Paris Shopping
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Paris, the final stop on the Tour de France cycling race, is well-known for its style and its variety of shops, department stores, markets, and boutiques. In fact, a trip to Paris just isn’t complete without at least a trip to a food market or a stroll through the antique vendors’ stalls at Cligancourt. Below is just a sampling of the many shopping locales in the “City of Lights.”
Department Stores
Many Paris’ department stores are destinations in themselves. The elegance of the beaux-arts Galeries Lafayette and the sleek Art Deco style of Le Samaritaine are worth a stop whether or not you buy anything.
- Galeries Lafayette – Located just off of the Place de l’Opera, this multi-level, Beaux-Arts department store has been welcoming shoppers since 1906. The store specializes in women’s fashions and perfume and offers weekly fashion shops for visitors.
- Le Printemps – Located right next door to the Galeries Lafayette, Le Printemps (pictured above) offers a wider range of items, everything from fashion to fine china. Particularly worth visiting is the basement level food market. It’s sort of a mixture between a grocery and a gourmet market.
- Bon Marche – The only department store on Paris’ left bank, Bon Marche, designed by Gustave Eiffel, caters to a younger, more hip crowd than its right bank cousins.
- Le Samaritaine – Located at the edge of the Seine, across from Notre Dame, this Art Deco store generally offers more affordable merchandise than the other area department stores. The store’s rooftop restaurant offers sweeping vistas of the Seine and the Paris skyline.
Food Markets
Paris is synonymous with good food and wine and almost any corner offers a patisserie or boulangerie. Some areas, however, offer a concentration of food stores and markets. Some of these are:
- Place de Madeleine – The area surrounding the Madeleine church is lined with small, specialty food stores. Chief among these is Fouchon, a fantasy food store that sells everything from private label mustards and vinegars to prepared pates and produce.
- Rue de Mouffetard – Located near the Pantheon, this vibrant street is a favorite of Parisians as well as visitors. The street is lined with produce vendors and small food shops as well as large variety of ethnic restaurants.
Antique Districts
Antiques abound in Paris, as would be expected in a city with Paris’ diverse history and cultural awareness. You’re sure to find plenty of interesting things in the three areas detailed below:
- Cligancourt Market – Officially called the Flea Market at L’Ouen, is a 15-acre shopping emporium on the far north side of Paris. Over 2000 vendors here compete for shoppers’ attention and offer a vast array of merchandise, everything from costume jewelry to costly antique furniture.
- Le Marais – This trendy area, surrounding the Place des Vosges, is filled with small shops offering everything from antique lithographs to estate jewelry to heirloom silver flatware. Every shop brings a new adventure.
- Rue St. Germaine – The Rue St. Germaine on the left bank, and the small streets leading off of it, are lined with higher-end, quality antique stores. Even if you can’t afford to buy, it’s worth the time just to look at these one-of-a-kind pieces.