This is the Paris section of my Travel Maps series. I went to Paris in 2013 so my memory is a bit fuzzy but I'll provide as much information as I can! UPDATE: I visited again in 2020 and 2022!

In this article

*Paris SOLDES date in 2020: 1/7/2020

Shopping

For shopping, I recommend a few major areas outlined below, but you can find more scattered shops in my Google Maps link. I love the major department stores as it has many French brands in one place. There are also the beautiful little streets to walk outside lined with both luxury and other name brands.

1. Department Stores

Galeries Lafayette Exterior — Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette Interior — Galeries Lafayette interior

Le Bon Marche

I forgot to take a photo of Le Bon Marche but like Galeries Lafayette (Le Gourmet), it also has a gorgeous food section/mart.

Samaritaine

A relatively new department store where you can find many luxury designer brands as well.

2. Luxury Designer Shopping

In addition to the department stores, I recommend visiting these main streets (and adjacent) if you are looking for luxury brands. Remember to bring your passport and save on taxes! Currently, if you are traveling from the US (and possibly other countries) some of the savings are huge purchasing in Euro currency, so I would recommend checking out the different selections of each store!

- Avenue Montaigne (Champs Elysees / 8th arrondissment): Celine, Chanel, Chloe, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Roger Vivier, Prada, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, etc.

- Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (8th arrondissment): Celine, Chanel, Chloe, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Repetto, Roger Vivier, Prada, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, etc.

3. Boutiques

For all the rest of the shopping, I recommend taking walks and exploring some of the other streets in my Google Map. Stop by a cafe or two for pastries and coffee, discover new Parisian brands, and enjoy the scenery!

Favorite Street: Rue Etienne Marcel (2nd arrondissement)

Brands to look out for:

Lingerie:

Etam
LIVY
Naïa
Oysho
Yse

yse paris — Yse Boutique - Photo Credits

Culture

Recommended for touring / sight seeing:

Musée du Louvre - landmark / huge art museum
Musée d'Orsay - art museum (mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography)

Palais Garnier - 1861 opera house (also known as Opéra Garnier)
Montmartre / Sacré-Cœur / Place du Tertre - For art and Sacré-Cœur at summit (Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris)

Arc de Triomphe - monument
Tour Eiffel - lattice tower
Notre-Dame de Paris - cathedral (French Gothic architecture)
Musée d'Orangerie - art gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings
Musée Marmottan Monet - Claude Monet museum
Château de Versailles - former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located about 19 kilometers west of Paris