traveldk.com

Food and fashion are two of the things that Paris does supremely well and at all kinds of price ranges. Good wines can be found reasonably inexpensively. Galleries offer artworks from the traditional to the avant-garde and stationery shops tempt buyers with beautiful displays.

These vary enormously, though typically they will be from about 9:30am–7pm Monday to Saturday. Thursday is late-night shopping until 9pm in many shops. Sunday is very quiet but many small shops do open, especially food shops in the morning as people stock up for Sunday lunch. Shops may well close during August.

Different rates of sales tax (TVA) apply to most goods, varying between 5–25 per cent and are generally included in the stated price. No refunds are available on purchases of food, wine or tobacco. On other goods, tax can be refunded to non-EU citizens who spend more than €175 in one shop. Ask the store for the appropriate form.

Paris is still a fashion capital, for men and women, and a range of shopping options is available. There are the genuine haute couture stores, mostly on and near avenue Montaigne (see Designer Shops), but many shops sell cut-price designer labels and there is a great choice of inexpensive fashion too.

No visit to Paris is complete without going to one of the street markets. Don’t let the stalls blind you to the shops, however, which are full of gastronomic delights. Place de la Madeleine has a high concentration of food stores (see Au Verger de la Madeleine).

French fashion isn’t all on the surface. Designers also produce stylish underwear, from subtly erotic to rather blatantly provocative.

Two more items to check out in Paris. There are many shops devoted to both, including the Sephora chain where you can sample hundreds of scents. Prices are usually favourable, too.

Paris’s huge department stores come on a grand scale. You almost need a map to find your way round Galeries Lafayette, while Au Printemps has separate buildings for its various sections (see Au Printemps). BHV sells household goods and a vast array of DIY tools, plus clothes.

Parisians are into music in a big way, and the large music stores reflect this. Try any of the FNAC chain of shops, which stock a huge range of CDs alongside books, videos and computer software. The Virgin Megastore on the Champs-Elysées has several floors, and has shop-floor headphones to let you listen to the stock.

French stationery can be exquisite and there are plenty of specialist shops with tempting window displays. Handmade papers sit alongside beautifully designed pens and cards that anyone would be pleased to receive. Diaries and address books make tasteful presents.