 | Luxury Travel Leading Luxury Destinations
|
|
Paris HomeHotelsAttractionsShoppingEntertainmentMapsRestaurantsWeather
Paris Shopping
An integral part of the romance of Paris is the stylish shopping on offer. Browsing through bijou boutiques, vibrant markets and historic arcades for that special gift is one of the Parisian's favourite pastimes: few places on earth have such an abundance of luxurious goods, all exquisitely crafted and presented.
Acknowledged as the capital of the rag-trade world, where major fashion houses showcase their latest designs, Paris offers an unparalleled choice of apparel for shoppers. Its haute couture offers the ultimate in style and elegance. But its prêt-a-porter is quite fancy too, with shops and antique markets offering a great mix: smart, traditional styles; racy, dernier cri fashion; modern yet formal workwear; and casual, street-friendly gear.
The Triangle d'Or - the neighbourhood consisting of Avenue Montaigne, Avenue George V, and Rue Francois 1er near the Champs Elysées - puts you in the heart of Parisian luxury fashion shops, filled with top brandname stores like Dior, Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Lancome, Givenchy, Cartier and Yves Saint Laurent. The big-name designers also dominate the shops on Avenue George V, whilst no lover of fashion should overlook the Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps, two of the city's top department stores on the Right Bank of the Seine.
Paris' graceful and historic arcades combine shopping and sightseeing: the Palais-Royal is unmissable, with a superb selection of antique shops and perfumeries. The elegant 19th century, glass-roofed Galerie Vivienne has a variety of elegant shops, Passage Jouffroy had the distinction of being the city's first heated shopping arcade, while the Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen claims status as the world's biggest and certainly most respected antique market.
The various districts of Paris tend to specialise in different goods: for art and antiques, prime areas include the rue de Seine, rue Jacob and rue du Bac near the Saint-Germain des Près church, and the Carré Rive Gauche near the Orsay museum.
Behind the Palais Royal, one will find the Garment District (also called Sentier), and the sophisticated Place des Victoires. The modern retro boutiques and Asian-themed shops are the highlights of this district. Rue de Rivoli, rue St Antoine, Samaritaine, BHV, Les Halles and the Beaubourg feature several shopping malls, with global brands such as Marks & Spencer and Gap catering to the masses.
The Marais, located down Rue Elzévir, is the place to find exotic handicrafts imported from Africa, where beautiful hand-woven and hand-dyed bolts of cloth make distinctive home furnishings. Rue de Paradis is known for its crystal and porcelain; Rue du Faubourg-St-Antoine for furniture craftsmen and Rue du Cherche-Midi and de Grenelle for leather goods and shoes.
A fine choice of jewelry and clothing feature at the busy Forum des Halles shopping center, whilst Les Quatre Temps near the Grande Arche of La Défense business district is also worth a visit.
Of course no Paris shopping trip could be complete without visiting its tantalising food shops: the Rue Rambuteau, Rue Montorgueil and Place de la Madeleine in the Opéra Quarter are top picks.
Christian Dior Couture
11bis rue François 1er, 75008 Paris
Tel: +33 1 40 73 54 44
Chanel Boutique
31, rue Cambon, 75001 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4286 2800
Hermès
24, rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, 75008 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4017 4717
Louis Vuitton
101, av des Champs-Elysées, 75001 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4549 6230
Lancome
29 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, 75008 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4265 3074
Givenchy
3 Avenue George V, 75008 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4431 5125
Cartier
7 place Vendome, 75001 Paris 1er
13 rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris 2e
Tel: +33 1 4455 3250
Yves Saint Laurent
12, pl Saint-Sulpice, 75006 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4326 8440
Au Printemps
Address 64 bd. Haussmann, 9e Paris
Tel: +33 1 4282 5000
Galeries Lafayette
40 bd. Haussmann, 9e, Paris
Tel: +33 1 4282 34-56
Palais-Royal
Rue St-Honore, Paris
Galerie Vivienne
Rue des Petits-Champs, Paris
Passage Jouffroy
10, boulevard Montmartre 9,
Rue Grange-Batelière, Paris
Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt
Av. de la Porte de Clignancourt, 18e, Paris
GAP France
9 Avenue Matignon 75008 Paris
Tel: +33 1 5389 2300
Marks & Spencer
35, Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4742 4291
Forum des Halles
Niveau -1, 75001 Paris
Tel: +33 1 4026 2850
Les Quatre Temps
15 Parvis de la Défense - 92092
Paris La Defense
Tel: +33 1 4773 5444
Place de la Madeleine
14, rue de Surène, 75008 Paris
|
|
