Shopping In Paris.. Fun!!!

[Travel Guru]

Shooping in Paris, France is so much fun! If you like to shop, Paris is the ultimate shopping destination! It's nothing to spend a whole week browsing in the little shops and boutiques. Nothing beats the great shops in Paris, and that's why I love Paris!!

Some of the better-known emporiums of Haute Couture and jewelry include: Cartier (8th), Celine (8th), Chanel (1st & 8th), Chaumet, Christian Dior (8th), Christian Lacroix (8th), Piaget, Yves Saint Laurent (16th), and Van Cleef & Arpels (8th). Couture shops found on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne in the 8th arrondissement. Top quality shoes, bags, and leather goods are the province of Rue du Cherche-Midi and rue de Grenelle in the 6th. Truly trend-setting fashions may be seen in the shops on Rue Etienne Marcel and Place des Victoires bordering the 1st and 2nd arrondissements. One of the most renowned places to find treasures in Paris is at the flea market. Paris has three main flea markets of ancient descent, situated around the old gates of the city. The origin of the name refers to the cast-off clothes of royalty which were commonplace in centuries of old, teeming with the little insects. No longer the haunts of flamboyant gypsies and petty crooks of literary tradition, they are nonetheless still a place where you should particularly guard against pickpockets. Entertaining in every respect, they are a good source of bargain treasures if you go early enough (between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.), before the massive influx of shoppers. Antikita's official web site of the Saint Ouen Flea Market (Porte de Clignancourt, 18th arrondissement ) provides a map of the sprawling complex and permits virtual windowshopping of its merchants' wares. The other major markets may be found at Porte de Vanves (14th) and Porte de Montreuil (20th).

Paris is one of the world's premier shopping cities. Even people who hate shopping enjoy shopping in Paris. Here, everyone can find something they like, whether it's haute couture, flea markets, perfume, comic books, outdoor markets, or whatever. Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayettes, Samaritaine, Printemps, and Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV) are a few of the great department stores that are part of the history of Paris, offering a huge variety of items for sale. They have the usual amenities for tourists: shopping helpers, translators, currency exchanges, and tax-free shopping. Most have branches in major cities outside Paris. Souvenir shops are located near major tourist sites, especially under the arcades of the rue de Rivoli.


In another area of the city, not too far from the old Opera house, the Boulevard Haussmann became the homestead of the department stores over a century ago. The Printemps store was built there in 1865, followed closely by the Galeries Lafayette, in 1893. Outside the sales seasons, shoppers looking for bargain-basement prices and irresistible clearances must look elsewhere. It is my experience that the best bargain prices on clothing offered in Paris are found at designer depots.


Gawd I love to go shopping in Paris! If only I could afford to shop there year round. lol