Shopping
Paris is a shopper's paradise. The Glitterati
will feel at home in the Haute Couture shops found on Rue du
Faubourg Saint-Honoré, while trend-setting fashions will be found
in Rue Etienne Marcel shops. Sadly, the Champs-Elysées is not what
it used to be with banks, fast-food chains and malls strategically
placed to trap tourists. However some good stores still remain -
perfume from Guerlain Parfumerie is a classic Paris souvenir. Les
Halles is a subterranean shopping mall with over 180 stores where
bargain hunters will be able to find cheap knockoffs and other
trendy clothes. Mainstream department stores offer some great finds
such as La Samaritaine, which prides itself as being the one where
on trouve tout (one finds everything). Bargains are in abundance at
the three main flea markets situated around the old gates of the
city. They are, however, teeming with pickpockets and shoppers
should be on their guard. Les Bouquinistes, which consists of rows
of bookstalls perched against the walls of the Seine River, is a
great place for bookworms to browse and barter. Traditional
Parisians buy most of their food from specialty stores such as
bakeries and butcheries with pastries, cheeses or pâtés to die for.
The open-air markets are a fantastic place to find flowers, produce
and clothing and are frequented by most of the locals. Paris also
offers a wealth of window-shopping opportunities, making it the
ultimate destination for the discerning
consumer.
