6 Best Places to Shop in France

This toy shop has anything you can imagine for the French home (and garden) in miniature, such as Lilliputian croissants, wine decanters, and minuscule instruments in their cases. Build-it-yourself dollhouses include a 17th-century town house and a boulangerie storefront. Upstairs are do-it-yourself teddy-bear kits and classic toys.

Open since 1977, this family-owned boutique specializes in high-end traditional board games such as chess and backgammon, but also two- and three-dimensional puzzles, games made of wood, and ones you’ve never heard of like Nain Jaune ("Yellow Dwarf," a very old French game) and other ancient card games. With over 2,000 items in stock, many made by French artisans, the game-passionate staff has an endless number of suggestions and advice to help you find the perfect original gift that no one else will have back home.

Le Passage des Princes—one of the city’s historic covered passages—is home to Paris’s most comprehensive toy store. Part of a large French chain, the two-level Village JouéClub carries all the usual suspects (Barbie, Disney, Hello Kitty, and the like) plus the better traditional European brands, including Vilac, Moulin Roty, and L'Atelier du Bois. It’s made up of more than 10 “shops,” each of which is dedicated to a different age group or toy genre. Virtually every kind of plaything is here, so be prepared to linger.

Remember the joy and wonder upon entering that toy store from your childhood? Recapture it here with playthings of yesterday and today. You'll find wooden educational toys and games, music boxes, kaleidoscopes, and gifts for newborns. 

This playful boutique is a haven for adorable children’s items, colorful home decor, and charming gifts. From quirky stationery to unique accessories, every item is thoughtfully curated to spark joy.