Anyone familiar with Paris for shopping?

[QueenMaeve]

I'm heading to Paris in 2 weeks, dh has promised me some dc free time so I can shop. Can anyone recommend any good French High Street stores or what areas are good to shop in? I would love to buy some nice bits and pieces but my budget isn't Chanel prices. Any suggestions are welcomed,even homeware or children's wear I would like to look at.

[PetiteRaleuse]

Is the Sunday morning market still going on rue de Buci? Well worth a visit in its own right.

OP I will need to look them up but there are several excellent vintage shops near Bastille but as I only went a couple of times I don't quite remember the details.

Not something for a weekend trip, but the Sunday flea markets used to be good for vintage. I have heard that they are not as good as they were though.

[polyhymnia]

nogoats on hotels recommend Bel Ami in St Germain - great location - and liked the Lutetia also on Left Bank where we stayed last time.

[polyhymnia]

Yy to St Andre Des Arts and also to Rue de Buci and Rue Jacob nearby.

[polyhymnia]

Love that Rue du Four pharma but have only been going for 10-12 years.

[MrsPnut]

Nogoats - last time we went we stayed here and it was very nice and central.

Shopping wise, we walked along rue st honore and most of the other streets around there. I was just mooching though so can't remember much of it.

[QueenMaeve]

Have made a list of all of these and I'm off to google them on maps. Petite I shop a lot locally in independant boutiques, we have some nice ones round here, I also like vintage, from the high street a bit of Zara and a bit of H&M. I tend to stick to my own style with the odd trendy thing. I hate wearing the same as everyone else so I am always on the look out for something different when I travel.

[hattymattie]

I like rue st andre des arts (M° St Michel). You can walk down there from Notre Dame and into St Germain des Pres with St Sulpice. Much more French than Blvd Hausseman where the Grandes Magasins are not a patch on anything in London.

[NoGoatsToe]

Apologies for hijack OP, but if anyone has any recommendations for nice hotels in Paris, I would be v. grateful. DH is taking me there next weekend for my 40th and hasn't quite got round to booking anywhere yet.

[pinkhousesarebest]

Rather annoyingly La Roche Posay is often cheaper in Boots. I stock up before I come back to France now.

[LadyMountbatten]

i did boulevard Hausmann and found all the dept stores no better than anything here

[LadyMountbatten]

i ifnd shopping in forirn lands REALLY hard and annoying

[Lurleene]

If you go in Monoprix check out the toileteries.When I go there I buy lots of La Petite Marseillaise items which are absolutely dirt cheap, such as 1 euro for a lip balm, but similar to L'Occitane. Just as lovely but a tenth of the price!

[PetiteRaleuse]

Wow I honestly don't remember it. I moved there in 98 and was in Paris for almost ten years and would have walked past it often. Daily when I was living on that street. I see exactly where it is, but I don't think I ever went inside. Am v with self for having missed out.

[SofaCanary]

Can I come?

[Nicolaeus]

Where are you staying? Lots of good suggestions here. If you're stating in the west try rue de passy (metro 6 passy). Its got monoprix and lots of boutiques as well as little chain shops that are like boutiques iyswim. No galerie Lafayette though.

Having said that, I like galerie lafayette IF its not in Paris. The one in Paris (opera) drives me nuts as its too big and too crammed with tourists (loads of coach tours stop there). I hate shopping and its definitely an unpleasant experience.

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

It was definitely there. Lived there 92-99 and it was The first one of the kind.

[PetiteRaleuse]

I used to live on rue Bonaparte. Has that pharmacy always been that big? I don't remember it. This was 15 years ago though.

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

Ohhh the pharma rue du four!

[santamarianovella]

OP i forgot to mention that no trip to paris is complete without a visit to a pharmacy,i buy alot of bioderma products and stock up on nuxe anti fatigue serum,and masks.
i second angelina .
OP if you need any other suggestions im more than happy to help.

[PetiteRaleuse]

What shops do you like in the UK OP ?

[pinkhousesarebest]

Alice à Paris is lovely. My dd has loads of their little smocks. I also like Cyrillus if you hunt around a bit. We used to live in Paris and I loved the parapharmacie on the Rue du Four as it was really cheap: So cheap it had a security guard:

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

See, you can fit in 2 shopping trips. Easy!

[Branleuse]

I went to the most amazing thrift stores in paris

www.paristopten.com/en/toptens/places-to-shop/topten-secondhand-and-vintage-clothes-shops/

[pinkhousesarebest]

...or leave dh and kids in the playground in the jardins de Luxembourg. Then just nip up the road to St Germain.

[MasterOfTheYoniverse]

I would actually take the kids to walk around the louvre esplanade and through jardins de l'orangerie towards concorde and pont Alexandre.
Beautifull walk and you could leave DH to ay with DC in the orangerie will you take an hour in the galleries du Palais royal.

Then meet them on rue de rivoli in Angelina for the most indulgent ever hot chocolat and Mont blanc! They will love you! Trust me.