Shopping – All our local tips

An excellent and always enjoyable spot for drinks and dinner is Bercy Village on the Eastern side of Paris. Away from the main tourist routes but always busy, this secluded pedestrian street offers a nice combination of outside terraces, restaurants, shops and even a cinema.

The street and buildings are converted docks, that once functioned as storage for the wine barrels that supplied Paris. The old train tracks (leading to the Seine where the barrels arrived by boat) are still visible in the middle of the street. The reconversion has been very well done.

The Village offers a selection of good shops (Agnès B, Nature et Découvertes, Sephora), a brewery (The Frog), restaurants and a USG cinema, guaranteeing a nice evening out all within a square mile. There are frequent free photo exhibitions in the portals that give access to the street.

The modern and rapid metro line 14 gives direct access within 12 minutes from the centre of Paris.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bercy village | Bars, Cinemas, Shopping
Cour St – Emilion | Marais/Bastille
Shops 11:00 – 21:00 daily

Paris is a bit like the girl you see emerge each day from some beautiful ancient building – immaculately dressed with just a hint of contempt perceptibly emanating from her perfectly painted lips – who, you later discover, lives in some 14m sq chambre de bonne, owns but 5 items of clothing, has no kitchen and shares a bathroom with 4 strangers and twice as many mice. All glamour and poise at first glace, somewhat more shambolic at the second.

And so it comes as no surprise to the Parisians and no small shock to anyone else that such an establishment still welcomes (destruction-hungry) customers through its venerable doors.

If nothing else, the pest shop is very much worth a look for the large quantity of stuffed and variously positioned rats and mice in the window: some strung-up, others mid-trap and even a few poised a hairs-breadth from the sinister looking metal jaws of the murderous device. Be not deterred by the apparently gruesome nature of the display though; for me this shop truly is a wonderful statement in defense of Paris’s loyal attachment to its national traditions and pride in its noble history.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Etablissements Julien Aurouze | Art & culture, Shopping
8 rue des Halles | Louvre/Les Halles | +331404116206
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 18:30

Climbing over body-bag sized sacks of clothes and shoes to claim some coveted item, scaling the rickety step ladder to the equally dangerous looking mezzanine level in search of boots and bags, diving head-first into the 3€ pit; all part and parcel of the somewhat extreme shopping experience chez Free ‘P’ Star.

Nestled in between the gay bookshop and the quirky theatre Point Virgule, this delightfully ungentrified vintage shop is literally packed to the rafters with second-hand delights. Somewhat more organized these days, areas of the shop now correspond to particular items (bags, shoes, dresses etc.) though vaguely ordered-chaos still generally predominates, especially at weekends.

Prices start at around 3€ in the piled-high troughs on the right hand wall (where dig deep you MUST), dresses/tops (in fact most things) are around 10/15€, bags around 5-20€ and shoes up to 20€ also.

Unlike many French shops, you will not accosted by stern shop assistants but it is essential you go in the right frame of mind – something akin to battle-mode!

And if it all becomes too much there is a lovely restaurant next door (the moules-frites are unmissable), an ice-cream shop on the corner and a number of great bars with trottoir facing terraces in the very near vicinity.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Free P’ Star | Shopping | Bags € 5.00
8 rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie | Marais/Bastille | +33142760372
09:00 – 19:00 daily

With its two screens showing only “Latin” films (ie films from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Latin America, and more rarely Romania), and its dance-floor upstairs hosting latin dances classes, Le Latina cinema has become over the years an inevitable place for latin cultures’ enthusiasts wishing to watch an Almodovar film downstairs while hearing the noise of High Heels on the floor above…

Recently, Le Latina was slightly renamed in Le Nouveau Latina, and it slightly changed too, even if it keeps its strong Latin identity. Most of the films are still from Latin countries, but programming now is wider, and includes international auteur cinema (with a preference for films about homosexuality: we’re in the deep heart of the Marais), midday thematic cycles, and midnight cult films on Saturdays (very rare in Paris).

The first floor has been renovated and is now a very cosy tea salon (re-opening in October) which also hosts a small store selling DVDs, film posters and books about cinema (open until 19:00). If you add photography / drawing exhibitions and tango classes on Monday evenings (beginner / intermediate / free practise), it makes Le Nouveau Latina the perfect multidisciplinary space for modern “Latin lovers”…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Nouveau Latina | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Shopping
20 rue du Temple | Marais/Bastille | +33142466271
11:30 – 00:00 daily

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges is reputedly the oldest food market in Paris, built under the rule of Louis XIII around 1615. The name, which literally means the Market of the Red Children, refers to the red uniform worn by the children of the orphanage that was located nearby.

Still marked out by a small iron gate off the rue de Bretagne in the now rather chic upper Marais district, today the market is alive with the aromas of fresh produce and the sounds of market clatter and chatter. Strolling though the narrow rows you are met by the rich, vibrant colours of an impressive array of organic fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. Also available is olive oil, charcuterie, wine, cheese and other such wholesome delights.

The market is an ideal spot for lunch too. Freshly cooked dishes can be bought from the various stalls (Moroccan, French, Italian fare, sushi, cheeses, meats and so on) and consumed at the communal trestle tables at either end of the market. There are also a couple of small restaurants, such as L’estaminet which serves simple, traditional (though very good) fare in a homely, relaxed atmosphere. A plentiful Brunch is available on Sunday for € 20.00 too.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marché des Enfants Rouges | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (Varied)
39 rue de Bretagne | Marais/Bastille
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 14:00 & 16:00 – 20:00, Sun 09:00 – 14:00

Between Palais-Royal and Gare de l’Est, there are about 20 covered passages that testify to a certain era of Parisian history, when upper classes looked for elegant “streets” to walk, to shop and at the same time to be sheltered from bad weather. Mostly built in the early 19th century, these passages were the ancestors of our modern shopping centres.

Passage Brady is one of these, and probably the most exotic. Connecting Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis with Turkish restaurants to Boulevard de Strasbourg, with its theatres and African hairdressers, it’s mostly occupied by cheap Indian and Pakistanese restaurants, the firsts of which were founded in the 1970’s by immigrants from Pondicherry, a former French territory in India.

Fragrances of spices and incense escape from exotic food stores and make this lively and colourful place very attractive to visitors.

Going South on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, near the arch (Porte Saint-Denis), you will find another example of such passages. Passage du Prado, an L shape, less exotic and preserved, still has a certain charm, and is a good place if you need cheap clothes, to rent Bollywood DVDs, a cheap haircut or if you want to mix with the local crowd and try Mauritian cuisine in one of the numerous fast-food outlets of the passage.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Passage Brady (& Prado) | Relaxing, Shopping, Restaurants (Indian) | Haircut € 6
Passage Brady | Grands Boulevards
24 hours daily

It’s impossible to resist one of masterpieces of confectionary of Patisserie Arnaud Delmontel, located at the pleasant Rue des Martyrs (see the Rue des Martyrs article).

A look in the shop window will tell it all, or otherwise the queue on Sunday mornings. The shop won the 2007 first prize for the Best Baguette in Paris, adding to its fame.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Patisserie Arnaud Delmontel | Shopping, Snacks
39 rue des Martyrs | Grands Boulevards | +33148782933
Wed – Mon 07:00 – 20:30

This is every man’s dream, at least as far as shaving is concerned. A whole shop completely dedicated to the ritual of shaving!

They have all razors, shavers, brushes and mirrors you can imagine, as well as all accessories.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Planète Rasoir | Shopping
58, rue de Clichy | Montmartre/Clichy | +33142851608
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00

For modern and contemporary art enthusiasts, Pompidou Centre is definitely worth a visit. But, with the National Museum of Modern Art and the temporary exhibitions, a full visit can be very exhausting! That’s why you’ll probably need to rest your neurons by wandering around the Printemps du Design store.

Located in the entrance hall of the building on the mezzanine level, under the vigilance of Georges Pompidou himself (see picture), this store offers all kind of designer objects, from cheap funny office stationery or kitchenware to expensive designer clothes, house furnishings or new technological items. There’s a lot of humour involved in most of the cheap objects, but they are not simply just gadgets, they generally have their own use.

The section for kids also has a great variety, and you can easily find an original gift for your little nephew or niece, or a funny bib for newborn babies.

Most people go there just to have a look, so even if you’re not a shopping addict, it’s always quite relaxing to look and “try” the objects exhibited there, especially after concentrating for a long time in front of the masterpieces displayed in the Centre…

NOTE: Until the March 8th 2010 (and maybe definitively), the store will be located below its usual location on the mezzanine, ie in the main entrance hall, ground floor (near the ticket office).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Printemps du design | Relaxing, Shopping | From € 2.00
Place Georges Pompidou | Louvre/Les Halles | +33144781578
Wed – Mon 11:00 – 22:00

The rue des Abbesses in Montmartre (or just “Abbesses”) is a village street in the big city.

It is here that the locals from Montmartre do their Saturday morning/afternoon groceries. With many little fruit shops, bakeries and coffee bars it turns the duties of the week into a free time pleasure.

Although the street, close to Pigalle and the Sacré Coeur, gets its fair share of tourists during the day, it remains a place where authenticity is still dominant.

Try a baguette (or better, a “tradition”) from Coquelicot (nr 24) or take a coffee brake at the counter of Le Village (Nr 36). You can also stroll down the descending street Rue Lepic (also very pleasant) and buy some extremely good French cheeses at nr 20.

The large terraces of bars Le vrai Paris and Le Sancerre (Abbesses nrs 35 and 33) are always busy (In wintertime they are heated).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rue de Abbesses | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Restaurants (French)
Rue des Abbesses | Montmartre/Clichy
Daily

Whilst much of Paris is wide, uniform Haussmannian Boulevards, the Rue du Faubourg du Temple is a throwback to the medieval city layout. The Faubourgs were the original natural routes that lead visitors into the city, and with the curving, cobblestone road, and wide range of building heights and forms, it is immediately obvious that this is an ancient pathway. Down at pavement level though, you are dragged back to the 21st century, to a noisy, bright world of commerce, amusement and nourishment.

Paris is a city that goes to bed early, but this is a street that never sleeps. A constant stream of people parade up and down the pavements, some to shop at the cheap clothes outlets, some to buy chinese or North African foodstuffs, some to drink in bars, some to photograph the atmosphere and some just because it’s what the street tells them to do. It is a world to itself, peopled with a hundred different nationalities.

The street itself is a narrow one, but if you manage to push open some of the large doorways into the buildings you’ll discover sizeable bucolic landscapes behind. Some of these shelter lofts and houses, offering atypical housing the heart of the city to fashion designers and singers. Easier to spot is the Palais de Commerce, a 1920s shopping arcade which has been converted into office units for graphic designers, but which still houses the famous Java nightclub. Lower down towards the Place de la Republique, you’ll also find two theatres which programme up and coming comedians, le Palais des Glaces and le Temple.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rue du Faubourg du Temple | Art & culture, Relaxing, Shopping, Theaters
Rue du Faubourg du Temple | Belleville/Nation
24 hours daily

A pretty little haven of homely culture ideal for anyone seeking English literature and a warm hospitable environment in which to pass an afternoon. Tea and Tattered Pages boasts a wide selection of second-hand English and American literature, poetry, history, biography amongst other sections (home, education etc); all at reasonable prices.

In spite of being somewhat out-of-the-way this delightful book shop is well worth the journey; what’s more, English tea, scones and carrot cake are served in the diminutive tea room at the back.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Tea and Tattered Pages | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks
24 rue Mayet | Montparnasse | +33140659435
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

I’m far from being a chocoholic, and normally have no problems resisting the temptations of the exuberant window displays of the traditional Paris chocolatier. My tastes are more geared towards the simple and natural, and I find the pralines and ganaches offered by most establishments to be over-rich and slightly sickly.

Via Chocolat is a different kind of establishment though, being a showroom (or Cho’room as they describe themselves) for a constantly changing selection of the best independent chocolate producers in the country. The showroom is simple and slick, with photos of the producers being more visible than the chocolates themselves which are hidden secretly away in sliding drawers.

The chocolates are sold in a wide range of box sizes, with staff making a selection according to your personal preferences. Some are infused with teas, fruits or flowers, some have a slight kick of chilli or ginger whilst others offer a twist of the truly original, such as a warm aroma of honey or a crunch of salt. They feel homemade when you bite into them, the thin crust cracking and giving way to smooth, whipped centres.

As well as the individual chocolates, tablets are also available ranging from classic strong dark chocolate to the astonishing ‘aperitif’ bar which is packed with popcorn, nuts and dried tomatoes!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Via Chocolat | Shopping, Snacks | Tablet € 3.00
5 Rue Jean-Baptiste Pigalle | Montmartre/Clichy | +330145261273
Tue – Fri 13:00 – 19:30, Sat 10:30 – 20:00

Lavinia is one of the best and largest wine shops of Paris. This is not a small boutique or cave but a real temple of wine.

The staff is helpful and knowledgeable and will point you out where to find the Merlot, Sancerre or Porto you are looking for.

The shop offers many possibilities for wine tastings. Not only do they have an internal cafeteria (upstairs) but you can also book wine courses and group tastings.
Upstairs you also find an impressive selection of whiskeys (locked of course) and it needs no mention that the Champagne region is also well represented.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Wine shop Lavinia | Shopping
3, boulevard de la Madeleine | Grands Boulevards | +33142972020
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00