friends in Paris. I purchased a set of dining room silver with US Traveler's Checks, showed my passport, and received the proper discount at the moment of purchase, and then left the set with my friends.

I don't think I explained myself very well sorry. What I meant was, if I bought more than 175 euros in items from
several stores in Passage du Havre would that qualify for the VAT when I leave France?

Yes, but you'll have to make the merchants aware of what you want to do. They have to provide the forms.

My understanding is that you must spend the minimum in one store. Adding up purchases from several stores would not qualify.

I interpret this as 175.01€ per store.

http://www.passageduhavre.com/servic...ments/services

You might consider shopping at Galeries Lafayette or Printemps where it would be easier to run up the total amount to 175.01 across all their departments, then go to the bureau de detaxe within the store, with all your receipts, to obtain the forms to present when you leave France or the EU.

>>You might consider shopping at Galeries Lafayette or Printemps<<

We did this about 10 years ago, but the store did not refund the full amount of the tax - they kept some of the money for "administrative overhead" I ASSUME. A smaller store did refund the full amount.

Stu Dudley

The forms must be presented to customs when leaving the EU, generally at the airport for most people. They may also ask to see the merchandise. Note that not all merchants offer a VAT refund, usually only the more expensive ones.

You check Rick Steves for more information: www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/vat.htm

The store isn't in the tax refund business nor the government, so if you use their outside service to do that (which is another company, I believe, usually Global Blue), they will generally take a commission, of course, they are doing something for you and are a business.

You aren't entitled to a VAT refund just for buying a buy of stuff that total over 175 euro in different stores on the same street or in the same mall, it has to be in the same store. Those are govt. regulations.

I've never received the full TVA back, which is 19.6 on most, but not all, goods.

Stu, if you remember where you received better rates than the Printemps 12%, please share so I can steer friends there. I have made purchases at Longchamps and in the 1$=10 francs old days at LV, but don't remember the % refunded.

>>Stu, if you remember where you received better rates than the Printemps 12%,<<

Copper pots at A Simon.

Stu Dudley

Excellent, thank you. I know several cooks who will be pleased.

Last year I received detax forms from LV and from a small shop. LV had new detax forms that you scan at a freestanding kiosk at CDG. The smaller store had the old detax forms requiring you to go to the Customs counter. When I got to the airport, there was a 2-hour wait line for Customs. I decided I could afford to lose the detax on the one item, and just scanned the LV detax form at the kiosk, dropped it in the mailbox, and left.

Thank you everyone for all the info!! It is most appreciated.