The Parisian ideal
is elegant rather than funky, trends come and go but Paris
is always at the forefront and there are few cities where you can
find so many top-quality designers. These also include some British
designers, John Galliano at Dior,
Julian McDonald at Givenchy and
McDonald’s predecessor, Alexander McQueen,
as well as that ever-controversial Frenchman, Jean-Paul
Gaultier, with his own store near Bastille. The exclusive
designer shops are in the 8th, enclosed in the golden triangle formed
by avenue des Champs-Elysées, avenue
Montaigne and rue François 1er and
along rue du Faubourg St-Honoré.
A less rarefied but typically Parisian shopping experience is to
be had at the main department stores located on boulevard
Haussmann, 8th. These include Les Galeries,
with its huge coloured dome, and Au Printemps.
Métro Temple or Republique
take the bargain shopper to the cheapest department store in the
city, Tati, 172
rue du Temple, 3rd. Cut-price designer gear can be picked up at
the Mouton à Cinq Pattes, 8 rue St-Placide,
6th. The sales sweep through Paris during January and July.
For those who enjoy intimate, friendly boutiques one should head
for the Marais district, in the 4th arrondissement.
Rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the gay quarter sells
designer kitsch, while the winding rue des Rosiers,
in the Jewish quarter, has plenty of young designers whose works
are displayed at L’Eclaireur. This area is
at its busiest on Sunday, with many shops closed on Saturday due
to the Jewish sabbath. It is ideal for a quick falafel snack, while
the best ice cream in Paris is for sale at Berthillon,
31 rue de St-Louis-en-L’Ile, 4th.
The Carrousel du Louvre, under the glass pyramid
in the Louvre courtyard, is a very good place for shoppers to find
tasteful gifts but those determined to take home plastic Eiffel
Towers should head for rue de Rivoli, home to tourist
kitsch. The American-run Shakespeare & Co,
37 rue de la Bûcherie, 5th, has the city’s widest selection
of second-hand books in English. French books are best purchased
at the city’s FNAC stores, one of which is
at the shopping arcade, the Forum des Halles, 1st. Bouquinistes
sell second-hand books, as well as prints, postcards and gifts,
along the River Seine.
Expensive antiques are to be found at Le Louvre des Antiquaires,
beside the Louvre on place du Palais Royal. For bric-a-brac, there
are the renowned flea markets (marchés aux puces), including
the Porte de Montreuil, 20th, which is open on Saturday, Sunday
and Monday 0900 hrs - 1800 hrs, and St-Ouen/Porte de Clignancourt,
18th, open Friday 0600 hrs - 1400 hrs, Saturday 0830 hrs - 1730
hrs, Sunday 1030 hrs - 1800 hrs and Monday 1030 hrs - 1700 hrs.
There are numerous morning food markets in Paris, while the Ile-de-la-Cité
has one of the largest flower markets in Paris.
Many an eyebrow was raised a few years ago when a number of homeless
people were evicted from the remaining section of the old Bastille-Vincennes
elevated railway and local artists were coaxed in. The result today
is the Viaduc des Arts, Avenue Daumesnil, a unique
and atmospheric shopping venue where genuinely different designer
creations flourish in a scene that is a world away from the hegemony
of the malls and shopping centres. Some of the most interesting
outlets include Malhia Kent at No.19, who weaves
for the likes of Gucci and Dior,
Yamakodo at No.65, with its range of fun and funky
modern furniture and Astier de Villatte at No.107,
who are renowned for their innovative pottery.
Opening
hours Monday to Saturday 0900/1000 hrs - 1900/2000 hrs and close
between about 1200 hrs and 1430 hrs for lunch.
Sales tax ranges from 5.21 per cent-16.38 per cent,
varying widely between what are regarded as essential items and
luxury goods.
Non-EU visitors can obtain a tax deduction of 12-13 per cent on
purchases of over €175 in any one establishment, by obtaining
a form at the relevant shop and presenting it to customs on departure.
Global Refund (telephone number: (01) 4161 5151, fax number: (01)
4834 6020, e-mail: taxfree@fr.globalrefund.com,
website: www.globalrefund.com)
can provide further information and advice. |
