Souvenirs, Paris

This is my first ever Paris shopping Tip. I'm not seriously into shopping so I leave those tips to the experts. However, we found a really fun store on our last trip. It is a chain of six stores in Paris selling my favorite French purchase . . . scarves.

I always buy at least one scarf when we go to France and usually get it (or them) at my favorite scarf store in Strasbourg. This year our daughters were in Paris with us and they decided to find scarves. This is not difficult in Paris.

Looking at the photo, they do sell other accessories but the scarves are what caught our attention. Great place for souvenirs.

Here is a list of addresses and phones:
52 rue St. Louis en L'Ile, phone 01 4634-8395 (Ile St. Louis in the 4th)
47/49 rue Mouffetard, phone 01 4336-1902 (Latin Quarter)
7 rue de la Huchette, phone 01 4326-3330 (Latin Quarter)
14 rue Soufflot, phone 01 4051-8913 (Latin Quarter)
40 rue St. André des Arts, phone 01 4329-1009 (St. Germain district)
5 rue Norvins, phone 01 4254-1635 (just off Pl. du Tertre in Montmartre)

What to buy: It is an entire store dedicated to scarves of every kind and color. I went crazy . . . as did our daughters. It is probably fortunate since we arrived in Strasbourg on a Sunday and my favorite scarf store was closed. ;^)

You can find any kind of scarf in any price range and even if you don't find what you want, you will have lots of fun looking. We certainly did. They also will be happy to give you a lesson on tying scarves. True fun.

You won't find Hermes super-expensive high fashion scarves, but you will find scarves you will enjoy and not be upset when they are snagged, have sauce spilled on them or just go out of fashion. They are just plain fun and at the lower price range, you can get as many as you want.

What to pay: 6 or 7 euros up to 10 times that

Ok, you already know it, you can find everything in Paris. The only problem is to have enough money to pay! With so many tourists there are many souvenir shops everywhere around the main touristic areas selling the usual stuff like magnets(2e), cups, purses, tshirts etc (pic 1). Some VTers suggest Carnaval des Affaires for lower prices but I didn’t find anything special, just same typical souvenirs. Check also the souvenir store if you visit the Catacombs, it has some weird skull shaped/printed merchandise (pics 4-5).

I like a lot some little shops/boutiques at Ile St Louis where you can buy some beautiful hats or other small things to wear.

The girls will love the perfume stores(like Sephora) at the superb tree-lined Avenue des Champs Elysées that also has some famous designers' clothes stores. Expensive stores but cheaper than London...

I saw a lot of flee markets(Clignancourt is the biggest one), many department stores(I dont like them anyway) like Galeries Lafayette(so expensive that you will lough)

Don’t miss the famous Bouquinistes along both sides of Seine river, they are 240 booksellers (pic 3) of used books, a tradition that started back in 16th century on Pont Neuf. Some of the books really expensive but worth to take a look. They also have old stamps, newspapers and posters but many of them also have normal souvenirs as customers that will to pay 300+ euros for a book a hard to find :)

We bought wines at Nicolas chain but then we realized we can find great cheap french wine in any super market, it's amazing how good a french wine can be without paying more than 5 to 8 euros.

I use to buy vinyl records but I didnt find anything rare in normal prices. Some record stores:
Dysphorie (15 Rue Guy de la Brosse)
Jussieu Music(19 Rue Linné (Metro Jussieu)
Rock' N' Roll Voltage (Rue du Roi de Sicille 23)
Monster Melodies (9 Rue des Dechargeurs (Metro Chatelet) (pic 2)
Master of Rock (7 Rue de la Jonquière)

The Opera Garnier does have a small Gift Shop which was quite crowed when I was there. Because of this, I had a quick look, saw that items for sale were mainly to do with Opera and Ballet and were quite expensive, so I left. At least you get quality here.
Black Teddy Bears, I'm not sure what they mean, Opera glasses, Tu-tu's, I think there was a book on the Opera House for sale, DVD's and a lot more than I can remember.
You can enter without paying to go into the Theatre.

I had to buy some souvenirs somewhere, but where?
I found some near the Notre Dame Cathedral, perhaps not the best of places, but I was happy!

After crossing at the traffic lights by the Cathedral, I walked along Rue Lagrange and this is where I found a few shops. After comparing some, I went back to one which had good choice of souvenirs, not a lot of tacky ones. This was what I wanted. I thought the prices were ok and there was plenty of choice, making it hard for me to make up my mind! When I did, they wrapped my pieces so they would be safe travelling home to Australia.
I did notice stalls selling paintings/drawings near the Cathedral, didn't check out prices though.

An ultra modern structure will offer business and leisure activities, 120 shops, a department store, 10 restaurants, and a Pathé multiplex cinema with 10 screens.
Located in the world’s number one tourist destination very close to the Eiffel tower in the 15th arrondissement, Beaugrenelle has become a station forming part of the new tourist route in Paris.

What to buy: I love to buy souvenirs & postcards wherever I go, but especially in Paris... I just can't get enough stuff with the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or Notre Dame pictured on it.... some of these things can be really expensive, but if you have the time & the patience to search, you can find really good deals.

I have found very nice articles *AND GOOD PRICES* especially near Notre Dame (if you stand facing the church, the street that runs right on its left side towards the river is full of little souvenir shops with good deals - please look at the picture) and on Rivoli street (next to the Louvre Museum... you can find a HUGE variety of items and they have good prices in some shops). Buying souvenirs close to the Eiffel Tower or the Opera will be more expensive - or at least that is my experience.

MAISON DE PARIS
"la boutique de vos souvenirs pour vous offrir le meilleur de Paris"

The shop of your memories to offer the best of Paris to you!

I found this pretty little souvenir shop on the Left Bank, around the corner from my fave hotel. The shop is cute and the proprietor, Pierrick Brunel, is VERY charming and exceptionally nice who speaks excellent English, and was ever-so-willing to help me with my rudimentary French. He even was kind enough to steer me away from the cheesy stuff and gave me good deals on items I bought in bulk, such as small Eiffel Towers (10ff in 2001), then he threw in some Eiffel Tower key rings for free. He also gave me advice on how to spot quality souvenir items should I decide to buy them elsewhere.

Monsieur Brunel sells high-quality yet relatively inexpensive souvenirs. For instance, those Eiffel Tower key chains that you buy from the sellers near the Eiffel Tower for 2€ each can be bought at Maison Paris at 10 for 2€ total here.

Needless to say, I try to get here every year!

What to buy: They have everything so it's a one-stop shop: a wide range of postcards, t-shirts, sweatshirts, Christmas ornaments, Eiffel Towers in varying sizes, keychains (ET & otherwise), miniature monuments, snowglobes, Paris bells, colored bath salts, Provençal lavender-filled sachets, Limoges ware, cool Parisian aprons, just a grand assortment of things.

Really, really pretty postcards here. Items ran from the very inexpensive typical cards to some arty, art noveau die-cut "postcards" by l'Ombre Bleue that you mail in an envelope. My Mom & Nanny (grandmother) enjoyed receiving the latter.

I don't know about you but I always feel compelled to get little inexpensive souvenirs (they DO have lovely real Limoges ware) but only want to shop for it once. And it's all here! :D

Photos: Feb 2006 & April 2003

What to pay: This is the cheapest place I've found them and of good quality, too; all cheaper than anyplace I've come across near Notre-Dame, the Bir Hakeim near Eiffel Tower, or in Montmartre.

You should be able to haggle/bargain with the owner.

The Official Eiffel Tower Shops offer a large selection of cultural and souvenir items with Paris and the Eiffel Tower as theme.

What to buy: Eiffel Tower miniatures and key rings, post cards, medals as well as stationery, clothing, tableware...

What to pay: EU 10.00 - 100.00

There are some souvenir shops closed to Basilica Montmartre. I compared the price for similar things, the price here is much cheaper than that at the shops closed to the Eiffel. If you buy a lot, you can negosiate the price, usually they will give you some discounts.

While walking through the Montmartre little roads, you will see many souvenir shops.
Basically i bought all my souvenirs there because i found a wide range of nice things to bring back home as gift.

What to buy: The most common thing are the little Tour Eiffel in every shape and colour

Certainly less cliché than a Tour Eiffel keyring as souvenirs !
Pylônes sells designers' small household and office items, decoration objects, fashion accessories and toys.
The objects are colourfull and original to purchase as gifts, and you won't find the same ones everywhere.

What to buy: Small items for the kitchen or the office (bottle opener, thermos, toaster, mugs, stappler...), lamps, vases, lunch boxes, clothe hangers, hair accessories...

What to pay: Most items are between 15 and 50 Euros

From the Anvers Métro stop (we were actually dropped off here from the L'Open Tour bus) we walked up rue Steinkerque to the souvenir shops to buy various souvenirs such as t-shirts, berets, matching scarves and hats (the brightly-colored knitted ones you see all over Paris with the knitted roses attached), coffee mugs (my decorations dissolved in the dishwasher), snow globes, Christmas ornaments, coffee coasters painted with different scenes of Paris, posters, art reproductions.

Souvenirs & Gifts (Cadeaux):
4 - Mondial Souvenirs
5 - C.B.M Souvenirs
10- Kazana (famous place for souvenirs & shopping)
13- Brival Claire
16- Murwiljuca/Paris France et D?couverte

Besides the souvenir shops you'll also find fabric shops at:
1 bis - Les Tissus La?k T.A.M (fabric by the meter)
3 - Les Tissus Saint-Pierre
5 - Milady Tissus
6 - Anvers Tissus
7 - Galeries des Tissus/Tissus M.B.
9 - Bons Tissus
10- Sacrés Coupons
15- Paris Tissus

What to buy: T-shirts, coffee cups, coasters, souvenir items basically but I found a better selection & cheaper prices at Maison de Paris.

Photos: February 2006 & November 2007

What to pay: More expensive than what I paid at Maison de Paris on rue de Montebello.

I found this little souvenir shop in the Concorde-Tuileries metro station that had the same items all other shops have, but cheaper than most. Unfortunately I don't have the name or any receipt from them but I could recommend this place if you happen to be close by.

Whilst walking through the streets of Montmartre you will see a variety of shops catering for the tourist, souvenirs, craft, ladies and mens clothing etc etc. The Tee Shirt shop attracted much attention and was not shy in displaying its wares.

What to buy: Tee Shirts for that special person.

What to pay: Prices are reasonable for Montmartre.

1/ St-Germain des Pr�s - Od�on - St-Sulpice area (you can catch the
metro line 4 and drop off at teh stations carrying teh same names) and

its just right on the south bank of paris very very central.
Beautiful area. Kind of posh but not old posh, smth more trendy young
area.
When you look at the map, St Germain des Pr�s, Od�on and St-Sulpice

are like forming a triangle...its not a big triangle, but within this
triangle there are loads of shops. From the high range luxury products
prada, dior and burberry, to more cool designers' stuff like "et
vous", Paul Smith, JP Gaultier. I think if could compare it to tokyo

its like triangle between Ebisu, Daikanyama and Meguro...i might be
wrong. There are as well more cheapy stuff and samll designers stores.
You need to just walk into that area...there are maybe one or 2 mains

streets (rue de rennes: gucci and dior, boulevard st germain,
boulevard raspail: paul smith) but you gotta walk in back streets and
small streets to find more authentic shops.
So this is like the young classy trends, which is usually

expensive..but its sales.
and you have lotsa nice caf�s, taverns (rue des canettes) and
restaurants in that area opened all night.

2/ Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. I only recommend it because its
sales. and you can find good stuff if u look for it...not sure you

wana spend hours in there. but as they have everything, you might be
able to find anything! (M�trop: Op�ra). With Printemps you can go to one of the
front counters - show your passport and you can get a
10-15% off special card for
foreigners.

What to buy: 3/ Etienne Marcel is the new trendy designer cool area to hang out.
its where all the designers brands go. The style is very Diesel like,
and they have all sorts of new unique concept stores..
I think it might still be expensive, but its interesting. I dotn think
it'll fit your style, but its worth walking around there for a couple
hours. Etienne Marcel is on line 4 and the area you should get into is
between theh station and avenu ed elop�ra..Bascially when you come out
of teh station go west

4/ Chatelet Les halles. its really rally close to Etienne Marcel. Its
a massive shopping centre where you can find basically
everything...But its all very popular brands. nothign very special but
there are so many shops tha tyou would eventually find what you like.
I personnaly hate going there coz its too crowded and people jsut
stare at you if you're too good looking...or vice versa. Dont go alone

5/ avenue Montaigne. its the beverly hills of Paris...just the most
expensive brands you can think of. its adJAcent to the Champs
Elys�es...with people living for shopping walking by with their
puppies and spending ... interesting to go there.

6/ Abbesses (ligne 12 in the north of Paris) is a very very popular
place in the littaral meaning of it. Parisian people go there for
drinks caf� and food. you can get fresh food everyday from the market.
good to have lunch and chill out in afternoons.

7/ you might hear about the flea market. its on the end of the line 4
on the northern part 'porte de clignancourt' - DO NOT GO THERE. unless
your friends relaly like it and know where to go. Its dodgy full
of foreigners and some petty theft... Don't go here.

8/ then thre's lile St-Louis. its a tiny island in the middle ofParis. very charming and has lotsa cute chops on it. its one street
only but i like to go tehre to chill.
Get off pont marie station and cross teh bridge and follow the panel
"ile st louis". you cant miss it.