Some amazing tip for your Shopping in Paris

When you take a trip to Paris it soon becomes quite evident there’s just too much to see, too much to do. One of the things you have to do when you go Paris, is to indulge yourself in a shopping spree. Shopping is everywhere in Paris, and so is the need to get your hands in some must-have merchandise, whatever it might be. When it comes to clothing, for example, there’s always some fashion show going on, sponsored by various world-famous brand names, whether it be Emporio Armani, Hermès or Louis Vuitton; the offer is always there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So, let’s take a quick tour on Paris shopping.

Now, if we’re talking about shopping, we’re probably starting at Boulevard Haussmann, where most of the city’s big stores are at. You can get there either by public transport, or metro, and once there you’ll have two major options to choose from: the world famous Lafayette Galleries, and the Le Printemps.

HOT COUTURE

The Foubourg-Saint-Honoré is one of the most prestigious shopping streets of Paris; located near Concorde, it offers immediate access to firms such as Valentino, and Gucci.

Avenue Montaigne hosts some of the major fashion designer’s main storehouses, such as Yves Saint-Laurent, and Christian Dior.

Saint Germain des Pres is a beautiful part of the city, and it’s worth your time there not just because of the many high quality stores, but also for the reason that it makes for an enjoyable ride, and you can always slow down a little bit and relax, have a Parisian coffee while making up your mind where to go next.

PLACE VENDOME

This is in the neighborhood of the Louvre Museum, the Concorde and the Madeleine church, and it’s the heaven of diamond lovers. Actually, it has been said this is like Paradise on Earth for women… and Living Hell for husbands, especially if they’re the ones unfolding the bills. Cartier, Armani, Chanel, Bulgari… are all there. Le Eclaireur and Jil Sander are also there, and are very popular clothing stores among tourist.

As a curious note, some Arabic banks and the Ritz Hotel have their posts at the Vendome too.

FRENCH WINE

Needles to say, a stay in Paris would not be such unless you take a moment to truly enjoy the national wine.  It is one of the many autochthonous treasures of France, and connoisseurs will surely delight on tasting some of the numerous brands they have. For this, you’d probably want to go to a “Nikolas” store, which are specialized in wine and other alcoholic beverages.

A side note about “Foie Gras”, though… it is not worth it to buy in Paris: you can get it MUCH cheaper in other parts of Europe, such as Spain.

FURTHER SHOPPING

While it is true that going for a Paris shopping spree can be quite expensive and painful to your wallet (and / or your pocket) it is also an unavoidable desire once you’re there. The city calls for it every second of the way, and you have to take the time to recognize the quality and the cost of the merchandize at hand; this includes you keep in mind the V.A.T., or Value Added Tax, which is added to most products in Europe.

Opening hour is 10h to 19h Monday through Saturday for most stores; although Hypermarkets are usually open until 22h.

So, if you’re planning on a Paris trip, do not panic about the shopping thing: you’ll find some of the world’s most eminent brands and storehouses there, but there is always something waiting for you, and… at a price you can afford. Paris is THE place to go shopping.