Top Paris stores!

Paris subway tips

2007-08-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

A Powerful Network

Parisians are proud of their subway system. With more than a century of history, the system is vast, effective, and well-managed. If you can imagine that 6 million passengers are transported by the subway system every day, you can understand what a powerful network it is. It is said that from any location in downtown Paris there is a subway station not farther than 500 meters from you.

Traveling like Parisian

Using the subway as a means of transit is the Parisian way of life. When discussing a location, Parisians always mention the name of the nearest METRO station. If you are invited by a company to visit their office, you shouldn't be surprised if they do not arrange to pick you up from your hotel, but instead give you directions from the subway. The subway is more convenient, and avoids traffic jams. It is the easiest way around, even if you are new to Paris.

Two Systems

What we have been referring to as the "subway" is, in fact, two systems in one. The Metro (short for Metropolitan) has 14 lines (numbered 1 through 14), and runs in downtown Paris. The RER (Reseaux Express Regionale - read as Regional Express Networks) has 5 lines (lettered A through E), and runs through both downtown and the suburbs.

Tickets

There are several ticketing options available for those using public transit: individual tickets, the "Paris Visite" pass, the "Carte Orange" pass, or the "Mobilis" pass. Each of these is described in some detail below. Of all these kinds of tickets, you will be interested in Carte Orange and Mobilis most likely.

Individual tickets for the downtown area are valid within zones 1 and 2. Each can be used for a single trip on the Metro, RER, bus, or tram. The price is 1.50 euros for one ticket or 11.10 for 10 tickets (called a Carnet). Children from 4 to 11 years old can have half price discount for a Carnet, say 5.50 euros for 10 children tickets.

Individual tickets to Paris suburbs are priced based on the distance traveled. For example, from downtown Paris to the GIS hotel Paris (station NEUILLY PLAISANCE, Zone 3) is 2.8 euros one way, 22.4 euros for 10 tickets; from the GIS hotel Paris to Disneyland Paris is 4 euros one way; from Charles de Gaulle airport to downtown Paris is 10.05 euros one way, to GIS hotel Paris is the same.

The Mobilis is a one-day ticket that allows unlimited travel on the Metro, RER, bus, RATP, ADATRIF, APTR, and SNCF suburban network. It excludes the Orlybus, Orlyval, Roissybus, Roissyrail and Orlyrail. Price is based on area of coverage, for Zone 1 - 3, it is 7.50 euros.

The Paris Visite pass a bit more expensive than the Mobilis. It allows you to discover Paris and its surroundings. With it, you enjoy unlimited travel on all public transit systems, including: the Metro, RER, buses, tram, Montmartre funiculaire, Montmartobus, Noctambus, suburban trains, and private buses from ADATRIF and APTR. According to the zones you choose (1-3 or 1-6), you can travel as far as Disneyland Paris, Versailles, or the airports. Passes can be valid for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days, beginning any day of the week. They are half price for children between 4 and 11 years old. The pass also allows you to receive discounted entry into 30 of Paris' museums, not including many of the more popular ones, such as the Louvre. No photograph is required to obtain this pass.

Find a hotel for shopping in Paris

2007-08-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

There are about 1000 hotels in Paris downtown, and ile de france area. Which Paris hotel is for you? You can spend thousands of euros for one night in a luxurious hotel in Paris, you can also find a comfortable hotel room at about 50 euros per night. So, what hotel suits your need?

For most tourists, visiting to Paris for sight seeing, shopping, a hotel with comfort, offering good service, easy access by public transportation tools, are most important consideration.

Paris is proud of its public transportation network. Especially the Metro and RER, it reaches to almost all important monuments and shopping centers. Find a hotel near RER or metro station, will make your tour happy and easy.

GIS hotel Paris is located at Paris east, 100 meters from RER A station. From GIS hotel Paris, you can easily reach departments stores, commercial centers in Champs Elysée, in Opera, in La Defense, in Châtelete Les Halles, Val de Fontenay, Noisy le Grand, Torcy and Val d’Europe.

GIS hotel Paris offers standard rooms for one or two person, twin bed rooms for two persons, triple rooms for three persons, family rooms for four persons, all at reasonable rates, all with private bathroom, TV, telephone, you can also use internet free of charge at the lobby!

Shopping duty free in Paris

2007-07-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

In Paris, in France, consumers pay for their shopping at the price of TTC - Toutes Taxes Comprises. It means the price is including tax. In most shops, price tags indicating price TTC. People pay nothing more than the value of the price tags.

But in some shops, mainly those shops facing to companies, there are two prices in a price tag: Price Hors Taxes and price TTC. Hors Taxes means without tax. Value Added Tax - VAT, or in French TVA, should be added to the price Hors Taxes. With value added tax, it is price TTC. For companies, TVA of purchase are refunded or deducted by the government.

For non European residents, they have no duty to pay TVA for their purchase taking back home, except food and lodging. So they can benefit from Duty Free, or Detaxe.

Detaxe or tax refund does not mean that all tax will be refunded. Currently, TVA rate of most goods is 19.6% in France, but tax refund rate is normally 12%.

Not only Duty Free Shops give you tax refund service. Almost all shops can do that. Major department stores and brand-name boutiques are familiar in the process. Some shops may not be familiar with these process, so they prefer not to provide this service. It is better to ask before buying in a shop if you want to refund your tax.

The process of tax refund can be time consuming, and many travelers just give up on the whole thing because it can seem intimidating. If you do not want to buy a great deal of goods, giving it up is not a big loss. Some travelers buy their souvenirs at airport is also a good choice.

To benefit from Detaxe, there are basic requirements:

You must live outside the EU, and you must be over 15 years old.

You must be visiting for less than six months.

All of the items that you claim a refund for must be in your personal luggage when you leave - you cannot ship items home and still qualify for the refund.

Tax refund procedure is not complicate. Following information is directly quoted from official document:

How to get your tax refund?

at the store:

You should check with the store, prior to your purchase, that it is participating in the tax free scheme (not all stores are).

If so, you will have to prove that you are not a resident of the European Union and that you are 15 years old or over. This may be done, if you are not a French citizen, by showing any kind of legal identification in use in your country or, if you are a French national, by showing a consular ID or any other official document attesting that you are not a resident of the European Union.

You will then be issued a Retail Export Form ("bordereau de détaxe") that you must sign and which must be endorsed by Customs within three months of the purchase, when you leave the European Union.

at Customs:

- if you are leaving the European Union from a French port of entry:

You should present the Retail Export Form as well as the goods purchased under the tax free scheme. Customs will retain a copy of the form and you will be handed back a copy, endorsed by Customs, which you are advised to retain in case of any possible dispute with the store.

- if you are leaving the European Union from a port of entry in another Member State:

You should make sure that the local Customs Service endorses the Retail Export Form and gives them back to you. Upon arrival in your country, you should mail a copy of the form to the French store and keep the "customer" copy in case of any possible dispute with the store.

WARNING

Do not forget to keep the goods with you at all times when you apply for Customs endorsement of the Retail Export Form at the point of departure from the European Union.
Customs officers may want to check them.

You should allow ample time (for instance, at least two hours before the time required for checking-in at the airport) to apply for Customs endorsement of the Retail Export Form. At Paris (CDG and Orly) or at Nice-Côte d’Azur Airports, for example, there may be long lines of travelers waiting to get this endorsement, especially during the tourist season.

And if you fail to get through this formality before you leave the European Union, it will be burdensome - and expensive - for you to claim the tax refund when you are back home (see further on).

at home:

You should receive, within a reasonable spell of time, the amount of refunded tax directly from the store, paid according to your instructions, given on the Retail Export Form (check mailed to your address, bank transfer to your checking account or to your credit card account, etc?. If you don't receive your tax refund, you have to contact the store and not the French Customs.

Some stores may deduct the tax from the price of goods when you purchase them. They do so under their own responsibility and you are still required to apply for Customs endorsement of your Retail Export Form upon leaving the European Union, even if you did not pay tax on the goods.

If you plan to visit, and shop in, multiple European countries, the procedure is generally the same. However, because each country has a different daily spending limit and VAT rate, double-check the current rules for those countries you plan to visit before you start your trip. Remember that because you only have to visit customs once when you leave your final EU country, you should keep all of your receipts in a safe place until you go home.

The flea market in Paris

2007-07-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Shopping in flea markets is very interesting. Paris has very famous flea markets. Many visitors enjoy visiting, shopping in Paris flea markets.

There are three main flea markets in Paris:

One in Porte de Montreuil - 20e Porte-de-Montreuil. One of the cheapest flea markets, specialising in second-hand clothes, and also some furniture and other houseware.

One in Porte de Vanves - Avenue Georges-Lafenestre. An enormous range of bric-a-brac can be found at this popular market.

One in Saint-Ouen / Porte de Clignancourt - "Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen". "Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" is the most famous one, and when people talking about Paris flea market, it is most likely talking about "Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen". We shall introduce more about "Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen". All photos were shot there.

Location of three Paris flea markets. You can reach all these flea markets by Mero. All these three flea markets are open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday all arround the year, 07:00 to 19:00.

“Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" has a long histry. It was inaugurated in 1885 and extends over six hectares. Now, the Puces de Saint Ouen have more than 2000 shops. Just image that it recieves 70 000 visitors every week, you can understand that this is a worth visit place for a visitor.

In the fifties and sixties of 20th century, the Puces de Saint-Ouen was a market place to buy cheap but good and old furnitures. This is not the case anymore, but it is still a very interesting place to visit. The choice is large: old furnitures, old art pieces, clothes, shoses, poceline, time pieces, military pieces, almost every thing you can image. The prices are moderate to high.

The Puces de Saint-Ouen are located on the north edge of Paris. They can best be reached by the metro (station Garibaldi on line 13, station Porte de Clinagncourt on line 4). Going by car is also very easy: take the ring, exit at Porte de Clinagncourt, you are there.

The Flea market at Vanves keeps its original charm and originality. A veritable Ali-Baba cave, a large selection of goods awaits on the sidewalks of the avenues of Marc Sangnier and Georges Lafenestre in the fourteenth arrondissement.

You can hunt like a pro on Saturday morning or bring the family on Sunday morning. There are four hundred merchants most of whom are afficionados of their merchandise and some are strongly individualistic personalities, being mixture of specialists and some with a wide range of knowledge, all of whom offer you interesting merchandise gathered during the
week from all over France. Here you can find all sorts of things : furnishings and household objects from the early 19001s , Art Deco from the twenties and the thirties, and nostalgic fifties and the sixties collectibles, weird things, kitch, clothes
and old textiles, lace, worktables, dinner things, glasses, silverware, jewelry, African and Oriental art objects, small traditional tables, chandeliers, paintings and prints, bathroom things, photos, cameras and phonographs, books, garden furnitures.

The text of above two paragraphs and two pictures about Flea market at Vanves were provided by friends of Flea market at Vanves.

Here we have photos:

There are actually 13 markets in “Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" .

When you get to the station Porte de Clinagncourt, you will see many people flow to a direction, and there are many shops selling clothes, shoes, low price watches and other electronic appliances in the street. That is not real “Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" . The real flea markets are inside, after you go through the crowded streets.

The real flea markets “Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" are calm, it is for collectors, and dealers all over the world nowadays.

Visiting to some stalls in flea markets is as if visiting a museum.

This is a modern shop in flea markets.

Perhaps you can find a treasure here!

Every thing is possible here. Who knows what these huge jars, each higher than 1.2 meters, were used for!

In an old fashion shop, we found these old rackets.

Globes of different size.

You can find very fine articles here.

You can have your old fashion furnitures or articles repaired here.

Packing and shipping companies serve to all over the world.

Many cafe bars and restaurants here. Have a cup of wine after a long time shopping in “Le marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen" ?

The Flea market at Vanves keeps its original charm and originality. A veritable Ali-Baba cave, a large selection of goods awaits on the sidewalks of the avenues of Marc Sangnier and Georges Lafenestre in the fourteenth arrondissement.

The Flea market at Vanves in the evening.

Paris fashion capital.

2007-07-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

While talking about Paris fashion, we have to say something about the word “Haute Couture".

The term "haute couture" is French. Haute means "high" or "elegant." Couture literally means "sewing," but has come to indicate the business of designing, creating, and selling custom-made, high fashion women's clothes. In the history, “houte couture" was the symbol of Paris Fashion.

Buying Paris fashion is not necessary in Houte Couture shops, you can buy in department stores like Lafayette. But if you want to feel what Paris fashion means, you should be there.

There is a very famous street in Paris 8th arrondissement - Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor. The Palace Elysee is on this street. On this street, there are many Houte Couture shops. The older generation foreigners might feel quite at home of the Haute Couture shops. Now, these Haute Couture shops are still existing, and they are still selling Houte Couture, but today at very limited volume: there are only 2000 women in the world buying Houte Couture every year. Houte Couture is not a profitable business today. Houte Couture companies are making money with their “byproducts" They are selling “prêt ?porter?--- ready to wear clothes, perfume and cosmetics, watches and jewelry, and so on. You can find top quality clothes, shoes, bags, and leather goods here. Though these are not real Houte Couture, the quality is guarantee, and the price is much lower than real Houte Couture. If you want to have a real feeling of Paris fashion, you should go to visit to these Houte Couture shops.

The street “Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré” is famous. The palace Elysee is also on this street.

So many shops are concentrating in this street.

In the street, Houte Couture shops are showing their prestige style. Their doors are not large. Does it mean that it is not open to masses?

Dior.

From the windows, you can see different style models.

Shopping a camera in Paris

2007-07-04T23:54:00.001-07:00

Are you interested shopping cameras? Paris is a good place for you. There are numerous camera shops in Paris, selling new and second hand, traditional or digital, small format or grand format, various brand of cameras and other photography equipments.

If you are going to buy a camera for normally use, or just to see what photography equipment are available in Paris, you should first go to fnac. fnacs are large stores that originally a book store. But now, it sells computer and electronic appliances, video and audio products, and cameras. They also provide services in film development and prints.

There are several fnacs in the city center, for cameras, the one in Saint Lazar and the other in Chatelet are larger ones with all possibilities. fnacs not only sell new cameras and lenses, they also sell second hand. Sometimes you can find very good gadget in very good price. Because when they sell new equipment, they also take back your old stuff and it seems they do not earn money from resell second hand equipment.

There are many specialty photography equipment stores in Paris. There is even a photography street -- Blouvard Beaumarchais, beside Bastile. Just mention a little: Le Moyen Format, that is also official Rollei Dealer, Le Grand Format, La Maison de Leica, Le Numerique, Photo 40, Odeon, and so on. You can buy, you can rent, you can sell your equipment here. All stores sell new quipments as well as second hand. If you want to have your equipment repaired, this is place to go. Price is reasonable. Some times you can find a surprise.

The famous camera street is just near the Place Bastile. This pillar named "Colonne de Juillet". It is 50 meters high and includes a spiral staircase. It is built on the graves of the victims of the July Revolution and is engraved with the names of the 504 who died.

Leica maison, if you know cameras, you should know, or at least you should be able to guess what Leica Maison means.

Moyen Format means Medium Format. If you find some second hand 35 mm format equipment in very low price here, do not be surprised: perhaps they do not care these "cheap" gadgets.

Sell, buy, exchange, new or second hand, and reparations.

If you are really interested in photography equipment, you may be interested at a camera fair. Every year, on the first Sunday of June, there is a large open photo fair in a small town called BIEVRES. That day, collectors, dealers, ordinary camera fans go there from all over the world. shopping there is a great pleasure.

You can sell you cameras here like the lady.

You can find easily ancient camera at the foire BIEVRES.
To be continue...

Shopping in Paris supermarkets and commercial centers

2007-06-25T00:32:00.000-07:00

There are few large supermarkets in Paris city center. It is said that maximum area of a supermarket in Paris city downtown must be under 200 squre meters. Parisians buy their grocery in Monoprix, Franceprix, ATAC , ED, Leader Price and so on, relatively smaller supermarkets in every street corner.

Large supermarkets such as Carrefour, Auchan and Intermarche are distributed at the outskirts of Paris. Most of them are open in a shopping center. Larger supermarkets sell every thing, from the food stocks to clothes, soft drinks to spirits, small electric appliances to computers, some even sell diamonds. If you want to buy some special French products such as foie gras, fromages, champagnes, French wines, you can simply go to a larger supermarket to find them. The price is low, and the quality is as good, that is the place where French consumers buy their every day consumer goods.

Like other metropolitans, more and more giant malls have grown up in farther suburbs of Paris, Ile De France. Many Parisians and inhabitants of the Ile de France region surrounding her (10 millions people altogether) do their shopping in huge suburban shopping centers. Easily reachable by car, as well as by Metro, by RER, located in the residential districts, they usually include a gigantic Auchan, Carrefour. They also include lots of restaurants and stores selling clothes, books, records and other stuff.

You can find very interesting shopping centers along RER A: Les Quatre Temps in La Défense, Forum les Halles in Chatelet Les Halles; and larger ones at Val de Fontenay, at Neuilly Plaisance, at Noisy le Grand, at Torcy, at Val d’Europe. Here we should emphasize commercial center in Val d’Europe, which is new one, one stop to Disneyland, it is called as international shopping center. Some foreign guests often visit there.

This is shopping center Forum des Halles - most crowded shopping center in Paris. It is located at the heart of Paris: Châtelete. All shops are underground, directly connect to the RER - Metro station: Châtelete - Les-Halles. RER A, RER B, RER D and Merto No.1, No.4, No.7, No.11, No.14 all stop here. This plaza was the city’s principal market in the middle ages. Today, it has become a paradise of consumers. This huge shopping arcade offers a selection of chain shops catering for a young and mixed crowd, as well as cinemas and a swimming pool, though there is not a hypermarche in it. The Espace Créateurs (Porte Berger, Level -1) is a special section where you can browse and buy the creations of young and up-and-coming Parisian designers. On the surface, it is a beautiful garden. an attractive visit point even not for shopping.

This is more tradictional Paris commercial center - a “passage" If you have time walking around, you will be able to discover it. Arts, fashion, traditional French restaurants are all gathering in these “passages"

Newly built shopping center at Torcy. A giant Carrefour, Darty, and a Leroy Marlin and many boutiques are included in this large commercial center. RER A: Torcy

Many foreign visitors like shopping in Val d’Eulope. This shopping center is located at the east of Paris, just one stop to Disneyland Paris by RER A. This commercial center is very new, but also very complete. There is a large supermarket Auchan, an large electronic store Darty, and Fnac and many smaller boutiques. If you are tired, you can relax by listening to music, watching movie, visiting the exhibition Sea life, enjoying seafood and various style cuisine in the commercial center.

Not only young girls like jennyfer.

Different style restaurants in the terran offering good service to costumers of the shopping center.

Other shooping centers in Paris downtown or outskirts:

Bercy 2
4, place de l’Europe - 94228 Charenton
Metro: Charenton-Libert

Boutiques du Palais des Congrès
Porte Maillot - 75017 Paris
Metro: Porte Maillot

Carrousel du Louvre
99, rue de Rivoli - 75001 Paris
This underground shopping center is connecting to Museum Louvre. Open time is similar to Louvre: daily from 11:00 am to 8 pm except Tuesdays.
Metro: Palais Royal / Musée du Louvre

Centre commercial Galaxie
30, avenue d’Italie - 75013 Paris
Metro: Place d’Italie

Galeries marchandes des Champs-Elysées
Lido, passage des Champs-Elysées, Berri, Claridge, Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées - 75008 Paris
Metro: George V, Franklin-D-Roosevelt

Les 4 temps
15, le Parvis de la Défense - 92092 Paris la Défense
RER and Metro: La Défense

Les 3 quartiers
23, boulevard de la Madeleine - 75001 Paris
Metro: Madeleine

Maine Montparnasse
Tour Maine-Montparnasse - 75014 Paris
Metro: Montparnasse-Bienvenue

Marche Saint-Germain
rue Clément - 75006 Paris
Metro: Saint-Sulpice, Mabillon

Passage du Havre
12-14, rue du Havre - 75009 Paris
Metro: Saint-Lazare

Shopping in Paris Departments Stores

2007-06-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

Department stores should be the first consideration when you are going to buy some thing. The “grands magasins"in Paris are great places to stay all day. Paris department stores are beautifully decorated and displayed. In these “grand magasins" besides various usual departments, there are restaurants and cafés, gourmet food stores, beauty salons, free public toilets because department stores could take all day to properly explore. In Paris, there are serveral deparment stores. Among them, we like Galeries Lafayette, Primtemp, BHV and Samaritaine best.

Galeries Lafayette is the largest department store in France and in europe. With over 65 locations throughout France, you are likely to find a Galeries Lafayette store when you visit France.
The beautiful roof of Galeries Lafayette flagship store in boulevard Haussmann

Métro: Chaussée D'antin-la-Fayette. RER A: AUBER.You don’t need to remember the address and the stations. Lafayette and Printemps offer Paris maps to hotels, anyone can get it in hotels. Finding the way is very easy. For example, you go from GIS hotel Paris. You take RER A to Auber, and then follow the sign Blouvard Haussmann and Grands Magasins, when you come out to the surfaces, you will find yourself already in the Store in a few minutes after you take off the train. Printemps is just beside Lafayette. If you don’t want to follow the sign undrground to Grands Magasins, instead, you go to the surface at first, you can go to the Opera at first, then, these two department stores are standing behind Opera.

The flagship store of Galeries Lafayette on boulevard Haussmann is really looked like an art gallery. It pays tribute to the luxury and contemporary creation, by placing at the disposal of the world's most famous brand, all its windows on boulevard Haussmann, and its art gallery. The products displayed in the windows create links between tradition and modernity. Even you are not going to shopping, Lafayette is still a must place to be visited.

There is a Fashion show in Galeries Lafayette. It is presented by a team of 6 models coming from top international agencies and presents the latest trends giving an overall impression of the most famous designers and couturiers collections such as Jean Paul Gaultier, DKNY, Galliano, Kenzo, Paco Rabanne, Sonia Rykiel, Westwood, Feraud,... The fashions show lounge "salon opéra" located on the 7th floor of the Main Building is fully equipped with stage lighting and sound. The 30 minutes performance includes a commentary in English. Galeries Lafayette Fashion Show is free of charge, held at the flagship store on boulevard Haussmann on Tuesday all year long at 11 : 00am.

Most area of the ground floor of Lafayette is occipied by perfume and cosmetics. This is probably largest perfume shop in the world.

Printemps is “spring" The Printemps department store is standing just beside Galeries Lafayette, boasts her three buildings with 43,000 sq. m of selling space on Blouvard Haussmann.

Printemps is also one of the leading department stores in Paris, through its flagship store on Boulevard Haussmann. Located near the Saint Lazare station and the Church of the Madeleine, in a rapidly changing strategic district in the heart of one of the Europe's main business areas, it attracts not only a domestic but also an international clientele. Printemps has four stores in the Paris area, and another twelve in France's major cities.
Printemps has a wide and varied product offering showcasing the major brands, including hundreds on an exclusive basis, through various departments, such as Men's Fashionwear, Women's Fashionwear, Lingerie, Beauty care, Home Furnishings and Accessories.

printemps has also a private fashion show on all Tuesdays at 10:30 in the morning.

BHV is the abbreviation of “Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville?--- Bazaar of the Town Hall. In the heart of historical Paris, the BHV boasts 8 levels of merchandise, including fashion (minimal), home decor, household linens, furniture, electric household appliances... and its most dazzling highlight: a hardware department with 365 vendors and a good hundred salesmen.

Today, BHVs are not only a Bazaar beside the Paris Town Hall. It has become a big group with 16 stores in France. Only in Ile de France, you can find nine BHVs.

Metro: Hôtel-de-Ville

La Samaritaine, Metro: Louvre, Châtelet, Pont Neuf; RER: Châtelet-Les Halles

La Samaritaine takes it name from an old water pump near the Pont Neuf. The pump was decorated with the woman of Sameria giving a drink of water to Jesus. The store now occupies four buildings.

La Samaritaine is a less expensive department store, one can find anything at La Samaritaine. But the greatest specialty of this department store has to be the Maison Déco (7000 sq. meters), with the most unique bedding department in Paris, and a grand selection of astute and tasteful furniture.

At a corner of Samaritaine.

Look for the signs to the panorama , at the top of the building of Samaritaine (10th floor), there is a cafe bar wih a wonderful 360 degree view of Paris.

Paris, a shopping paradise!

2007-06-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Shopping in Paris is a pleasure. According to tour leaders who company tour groups to various countries and cities in Europe, Paris is always their major shopping place. Whether you going to spend one million euros in Paris, or simply enjoy the window-shopping opportunities, Parisian shops are an integral part of the city's cultural identity, and make it the ultimate destination for visitors.

Being a metropolitan, Paris itself is a great market. Varieties of goods, atmosphere of shopping, good service of all kinds of shops, Paris is really your market place. Even talking about prices, we can also say that Paris is a shopping paradise. You can find very noble, luxurious, rare and high price goods in exclusive shops, you can also easily find popular shops that selling good quality goods with astonished low price. No matter you are millionaires or ordinary working people, you will find your shopping place, you will find some thing interesting in Paris.

Some general information about Paris shops:

Most shops are open from Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday and festivals. Only some shops that mainly serve to tourists open on Sunday and festivals.

Most shops open from 10:00am to 7:00pm, while supermarkets usually open from 9:00 am to 10:00pm.

All shops accept credit cards, and cash in Euros. Very few shops accept foreign currency cashes.

In this page, we hope we can provide some information useful to visitors to Paris.

We think Paris department stores is a must of your Paris visit, so there are some tips to these “grands magasins?at first.

Every one needs supermarket nowadays, you have some choice here: supermarkets and commercial centers.

Are you interested buying a camera, please share our discoveries in camera shops.

If you are interested in houte couture of Paris, France, we shall show you to a special street, where you can find real Parisian style in their exclusive shops.

Perhaps you are interested to find some antiques? Have a visit to the flea market.

If you are not living in Europe, you can refund your purchase tax, here are some information about duty free or tax refund procedures.

Finally, you need to find a nice hotel to lodge for your Paris tour, there is some idea here.

Paris on sale. There are two seasonal discounts every year in Paris, in France: one in January, one in July. Most Parisiens make their shopping in these two months.