399 Best Places to Shop in France

Parisian chefs have been coming here for their kitchen needs for more than a century, from plates and glasses to pans and wooden spoons. The section for pastry-baking accessories is one of the best in the city. There's also a great selection of white porcelain baking and tableware.

The A.P.C. brand may be antiflash and minimal, but a knowing eye can always pick out its jeans in a crowd. The clothes here are rigorously well made and worth the investment in lasting style. Prime wardrobe pieces include dark indigo and black denim, chic jackets, leather bags, and comfortable shoes. There is a second boutique nearby at  171 bd. St-Germain. Their surplus store at  40 rue Jacob has a sampling of last year's accessories, shoes, and clothing at reduced prices.

A surplus store steps away from Sacré-Coeur, there's no need to wait for sales here; funky classics can always be found for up to 50% off.

AB33 is like a sleek boudoir—complete with comfy chairs and scented candles—and the clothes here are unabashedly feminine. Separates in luxury fabrics from top designers, irresistible silk lingerie, dainty jewelry, and a selection of accessories celebrate that certain French je ne sais quoi.

Paris's Canadian bookstore has books on Canadian history as well as new and secondhand Québécois and English-language novels. The Canadian Club of Paris also organizes regular poetry readings and literary conferences here.

Opened in 2024 and designed by Dorothée Meilichzon, this boutique offers Italian-crafted citrus-infused fragrances, indulgent body care products, and personalization services. 

In her boutique and workshop, this self-taught designer and seamstress crafts stylish and original collections and custom pieces that have expressive, eye-catching flair.

A loyal clientele has been devoted to agnès b. since the clothing brand was created in 1975. The simple-yet-innovative modern designs are paired with lasting quality in pieces like the signature "snap" cardigan available in a variety of colors, fitted T-shirts, and leather bags and jackets that last for decades. Her men's clothing collection is next door at No. 10.

A household name in Paris, agnès b. has earned rock-star status among two generations of fashionistas. Her artsy-yet-classic aesthetic translates to a slew of well-made staples for women, men, and children in quality fabrics that you'll mix and match for years to come. Look for the signature striped cotton T-shirts, travel clothes that never wrinkle, and irresistible accessories.

This brand embodies the quintessential French approach to easy but stylish dressing. There are many branches, and the clothes are also sold in department stores, but for the fullest range go to Rue du Jour, where agnès takes up much of the street (women's and children's wear are at No. 6, menswear at No. 3). For women, classics include sleek black leather jackets, flattering black jersey separates, and trademark wide-stripe T-shirts. Children love the two-tone T-shirts proclaiming their age. And the stormy-gray velour or corduroy suits you see on those slouchy, scarf-clad men? agnès b.

The finest foie gras in town is found at Alby Foie Gras.

Alexandre Biaggi specializes in lamps, tables, and chairs from the 1920s and 1930s and also commissions pieces from such talented designers as Patrick Naggar and Hervé van der Straeten.

The artisan-chocolate master is famous for her pralines (made with fine nuts and ganache), sourced chocolates, delicate flavored chocolate squares with seasonal fillings (cinnamon, mint, lavender, rose, ginger), and other confections. Everything is stylishly packaged, too, so it’s a great place for gifts.

If prices at the boutiques on the Golden Triangle or Faubourg St-Honoré have your head spinning, check out this most exclusive of dépôt-ventes (secondhand shop) for designer accessories that are just as wonderful as new but ever-so-slightly reduced for resale. Brands include the likes of Hermès, Gucci, Chanel, Celine, and Rolex.

This tiny shop sells olive oil by the gallon (and other quantities), packaged in containers featuring its famous, old-fashioned, blue-and-yellow labels.

This boutique with its own spa sells tailor-made skin-care products popular with top models. Products feature seaweed and trace elements as well as essential oils.

A former model, Anouschka has set up shop in her apartment (open by appointment only, Monday through Saturday) and has rack upon rack of vintage clothing dating from the 1930s to the '80s. It's the perfect place to find a '50s cocktail dress in mint condition or a mod jacket for him. She calls this a "designer laboratory," and teams from top fashion houses often pop by looking for inspiration.

For great wines, tasting sessions, and up-to-the-minute information on local restaurants, don't miss the prize-winning "flying sommelier," Georges Dos Santos, at Antic Wine.

This bright, fuchsia-color store is packed with an international assortment of eclectic objects and items from Antoine & Lili's own clothing line for women. There's a global-rummage-sale feel, with old Asian posters, small lanterns, and basket upon basket of inexpensive doodads, baubles, and trinkets for sale. The clothing itself has simple lines, and there are always plenty of raw-silk pieces to pick from.

A large selection of leather, pottery, and beautiful jewelry crafted by local artisans is available at Art'Insula. For the gourmand, there's an assortment of honeys, vinegars, and liqueurs.

Dating back to 1803, Arthus-Bertrand has glass showcases full of designer jewelry (including medals, bracelets, rings, necklaces, pendants, and more) and many wonderful objects to celebrate all kinds of occasions.

Come here for tongue-in-chic interpretations of 18th-century table settings and furniture. You can live out your Baroque or Empire fancies with lots of mahogany and milk-white china sets made in the artisan ceramic workshop—the only one of its kind in Paris. The paper goods come from France's last typographic printer on the outskirts of the city. Moody candles, incense, and bespoke perfumes complete the atmosphere.

Roberto works with the finest Italian leather to make bags, belts, shoes, bracelets, and accessories. International delivery is available if you can't quite squeeze everything in your luggage. 

Fancy chocolates are a specialty of the Basque Country, and you can sample some at this store that is also a workshop. Before you decide which kind to take home, go on a tour (€6) to watch chocolates being made by the chefs and try some samples.

At this shop next to the Bastide de Moustiers, second-generation potter Franck Scherer custom-made plates for Alain Ducasse's auberges. You can visit the workshop and buy pieces with tiny flaws at a reduced price.

Forgot to pack a holiday read? Fear not. This charming bookshop has an English section toward the back (you'll know it by the bookcase masquerading as a red London phone box). A little café springs into life for regular author events.

Lille-based pâtissier Frédéric Vaucamps riffed on an 18th-century cake recipe called the “merveilleux” and found himself at the helm of a Europe-wide empire. His version of the meringue-based confection replaced the traditional butter cream for an ethereal dome of whipped ganache in modern flavors like praline, speculoos, rose, and coffee feathered with white or dark chocolate shavings. The merveilleux come in four sizes—the smallest can be boxed for gifts. There are also brioches and breakfast pastries and the traditional Lille gauffres, delectable cream-filled waffles. You’ll know his boutique by the giant, glittering chandelier and lines snaking down the sidewalk.