Beaubourg and Les Halles: Skip the vast underground shopping complex and hit rue Tiquetonne and Rue Montmartre for avant-garde design and jewelry. Many of our current labels have their warehouse showroom located in this area. Grab lunch from one of the huge array of outdoor food vendors and make your way to St-Eustache for a picture perfect picnic, or sway to the beat in the hyper industrial Georges (6th fl, Centre Pompidou) for equally perfect views from above.
Champs-Elysees: Feeling at the top of your game? Throw on those spanx, your highest stilettos, shortest skirt, fix your hair and makeup and make sure your tan hasn’t pooled around your knees and ankles. Rue Montaigne and Rue George V beckon. With their flagship five star stores with six star prices, arrive as a princess and leave as a pauper. While in the area splurge on lunch at the Four Seasons George V (31, Ave George V), our favorite hotel in France (while there check out the world’s most exquisite flower arrangements by Jeff Leatham), or the Plaza Athenée (25, Ave Montaigne), book ahead and have lunch in the courtyard.
Shopping Centers: These are not your suburban malls; marvel at the constant commerce of Galleries Lafayette (40, Blvd Haussman) and Le Printemps (64, Blvd Haussman), recession? what recession? Left Bank treasure Le Bon Marché (24, rue de Sevre) with Le Grande Epicerie de Paris (best food hall ever). Need to fix a flat or work on some renovation? Head to BHV (le Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville, 14, rue de Temple) Paris’s classy version of Home Depot.
Place de la Madeleine: Gourmet foodies rejoice. Visit Fauchon (26,30, place de la Madeleine), and Hédiard (21, place de la Madeleine). Don’t just browse, both have excellent restaurants in which to sample their creations.
Any way, there is something for everyone. This list is entirely skimming the surface and the city begs for dedicated browsing. I have also kind of tangentially included some eating suggestions, but I think I will dedicate an entire installment to this endeavor. Bon shopping!
1 comment:
Greetings from the states (Peachtree City, GA). I am in the process of organizing an artist retreat for fall 2011. I love your blog! Your entries keep coming up in my google searches. I am searching for the best brocantes, etc. to find ephemera for collage and assemblage to bring my group to. Any suggestions? I love the pic with all the doll heads -- where is this place? I am also looking for someone to take us on brocante tours . . . know anyone?
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