No shopping guide to Paris worth its saucisson would be complete without mentioning the quintessential destinations. First, there are the famed department stores, Le Bon Marche in the upscale and residential 7th arrondissement, and Galeries Lafayette, the century-old, eight-storey fashion mecca in the 9th with a soaring stained-glass domed roof. Then, there are the (multiple) flagship locations of the Parisian luxury brands on the storied Rue Saint-Honoré and the Champs-Élysées, where if you throw a rock you’ll hit a Celine or CHANEL.
Once you’ve safely stowed your VAT receipts, it’s time to experience Paris’s awe-inspiring art collections. The city boasts some of the most awe-inspiring museums and galleries in the world, each housed in a building more breathtakingly beautiful than the last. But the best way to spend an afternoon in Paris is to pack a picnic or bring a book and lose track of time wandering the winding streets or people watching at magnificently manicured parks.
Shop
In the fashionable Marais district, it’s not uncommon to see creative directors of historic Maisons hunting the colour-coded racks for inspiration at Thanx God I’m a VIP, the quirkily named vintage shop with pieces from Lacoste to Louis Vuitton.
Rendez-Vous is an expertly curated multi-brand boutique with a focus on slow fashion designers like the cotton connoisseurs Casey Casey – who also has an airy shop in chic Saint-Germain, or the London-based label Cawley.
Cristaseya’s appointment-only boutique in the 9th feels like a friend’s sophisticated pied-a-terre that positions the brand’s exquisitely made clothes and artisanal ceramics – approachable heirlooms, perfect, but not precious. The button-up shirts are handmade in a gossamer fabric in collaboration with a small Italian tailor and are of such superior quality, that you’ll understand why they’re nearly impossible to get your hands on them. The shop is located on an upper level of Casa Cristaseya, the brand’s headquarters, just one street over from Ephemera, the vintage magazine emporium with back issues of everything.
Last March, after 16 years on Rue Poitou in the chic Marais district, the Parisian label Lemaire relocated to a two-store boutique nearby at 1 Rue Elzévir. With Moroccan tile floors, artisanal ceramics, and modernist furniture, the design of the new space pleasingly echoes the craftsmanship of the brand’s elegantly utilitarian clothes.
The artisanal perfumers Mad Et Len have set up their apothecary-style shop in Galerie Vivienne, a historic arcade just north of the Jardin du Palais Royal. If you visit the shop after Lemaire, you may recognize the same notes of Japanese cypress and Haitian vetiver from the pair’s collaborative candle, Bois D’Orage.
See
Housed in a grand Beaux-Arts railway station, Musee d’Orsay showcases an extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas, for a journey through one of the most influential periods in art history.
Set in a grand mansion surrounded by lush gardens, the Rodin Museum exhibits the work of sculptor Auguste Rodin. Bring a picnic in the outdoor sculpture garden.
See the work of emerging and established contemporary artists at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in the modish Marais, from Alex Katz’s figurative paintings to Tony Cragg’s abstract sculptures.
Perched atop the picturesque Montmartre hill, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica offers panoramic views of Paris and a glimpse into the city’s history. Plan an early morning visit to see the Romano-Byzantine architecture and intricate mosaics before the tourist rush.
Before 10 am on a weekday, visit the L’Orangerie gallery in the heart of the Tuileries Gardens for a selection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist work, and, of course, Claude Monet’s meditative “Water Lilies” series. (No talking, please.)
Explore
Nestled in the northern reaches of Paris, the 18th arrondissement is the emerging hipster hub of Paris. The neighbourhood borders the Moulin Rouge and the Sacre-Coeur Basilica and was once a former artists’ enclave for luminaries like Picasso and Dali. Today, the bustling Lamarck district is dotted with cutting-edge restaurants, like Michelin-recognized a.lea, which specializes in elevated bistronomy, or the charmingly laid-back bistro L’Equisse.
Tucked between independent coffee shops, wine bars, and boulangeries, the boutique Mestiers sells a curated mix of handcrafted homeware and independent designers. Spend an afternoon walking the cobblestoned streets away from the fray.
