Shopping, Paris

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Place de la Madeleine and surroundings are well known in Paris for their luxury food and wine shops. The best and internationally recognized food shops are Fauchon and Hediard specifically described here in the "shopping" category.

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On the upper scale as what concern prices you have caviar shops. Prices range between 2000 € for the French farmed types and 8000 € for the best wild quality.
In the medium range foie gras and on the lower side mustard from the house Maille.

Now Maille mustards and vinegars are sold in most supermarkets and groceries in France and other countries, but the shop in front of the Madeleine church is a "vitrine" window to show the products to tourists coming for Fauchon (or the Madeleine church). So if you came from overseas to buy French mustard no need to spend you money at Fauchon as long as you are interested by the product and not by the name.

There is also the wine shop Nicolas, again the "vitrine" for this group, but at the Boulevard de la Madeleine n° 3 you will find another specialist in wines "Lavinia" with a wide range of wines, champagnes, spirits and liquors at reasonable prices like their competitor "Nicolas".

Southwards of la Madeleine towards Place de la Concorde you have the rue Royale, to the north there is the rue Tronchet leading to the Boulevard Haussmann. Eastwards is the boulevard des Capucines. The area is full of luxe boutiques mainly for ladies although men are not forgotten.

The Galeries Lafayette on the boulevard Haussmann (there is another one at Montparnasse) is actually a monument where one can buy all luxury products for all uses.
Lafayette is located in 3 buildings on the bvd. Haussmann.
Most famous for its architecture and glass dome is the one called "Lafayette Coupole" on the corner with the rue de la chaussée d'Antin. My wife took me here as there are 4 floors of women's fashion, cosmetics, jewellery, maroquinerie (leatherwear).

A number of luxury brands have their own boutique with guards limiting the numbers of persons admitted inside. I must say that women and men selling products at Lafayette are all very smart. Security guards stand at the entrances.

The next building is Lafayette Homme with 3 floors on men's fashion. I managed to avoid this part and went to the Lafayette Gourmet Food hall and Wine Library so much more interesting!
On the other side of the boulevard is the Lafayette Maison - Home.

Something that on each of my visits to the "shopping Paris" struck me is the extreme luxury of the shops and the misery of the SDF "sans domicile fixe" homeless sitting against a wall of the same boulevard with a board saying "j'ai faim - I'm hungry".

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We have been a couple of times to Paris in December. It was each time a pleasure to walk on the Boulevard Haussmann where the three buildings of the The Galeries Lafayette are nicely decorated. My photo 1 shows the outside of one of them.
Lafayette is especially enchanting in December with the huge Christmas tree (photo 2) under the famous "coupole" glass dome. The windows on the boulevard Haussmann show sceneries with automats (photo 3).

Bouquinistes stalls along the quai

The bouquinistes in Paris is where to find a bargain on posters, post cards, old advertisements, rare books, old magazines ~ a veritable treasure trove.

It was at the bouquinistes along the Quai de la Mégisserie (Right Bank) that I found a cool 1920s-era yellow Josephine-Baker-in-her-banana-outfit poster for a friend. I was thrilled! And my friend loves the poster.

Photo: March 2001

The following tip is still accurate but the store is closed for renovation work and may not reopen for a couple of years. 15 July 2008.

The top of the Samaritaine department store offers great views in every direction. There are even plaques indicating what buildings, etc. you are seeing. When we went there was a small fee of 1 or 2 euro. There is also a restaurant on the rooftop terrace so you can enjoy a meal, a snack or a drink while overlooking Paris. The advantage to this bird's eye view is that it is 360 degrees and is right in the middle of the city. Click the photo for a wider panoramic view.

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Every Tuesday, Printemps has a free fashion show at 10:00am on the 7th floor of Printemps de la Mode. No registration needed.

Obviously not as chic or cool as attending a REAL fashion show, but a neat way to pretend that you are at least for an hour! Photographs, with flash are allowed.

I confess I had a little trouble finding the show, I did ask and I was given directions, but sometimes my translating skills are poor.

Also when exiting the show room after... taking the stairs will give you a look at the store's famous stained glass window un close and from the inside.

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The rooftop terrace of Samaritaine near the Pont Neuf, along with the whole store is closed indefinitely.

Maybe for months, maybe years, maybe even forever (anybody know?),
all due to necessary and long overdue safety upgrades and renovations.

Since it is predicted that it could take 6 or more years and 100 million Euros to finish the project, I suspect it is possible Samaritaine as we used to know it may be gone forever.

I will sorely miss it. I thought it was one of the best free attractions of Paris.

I was there Wed. October 1, 2003 on a beautiful sunny day and took many pictures. The cafe on the roof of store number two offers a 360 degree view of Paris. There was no admission charge of any kind.

Lots of people were dining at the cafe (more like a self-serve sandwich shop) though there were plenty of open seats. More than a few tourists and local shoppers were laying on deck chairs in the warm sun, lazily taking in their vitamin D while simultaneously gazing over all of Paris. (Hey... Somebody's gotta' do it....)

(In 2nd pic are the rooftop sunbathers working hard on their complexions)

Temperature that day was about 73 degF and very sunny, (and the view wasn't too bad either).

I will really miss going up on the roof @ Samaritaine... :(

I took a bunch of pictures on the roof that day along with this one, and I will post them later somewhere.

In memory of Samaritaine closing, here is a wonderful large photograph taken from effectively the same perspective by Paris photographer extraordinaire - Anthony Atkielski:
Anthony Does Samaritaine

His work is such fun to enjoy & chase around

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Due to its location at the centre of le triangle d'or (golden triangle) of Paris, its views of the Eiffel Tower, and its top real estate, l'avenue Montaigne is perhaps the most enviable avenue in the City of Light. The wide avenue is bordered by Place de l'Alma near the Seine at one end and Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées at the other, and is lined with beautiful horse chestnut trees. Some of the world's most luxurious labels, such as Christian Dior, Nina Ricci, Harry Winston and Bulgari, have opened boutiques or established their headquarters in the buildings along the avenue, most of which dates from the late 1800s. Hotel Plaza Athénée, one of Paris' most renowned, is also located here. When taking a stroll down avenue Montaigne, make sure you are elegantly dressed!