Shopping in Paris
From Haute Couture to Charming Markets, Paris Has Something for EveryoneThere’s a reason Paris has earned - and kept - its reign as a global fashion capital. Home to decades-old designer brands like Dior and Chanel, as well as hot new up-and-comers shaking up the city’s fashion scene, Paris is one of the most exciting cities in the world for style and shopping.
If you were planning to do a trip centered solely around shopping, Paris is one that would top the list. The style capital, which has birthed endless couture, beauty, and fashion brands, never fails to impress with its beautifully manicured boulevards, designer showrooms-turned-shops, and artisan markets selling handmade jewelry and objets d’art. Whether you’re a fashion or design buff, couture aficionado, or simply a fan of street style and want to do your own version by scouring Paris’ thrift and vintage ships, the city truly lives up to everyone’s fashion fantasies. This is, after all, home to the world’s first department store.
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche
The first department store to be created, this grande dame dating back to 1852 lives up to its well-deserved hype. Engineer Gustave Eiffel (yes, the same name behind the Eiffel Tower) was in on the project that places fashion alongside accessories, tableware design, and cultural exhibitions. Not much has changed since the 19th century – the expansive department store, which encompasses two buildings connected by a sky bridge, features iconic and of-the-moment designers with looks displayed in a way just as artistic as paintings at a museum.
Address: 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris
La Samaritaine
Fresh off a major revamp, Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf is among the oldest department stores in the city and has been a Right Bank institution since 1870. Now you can spend the day hop-scotching between the two buildings and their 600 brands, which range from classics like Chanel to streetwear styles from Billionaire. It’s worth sticking around for a meal at top-floor gastronomic Voyage, which serves reimagined versions of French classics.
Address: 9 Rue de la Monnaie, 75001 Paris
Printemps
At this iconic department store on Boulevard Haussmann, you have multiple floors scattered across three historic buildings dedicated to established and emerging designers (think Balenciaga meets Jacquemus). Personal shoppers can guide or curate your visit, so you can navigate the store and create a look perfect for your trip or the evening ahead. The views are some of the best in the city, and they can be soaked up from the seventh-floor librairie (bookstore) terrace or the rooftop restaurant Perruche.
Address: 64 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
Merci
The three-story concept shop in the Haut Marais hasn’t lost its cool factor in the nearly 15 years it’s been open. The top floor feels like a brocante and savvy design shop with its vintage and mid-century-modern mix of décor and tableware. Shop Trudon candles or Merci-branded linen so your bed back home will forever remind you of your time in Paris. The ground floor features a rotating, themed display that feels much more like a museum than a boutique in the Marais—but you’ll immediately want to purchase everything featured.
Address: 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris
Marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen
The Marché aux Puces is the largest of its kind in the world, and while some prices can be on the higher side if you dig hard and long enough, you'll find great deals. This is where I’ve discovered fantastic vintage designer bags and my entire living room set of furniture.
Slightly more of a mission to reach from the city center, the flea market on Paris’ northern edge, at Porte de Clignancourt, extends across 15 markets, with 1,700-plus second-hand shops and antique vendors displaying vintage furniture, designer bags, record players and vinyl, and clothing that looks like it was plucked from an old French film. Running Saturday through Monday, you’ll find a mix of shops, stalls, and displays splayed across the street—plus your occasional jazz band on Sundays.
Address: 110 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine
Marché d’Aligre
Once the site of barricades during the French Revolution, this daily market (open all week except Monday) in the 12th arrondissement extends along the Rue and Place d’Aligre (between Bastille and Nation) and displays everything from fruits and vegetables to artisanal items, books, and second-hand clothing. The covered Beauvau market will fulfill all of your Paris dreams with its array of flowers, fromage, and wine stands.
Address: 25-11 Rue d’Aligre, 75012 Paris
Souvenirs to Take Back Home
Macarons
The delicate, jewel-toned meringue sweets are great gifts, but you’ll have to savor them quickly (within a few days). Ladurée and Pierre Hermé are two of the top spots in town.
Chocolate
You can find scarves nearly everywhere in the city, but if you want to splurge, Hermès is the place.
The multi-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse’s Le Chocolat is an easy treat since you can pack a box or bars in your carry-on.
Perfume
If you need guidance determining the best fragrance for you or a friend, concept shop Nose in Montorgueil can conduct an olfactory diagnosis to narrow down five top picks from the shop’s 500-plus different perfumes.
The city is home to some of Europe’s top noses and perfumers, so create a custom scent or sample bottles around town to find your favorite.
Book from Shakespeare and Company
One of the bragging rights of buying a book here is the “Kilometer Zero Paris” stamp and beautiful hand packaging.
The iconic bookstore in the Latin Quarter, across from Notre Dame, has long been a Left Bank haunt for literary lovers and authors alike, with a history that includes some of America’s greats like Hemingway and Fitzgerald.