C- girlfriend, we are major cool!!!

Sharon, where is the Herve Chapelier store in Paris. I will be there in March and would like to see these totes. Thanks Silvia

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Patti, I use the following book. Frommer's Born to Shop Paris by Suzy Gershman.

There is quite a large Monoprix branch on the Rue de Rennes, 6th, at the intersection with Blvd. Saint-Germain.<BR>One of Herve Chapelier's store is on Rue Saint-Honore, around Nr. 400, very close to the large Lonchamp store. Dont' miss them, both and compare prices. <BR>For a very hip place, go to the Colette store on the other side ot the street (Nr. 231 or so). The newest and craziest things. There is also a trendy restaurant in the basement.

Herve Chapelier also has store on rue du Vieux Colombiers, in the 6th. (There are an increasing number of shops in US where his bags are sold, altho at about double the price in France; we have a little place here in Pgh. that sells a limited number of them) <BR>Have never been to Longchamps store; are prices same there for identical pieces in GL, for example?

The Longchamp store that I shopped in off of Blvd St Germain, had a huge selection(of course) and the same prices as GL..and I still carry one of the oldest bags I got there, it looks brand new and people still ask me where I got it because they do/did not ever sell this style in the US:)

This Christmas I bought myself a beautiful antique sapphire ring at a shop near Notre Dame. I haven't gotten my VAT tax refund yet. :-(

Grasshopper, when I buy antiques in Paris,there is NO tax because they are antiques.I bought a ring on rue Jacob,old gold and silver with a big coral cabachon, really nice, and no tax=no vat! I was worried about that, and the owner reassured me and since then, we have gotten posters from antique shops, and no tax.Do you have the name of the store? Maybe you could write and ask and know if you should expect a refund.C

That's very odd. The owner filled out all the paperwork with me and gave me instructions for getting it stamped when I got the airport (which I did) then I mailed back the forms to the shop. Maybe I will write her again. I'm surprised that she didn't have any info about antiques=no tax.

Wouldn't it be funny if I am the one that should have gotten a refund!<BR>Check into it and I will ask also, the man that sold me my ring was the owner, and we asked him clearly about the tax and refund.But you never know~

You have to pay a minimum of something like $200 to get the refund (that number might not be accurate). So perhaps the posters were below that price? But the ring certainly must have exceeded it. I wonder if the guy just didn't want to be bothered. It requires some effort on the part of the seller. It's interesting that many stores show a "tax free" sign in the window but I'm guessing you still have to go through the exercise of applying for the refund. It reminds me of the "manufacturer's rebate" thing. Everytime I fill one out and send it in I get a message back that I left something out.

Thanks G..I think I will keep this little tidbit of information from my husband, who paid well over $200 for the ring:)<BR>have a good day~

Idsant: Is that 25% discount you mentioned on Lancome products in Paris or at the airport? Don't you have to spend a certain amt. of $ in one store in order not to have to pay the tax?<BR>That would probably be quite a bit of moisturizer (or whatever).<BR>

If you buy makeup(Lancome) in Galleries Lafayette and you show your hotel 10% discount card, you will definitely get it for less than in the US.

It isn't very fancy or expensive but I love my backpack that says Paris on it. I got it in the gift shop on top of the Eifel Tower.It only cost about 25 dollars. Now it is a conversation piece. People stop me on the street and ask me if I loved Paris.

kathy, thanks for the book recommendation, i will make sure to pick it up, from reading this thread i can't wait to start shopping! thxs! patti

Grasshopper, checked with the hubby and he said as far as he knows, all antiques bought in Paris have no tax on them! We must look into this, he is only sure because he has not paid tax nor collected a refund on any that we have gotten.There must be a site, does anyone know how to check into the taxing system in France? Thanks,Candice

http://www.fodors.com/features/stt/onbusiness/france.cfm?page=Taxes&file=taxes<BR><BR>Candace, this is an interesting link. Since the tax is included in the stated price, I suspect it's invisible to most of us (who are used to the end price being higher because of added taxes). Maybe your guy was just too lazy to bother with the administrative work?

This link discusses tax and VAT on antiques, artwork and jewlery:<BR>http://www.france.com/francescape/essentials/customs.html<BR><BR>If I am reading this right, it sounds as if these items are subject to a 7% sales tax, but not VAT?