Description: we provide cosmetic solutions to professional artists, though one need not be an artist to use our products.

Customers appreciate: welcoming atmosphere and professional advice.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Description: the museum of perfumery and theatre of the nasturtium museum.

Customers appreciate: Free guided tours of our museums.

Service available in: French, English, Polish, Russian, German.

Description: we carry exclusive brands of perfume, as well as leather goods and miscellaneous souvenirs.

Customers appreciate: hospitable environment, convenient worldwide shipping (customers pay the FedEx fee), the goods are not taxed.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Description: treat your tastebuds to these delicious praline chocolates, tea-flavored ganaches and home-made ice cream cones; enjoy!

Customers appreciate: praline-flavoured chocolates, tea-scented ganaches, and ice cream.

Service available in: French.

Description: Luxurious chocolate factory in the heart of the Marais.

Customers appreciate: the Dragées de Verdun chocolatesand other fine quality chocolates.

Service available in: French.

Description: spacious and friendly, our boutique carries many popular shoe styles, from sporty to trendy.

Customers appreciate: creativity and comfort.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Description: we carry footwear from renowned French designers - such as Charles Jourdan, Lagerfeld, and Stephane Kelian - for both men and women. We also carry various assorted handbags at very attractive prices. (We give a value-added tax rebate on exported items)

Customers appreciate: large selection, good quality of the merchandise, and hospitable environment.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish, and a few African dialects.

Description: in the heart of Paris, nestled between the Forum des Halles and Etienne Marcel street, our store carries the latest shoes and shoestyles for both men and women, at the best prices.

Customers appreciate: the hospitable environment.

Service available in: French, English, Italian, Spanish.

Description: we carry stylish brand-name clothing and haute couture.

Customers appreciate: the hospitable spacious environment, fine custom alterations and repairs, vintage clothing and accessories.

Service available in: French, English, Italian, Spanish.

Description: in the heart of Marais, 2 steps away from the Picasso museum, Johann, professional tailor manufacturing since 1972, opens his doors to the public to show his fine clothing collection of jackets, trousers, shirts, ties and ceremonial apparels. Johann draws from his expertise with top-of-the-line Italian fabrics (Ermenegildo, Zegna, Flli Cerruti, Loro Piana, etc.) to offer you elegance at a fabulous price!

Customers appreciate: the expertise, the large selection, the good quality of the merchandise, and the great prices.

Service available in: English, French, Spanish.

Description: located in the heart of Saint Germain Des Prés, our workshop carries two to three thousand hats, scarves and gloves, ready-to-wear or custom-made.

Customers appreciate: the expertise, the great prices, and the large selection.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Description: decorated with a 13th century flair, this trendy discotheque is located in the heart of the student district. Reasonable drink prices.

Customers appreciate: friendly atmosphere, eclectic mix of music, good crowd.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: Rental of reception halls and drawing rooms. Organize your own unique receptions in stylish Parisian salons.

Customers appreciate: historical outlook, convenient location nearby the Étoile, confidential atmosphere. Rental halls are customized to the client's taste and specifications.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: shop selling funny and affordable designer items.

Customers appreciate: the originality and style of the shop, as well as the great prices.

Service available in: French, English, German, Italian.

Description: we carry angel paraphernalia, such as: figurines, books, paintings, key chains, candles, etc.

Customers appreciate: the selection of angel figurines, scents and music.

Service available in: French, English, German.

Description: located in the heart of Paris (nearby Notre Dame), we specialize in the rental of old-style pine furniture from England and Nordic Countries. We also carry painted furniture and many decoratives items, such as: glasses, coverlets, lamps, etc.

Customers appreciate: selection of various unique items, final quality control guaranteed by our team of cabinetmakers. Worldwide shipping.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish, Italian, Russian.

Description: We carry American designs of the 50s and 60s. We also carry many pieces of furniture, lamps and light fixtures, original designs from the USA, put together by popular designers such as Paul Mc Cobb, Milo Baughmann, Paul Evans, and Paul Frankl.

Customers appreciate: large selection, kitchen utensils of the 50s, fiber glass, rosewood, ad signs, brands and designs of American culture.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: Mr. Motevally, importer et exporter, is responsible for the sale, purchase, exchange, and appraisal of all new and old carpets. Our workshops are equipped for washing and repairing carpets and tapestries.

Customers appreciate: complete and honest service, good prices, large selection and quality items.

Service available in: French, English, Italian, Persian.

Cocagne

37 bis rue Rodier
9th district
Tel: (33) 1 44 53 98 30
Fax: (33) 1 45 26 59 90

Description: Cocagne refers to the country where life is sweet and carefree, where bargain-hunters leisurely stroll through the enchantment of past centuries. You can find anything here, from tableware (19th-century glasses, Limoges services) to linen (sheets, hand-embroidered tablecloths), knick-knacks and charming small furnishings. A great place to find your heart's desire!

Customers appreciate: the personal attention and the range of affordable products.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Novitas

19 rue La Vieuville
18th district
Tel: (33) 1 42 23 22 87
Fax: (33) 1 42 57 11 10
www.novitas.fr
contact@novitas.fr

Description: a very unique showroom/boutique in Monmartre offering a selection of exclusive decorative items with contemporary designs of Northern Europe, designs of the 60s, and popular styles of today (Arne Jacobsen, J-Jensen, etc.).

Customers appreciate: top-of-the-line service from a small top-of-the-range shop, selection of unique and original styles and designs rarely or never seen in France.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: certified creative jeweller, we create, manufacture, and transform all kinds of jewelry, such as: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, solitaires, pendants, ornaments, diamonds, saphires, rubies, emeralds, cultured pearls from Japan and Tahiti.

Customers appreciate: the fine designs and the quality of our precious stones always available at the best price.

Service available in: French, English, Spanish.

Les Ateliers Tamalet

79 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière
9th district
Tel: (33) 1 45 23 47 47
Fax: (33) 1 45 23 47 48

Description: we import a variety of pearls: cultured pearls, fine pearls and pearls from around the world (China, Japan, The Philippines, and Tahiti). We also have a large selection of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and pendants.

Customers appreciate: good choice of raw materials, the hospitable environment (show room, workshop on the 2nd floor) and the possibility of providing custom-designed jewelry.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: large and luxurious shop which carries old and rare jewels, and recent signed jewels. Friendly, professional service by a staff trained in gemnology. We also do appraisals and repairs.

Customers appreciate: the luxurious decor, the hospitable environment, and the top-of-the-range jewels.

Service available in: French, English, Italian, Spanish.

Description: we specialize in watches and weather forecasting devices. More than 2000 models available.

Customers appreciate: the hospitable environment, large selection, and great prices all year around.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: old silverware, retro and of occasion, made of silver plated metal and solid silver.

Customers appreciate: low prices and large selection.

Service available in: French, English, Italian, Spanish.

Description: we offer a large selection of tableware, in stock or via special orders.

Customers appreciate: large selection of British service sets.

Service available in: French, English.

Description: we are the oldest wine cellar and delicatessen of Paris. Decorated with a flair of the 1900s with woodworks and windows which open on the Vivienne gallery, we carry more than 3,500 wine labels and alcohols, confectionery, grocer, and other articles.

Customers appreciate: the expertise, the great service, the large selection and the magical setting of the environment.

Service available in: French, English, Japanese, German.

Paris has become more expensive over the last three years because of the appreciation of the Euro currency. Die-hard fashionistas have had to wisen up and be smarter in the way they shop. Some best-kept-secret shops offer bargains you cannot decently pass on.

Paris is a giant shopping mall

Those of you who visited Paris already know that from a shopper’s perspective, the city is divided in broad sections where stores of the same trade tend to congregate. A mosaic of many colors, tastes, and price ranges.

You stand on Boulevard Saint Germain, in the upper part of the Saint Germain des Prés district. Designer clothing stores, sidewalk cafés et restaurants abound in this area. Draw nearer the river Seine and your foodsteps lead you where the art galleries cluster together. Walk a bit to the east, towards Rue de Buci and its market, the clothing stores become less expensive.

Turn south, and from the Saint Germain des Prés church, walk up Rue de Rennes, towards the Montparnasse Tower. About 200 yards away, the upscale Rue Dufour crosses Rue de Rennes. It is lined with more expensive shops. Continue to walk up Rue de Rennes, and you will arrive at the Saint Sulpice metro station. The apparel shops in the surrounding streets situated to your right offer good bargains.

Two sales seasons in Paris

In yet another district, not too far from the old Opera house, Boulevard Haussmann became the home of the department stores in the 19th century. The “Printemps” departement store was built there in 1865, and the “Galeries Lafayette” followed suit in 1893. Department stores are treasure troves: clothes, shoes, jewelry, watches, accessories, perfumes spread on a five-story high, gigantic floor space.

Their selection is great, but you have to visit Paris during the official sale seasons to find true bargains there. And there are only two sales seasons in France: winter, and summer. Their respective starting dates in a given year are set by government decree, and they each last 6 weeks. The Winter sale season in Paris starts in the second week of January. Summer sales start toward end-June.

Shopping smartly at designer depots

For off-season bargains look somewhere else. Bargains are often found in small shops located in God-forsaken streets, or in hard-to-find first-floor apartments. This is the case of designer depots.

Though it has become a brand name in North America, a designer depot is in fact a form of commerce. People like you and me bring in clothes we don’t want to wear anymore, and get a little money from the shop owner who will resell our garments for a little more money to other people.

But Parisian designer depots aren’t exactly your regular Salvation Army-type stores.  Though not all equal before God, Parisian designer depots are often owned by women with a background in the fashion industry. Women with flair and a sharp eye for what to wear and how.

In ‘designer depot”, there is the magic word ‘designer’. Parisian designer depots offer designer and couture clothes in perfect condition at deep, deep, very deep discounts. Clothes worn only once or twice sometimes.

Where to find them

I would like to recommend you three ‘petites adresses’ -- French for ‘best-kept-secret places’ -- I selected amongst a host of others.

For those of you who like the classic look, ‘Priscilla’ is the shop. Priscilla owns the place. She loves signature names such as Yves Saint Laurent, Max Mara, Kenzo, Chistian Dior, and Sonya Rykiel. Her prices range from €60 for a skirt, to €75 for a jacket, to €130 for a lady’s suit. To her clients, Priscilla advises to rummage around, and to leave their minds open to possibilities. The shop stands at 4 rue Mouton Duvernet, 14th district. Mouton-Duvernet is the nearest metro station. Opening hours are between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Monday, and from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday to Saturday with a one-hour break at 1:30 pm.

In a totally different style, Griff-Troc is the designer depot you need to lose yourself into when you want to go chic-chic-chic. The owner, Beatrice, chose to specialize in perennial, classic basics in perfect condition. Chic has a heftier price tag, of course, but on the upside Griff-Troc offers brand names for 15-30% of boutique prices. On the shelves when I wrote this piece, Beatrice had a Chanel suit for €1000 (vs. €5000 at Chanel’s), a brand-new Chloe bag for €800 (instead of €1200), several classy evening dresses priced betwen €1200 and €1500 (Chloe, Dior, D&G, Valentino), and many Hermes silk carrés on offer for only €150. She maintains a full selection of  bags, jewels, and fragrances. Who cares about whether your Chanel suit is this season’s or not? Classic chic never dies. The busy boutique is located in the posh section of the 17th district, at 119 Boulevard Malesherbes. Villiers and Monceau and the nearest metro stations. Opening hours are between 10:30 am and 7:00 pm, Monday to Saturday.

‘Le Jupon Rouge’, is situated at 9 rue de Rochechouart in the 9th district. The owner, Tania, describes her designer depot as “colorful, ethnic but not hippie, and certainly not classical in style”. Tania offers a selection of up and coming French designers such as Bali Barret (a fencing-style vest for €45, cashmere blend cardigans for €45 to €100) and Vanessa Bruno (wool jackets, €90). She also carries more established signatures such as celebrated woman designer Agnès B (her signature black jacket is offered at €50), and vintage Ungaro blouses for €45. Looking for shoes? Fall for pairs of Stephane Kelian low-cut cuban boots (€100), Repetto ballerina shoes (€40), or vintage low-heel horseriding boots (€40-70). Tania opens her doors Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm with a one-hour lunch break at 1:30 pm.