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We've compiled the best of the best in France - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
A Paris mainstay since 1961, Diptyque's flagship shop is famous for its candles, eaux de toilette, and home fragrances in a huge range of sophisticated and subtle scents like myrrh, fig tree, wisteria, and quince. They're delightful but not cheap; the candles, for instance, cost nearly $1 per hour of burn time.
Never mind the creaky stairs: E. Dehillerin has been around for almost 200 years and clearly knows its business. The huge range of professional cookware in enamel, stainless steel, and fiery copper is gorgeous; rely on the knowledgeable staff to locate specific items in the vast expanse of this store. During her years in Paris, Julia Child was a regular.
The raison d'être of the organization Métiers d'Art is to reward and promote French savoir faire—the traditional expertise of France's many fine craftspeople and artists passed down from generation to generation. To this end—and to the delight of local bobos (short for bourgeois-bohème or bourgeois-bohemians) decorating their Marais lofts—Métiers d'Art opened the capital's first crafts "concept store," which assembles the work of dozens of craftspeople and artists on four floors, including impeccably crafted glassware, porcelain, jewelry, leather goods, furnishings, housewares, fine art, and much more. It's an excellent place for a souvenir of French art de vivre.
Here you can stock up on fine soap, shampoo, body lotion, and other beauty products—all made using top-quality organic essential oils distilled in Provence.
This small-but-mighty boutique has quickly become chic Parisians' go-to place for affordable, eminently wearable, and ever-stylish urban classics. From stunning leather trenches to flowing suits and elegant evening wear, you'll find all the best in urban basics for home, office, and evening. These beautiful basics will never go out of style.
A handpicked selection of the best in French and European fashion for men and women (hard to find outside Europe) is gathered in this sleek duplex boutique. There's also a small selection of accessories, including scarves, bags and leather goods, outerwear, jewelry, perfume, and scented candles.
Join Paris's chefs and head for G. Detou (get it, j'ai de tout—I have everything), just off the wonderful Marché Montorgeuil, for an absolutely astounding range of baking staples, nuts, chocolate, canned rarities, and other French and European delicacies. Basically, a bit of, well . . . everything.
Pastel (also known as woad) has been part of Occitanie's regional heritage since medieval times. Farmers from around Albi and merchants from Toulouse grew wealthy from trading this natural blue pigment until it was supplanted by indigo from Asia. Today, it's having a comeback, not just as a pigment but as a wonderful natural skin care product. Co-founders Carole Garcia and Natalie Juin purvey a range of pastel-based products from their Albi store.
The world's oldest perfumer has a gorgeous Parisian flagship store, just blocks from its very first shop founded by Pierre-François Guerlain in 1828. This outpost is a sumptuous affair, offering more personalized services and customization than ever before. A tablet helps you define your olfactory profile, and experts are on-hand to guide you through a private consultation in a special room decked out in blushing velvets. You can also have a private consultation with a house "nose" to design your own fragrance. If those options are out of your price range (as they are for most mortals), you can still personalize any of the perfumer's 110 fragrances from the "perfume bar," choosing from several crystal bottles and selecting the color of your label and ribbons.
This popular shop has been mixing herbal treatments on the same premises since 1805. At the laboratoire, trained herbalists use dried local and exotic herbs or plant extracts to customize a concoction for whatever ails you—from sleep issues to digestive troubles. At the contemporary tearoom across the street, you can sip an infusion and purchase packaged herbal teas, loose herbs, spices, coffee, honey, beauty products, books, and traditional candies.
Ever the statement maker, luxury brand Hermès has reopened its Left Bank store in an Art Deco former swimming pool. Their signature silk scarves, jewelry, home furnishings, and fragrances are arrayed around the tastefully decorated cavernous space with hand-painted walls by Matthieu Cossé. There is also a small café.
The go-to for those who prefer their logo discreet yet still crave instant recognition, Hermès was established as a saddlery in 1837, then went on to create the eternally chic Kelly (named for Grace Kelly) and Birkin (named for Jane Birkin) handbags. The silk scarves are legendary, known for their rich colors and intricate designs, which change yearly. Other accessories are also extremely covetable: enamel bracelets, dashing silk-twill ties, and small leather goods. The sought-after clothing line sometimes hits the mark and sometimes doesn't, but you can always expect lots of leather. During semiannual sales, in January and July, prices are slashed by up to 50%, and the crowds line up for blocks.
Artist and glassworker Jean Perzel started his company over a century ago and quickly became a leading creator of top-quality Art Deco lamps. Three generations later, it is still a family-run business, housed in a magnificent 1931 building commissioned by Michel Roux-Spitz and home to the workshop and a multistory showroom. If you want to take a useful and lasting souvenir home from Paris, this is the place to shop. There is a huge selection of lamps, each one handmade on-site by expert glass and metal workers, and each a collector's item which you, too, can pass on to future generations. It's adjacent to the beautiful Parc Montsouris, so you can combine a visit to the park with a stop at this unique shop.
In addition to chic men’s and women’s sportswear and casual attire by a small but choice selection of crème de la crème European designers, this beautifully conceived boutique sells lingerie, shoes, hats, books, linens, ceramics, photographs and graphic art, and Aesop skin care. Everything is handpicked by the charming owner, who is also a well-known French fashion photographer. The shop's cozy courtyard café is the perfect place to recharge your shopping batteries.
At this concept store, complete with an adorable café and a section for vintage treasures, you'll find all your wardrobe essentials, from carefully chosen French and European fashions to a great selection of accessories, plus Paris-made jewelry and a curated collection of designer vintage by the likes of Lanvin, Hermès, and Dolce & Gabbana.
Hams cured right on the premises hang from the ceiling at this small gourmet shop, where you can sample just about any kind of regional meat or cheese. Looking for a pot of foie gras, or perhaps a bottle of the locally made liquor called génépi? This is the place.
This family enterprise (since 1957) earned the coveted status of Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) as the last shoemaker offering authentic boots for the famous Camargue cowboys, les gardians. Aside from some chic cowboy-esque models, there are stylish and durable full-length fashion boots and booties, suede and leather chukka boots, supersoft espadrilles, and strappy sandals—all made from supple, vegetable-tanned calfskin provided by the same tanner that supplies Hermès.
Craftsmanship and style that won't wreck your budget—that's the trademark of this artisan bootmaker from the Camargue, a wild area of Provence where cowboys require durable boots to rustle the wild horses. That doesn't mean the boutique is short on chic. La Botte Gardiane has impeccably designed and beautifully classic full-length boots, slouchy booties, chukkas, espadrilles, and strappy sandals in suede, python, shearling, and the supplest calf leather from the tanner that supplies Hermès. Look for styles for men, women, and kids.
This inviting cave (literally wine store or wine cellar) focuses on wines by small French producers. Each is handpicked by the owner, along with a choice selection of estate Champagnes, Armagnac, and the classic Vieille Prune (plum brandy). The friendly and knowledgeable English-speaking staff makes browsing a pleasure. Check the schedule for classes and tastings.
Known for its lush orchards, Apt excels at a technique for preserving fresh fruit that dates from Roman times and was prized by everyone from the French popes to Madame Sévigné. At this local cooperative, founded in 1962, the old techniques were updated to 20th-century standards, but the colorful local fruits preserved in all their sun-ripened glory are still a sight to behold, and you can taste things before buying. Bigarreau cherries from the Luberon are a favorite, but you'll also find Cavaillon melons; Provence apricots, figs, plums, pears; Corsican clementines; and, of course, candied ginger.
Maire Duchêne, an independent perfumer trained in Grasse, the world capital of perfumes, dreamed of creating fragrances that would capture the essence of Arles and its beautiful surroundings. Her dream has been realized in this jewel of a boutique where her five sensuous perfumes evoke the spirit of Arles in a mix of citrus and pink peppercorn, the Camargue in notes of vetiver and amber, and Les Baux in lemon and white flowers. Her sublime smelling soaps and candles make for heady mementos of Provence.
Founded in 1852, Le Bon Marché has emerged as the city's chicest department store. The fact that it isn't nearly as crowded as the department stores on the Right Bank is an added bonus. On the ground floor of the main building, look for makeup, perfume, and accessories; this is where celebs duck in for essentials while everyone pretends not to notice. On the floor above, you can do laps through dozens of glamorous and überhip labels. The next floor up is home to streetwise designers and edgy secondary lines. Under the restored glass ceiling, the gleaming Le Soulier shoe department assembles the crème de la crème of European shoes. Meanwhile, the menswear department has consumed the entire basement level and has even added a barbershop. Across the street, the home-goods store in the sister building is a great place to browse the latest designer furniture, stock up on French linens, porcelain, cookware, and luggage, or just relax over tea or a gourmet lunch in the soaring atrium restaurant. Before leaving, be sure to visit the spectacular La Grande Épicerie and cave (wineshop) on the ground floor of the main building; it's the haute couture of grocery stores. Artisanal jams, olive oils, and much more make great gifts, and the luscious pastries, fruit, and huge selection of prepared foods beg to be chosen for a meal or snack.
With more than 100 stalls, Nîmes's central covered market is an excellent spot to stock up on all the area's gastronomic specialties: crisp PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) picholine olives and olive oil, anchoïade (a heady mix of anchovies crushed with garlic and olive oil), Pélardons goat cheeses from nearby Cévennes, and Costières de Nîmes wines. For deeply satisfying regional cuisine—think brandade or taureau (bull's meat) with Camargue rice—and the convivial company of locals, head to Halles Auberge, which is open daily for lunch.
Every year, Serge Lutens dreams up two new fragrances, which are then sold exclusively in this boutique. Each is compellingly original, from the strong somptueux scents often with musk and amber notes to the intense florals like Rose de Nuit. Bottles can be etched and personalized for gifts. The shop itself boasts a beautiful spiral staircase.
Everything here is 100% made in France. The selection of timeless, practical, and beautifully crafted items from artisans across the country includes clothing, homeware, toys, cosmetics, and fragrances.
This confiseur (confectioner) dates from 1866 and is in its fifth generation of family ownership on the same St-Rémy premises. It makes the famous Provençal calisson, an almond-shape marzipan confection, as well as a gorgeous array of candied fruits—from cherries and strawberries to kiwis and even whole pumpkins—using a recipe credited to Nostradamus (a native son of St-Rémy). There are also fruit syrups, jams, chocolates, and regional honey. A tour of the factory and a stop in the beautiful boutique are pleasurable ways to spend and hour or two.
Louis Vuitton has spawned a voracious fan base from Texas to Tokyo with its mix of classic leather goods and saucy revamped versions orchestrated by Marc Jacobs. His 2013 exit left tall boots to fill, but Nicholas Ghesquière—a daring designer who single-handedly resurrected the Balenciaga label—has done an admirable job. Melding his signature edgy modernism with vintage touches and colors, Ghesquière is taking the legendary luxe label to a glorious new level.
The Paris-based luxury leather goods and fashion house par excellence is resplendent in an 18th-century mansion on the elegant Place Vendôme. Part fashion boutique and part art gallery, this impeccably restored locale retains the original woodwork, gilding, and stone, adding contemporary chrome, glass, and colorful works from more than 30 contemporary artists and sculptors. Covering three floors, the grand Place Vendôme store offers the entire Vuitton collection, including high-end jewelry and watches, bags and accessories, fashion, luggage, and some fabulous home furnishings on the top floor.
Specializing in chocolate sculptures, pastries, and other sinful delights, this enchanting boutique is any chocolate lover's dream. Maverick chocolatier Michel Chaudun was a legend around Paris. Trained at the Maison du Chocolat, the master confectioner was the very first to strike out on his own, long before Paris became a chocolate mecca. He was also the first to introduce granules of cocoa bean into his chocolates to achieve a rich intensity. In 2015, Chaudun passed the baton to Gilles Marchal, who has more than upheld the standard.
