Shopping in Paris

The city of Paris is famous for a variety of reasons—from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Despite all these world-renowned landmarks, Paris is perhaps most famous for its shopping! Many shopping districts are scattered across the city, from department stores and retail stores that we all know and love, to upscale designers that some of us can only dream about. Whether you are looking to buy souvenirs, do some window shopping, or you happen to run out of clothes to wear, there are countless places to do plenty of shopping.

The Galeries Lafayette is France’s largest department store, complete with its own McDonalds on the 4th floor—just in case we want some American food. The store is known for showcasing French fashion, as well as for its gourmet food store. The nearest metro stop is Havre Caumartin. (Pictured above)

Au Bon Marche is the oldest department store in Paris, and is most famous for its wide selection of French food. La Grande Epicerie has a large selection of cheeses, baked goods and pastries, wine and champagne. The nearest metro stop is Sèvres Babylone.

The Louvre/Tuileries neighborhood is not only home to the Louvre Museum, but it also contains the Rue Saint-Honore Fashion district. The Rue Saint-Honore is one of Paris’s oldest medieval streets and is full of high end designers. Some of the designers with flagship stores in this district include Hermes, Lancome, and Lanvin. The nearest metro stop is Tuileries (Line 1). (Pictured above)

The most famous shopping district in all of Paris is undoubtedly the Champs-Elysees. At the western edge of the neighborhood lies the Arc de Triomphe. This neighborhood is great for simply walking around and enjoying the sights of Paris, offering many places to eat and shop. The Avenue Montaigne in particular is a must see for fashion lovers. This street is famous for its variety of designers such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Bulgari, and Harry Winston. A friend of mine visited Paris a few years ago and absolutely loved visiting the stores in this district. Even though she knew she wasn’t going to buy anything, the staff of each store was impeccably polite and accommodating! The nearest metro stop is Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Pictured in two pictures above)