Shopping in Paris, France

If you like shopping Paris France is the capital of the world. The variety and style of the stores makes a Paris shopping trip a must for any fashion-conscious traveler.

In Paris shopping is an art. Parisians take fashion very seriously, so shopping in Paris can be savored and enjoyed as much as a meal in one of the city’s many excellent restaurants or a visit to one of its world-class museums. 

Shopping in Paris can be done on any budget. All the best designers have boutiques in Paris, and many are worth a visit just to breathe in the elegance or to get an idea of the latest styles before heading to a more affordable department store or flea market. Shopping in Paris is a serious affair, though. Don’t expect a friendly welcome if you are wearing shorts, sneakers, or a printed t-shirt, don’t touch displays, and be sure to ask for assistance with a polite “s’il vous plait.” 

Avenue Montaigne in the 8ème arrondissement exemplifies chic Paris shopping. Here you can find the best shopping in Paris, with stores from the top names in international fashion, including Céline, Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Valentino. On nearby Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré boutiques by Chloé, Christian Lacroix, Gucci, and Hermès alternate with some of the city’s best art galleries and antiquaries. 

Champs-Élysées, once the epitome of chic Paris shopping, has gone down-market somewhat in recent years with the introduction of glitzy, Las Vegas–style outlets by Disney, Coca Cola, and others, but the famous boulevard remains a retail center. Four large arcade malls—Le Claridge, Élysées 26, Galerie du Lido, and Le Rond-Point—are ideal for browsing and have something for every kind of shopper. A newly renovated superstore by Louis Vuitton provides an up-market lift to the boulevard and is well worth a visit. 

Until recently, the best shopping in Paris was clustered on these venerable shopping avenues on the city’s right bank, but more and more high-fashion houses have moved to the more hip left bank. Trendsetter Yves St. Laurent has been followed on the Rive Gauche by Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani, and Louis Vuitton and streets like Rue des St-Pères and Rue du Bac are lined with designer names. The left bank’s 6ème arrondissement has stores to cater to a more youthful, low-budget, but still stylish clientele. Check out the Rue St-Placide for the best young designers and for discount stores selling last year’s stock by the high-fashion houses. 

A Paris shopping trip is incomplete without a visit to one of les grands magasins, Paris’ huge department stores. To many, these capture the best shopping in Paris. Clustered along the Boulevard Haussmann in the 9ème arrondissement, enormous stores like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps have everything you could ever dream of, including clothes by scores of big name designers. 

A Paris shopping trip should also include a visit to one of the elegant galleries or passages. These 19^th-century glass-roofed shopping arcades are perfect for a rainy day. The Passage du Grand-Cerf near the Bourse metro stop is a great example of one of these historic galleries. 

Most stores in Paris are closed on a Sunday, so you may want to take that day to explore one of the city’s flea markets. These offer the best shopping in Paris for those on a shoestring budget. The best are probably the Porte de Montreuil in the 20 ème arrondissement and the Porte de Clignancourt in the 18ème. 

With stores and markets ranging from the most luxurious to the best for bargain hunting, for shopping Paris France remains unrivaled. 

If you want to enjoy the shopping fever of Paris, you have to stay at least a couple of days here. You can stay in one of the Paris hotels or some other kind of accommodation in Paris. There are either cheap or luxurious hotels in Paris– it depends on your savings and wants. The quality of the service in all places of accommodation in Paris is excellent and for sure it will meet your expectations.

Useful Travel Information about France, Food

France is blessed with sunny weather, beautiful countryside, a nice selection of beaches, historic cities, ornate churches, picturesque chateaus and some of the best food and wine in the world. The French take their meals seriously, although don't let that deter you from having a relaxed, impromptu meal. Show up to one of the many restaurants in France with a little enthusiasm and you'll be treated to a culinary tour de force. If culinary delights are you thing then a holiday in France is defiantly the way to go. From bustling markets with the freshest selection of goods, to intimate stores devoted to bread, cheese, and wine, the gastronomic perfection of food in France is spectacular.

There are thousands of great restaurants in France. All of them seem to boast about one chef or another, which is good, but for most of us we want to get down to eating. Walk around the city, peruse the menu, and sit down for a meal. Parisians eat lunch at noon, and take their dinner late, around eight o'clock. Restaurants in France can be a pricey affair, but fortunately French law dictates that prices must include service. Rounding off the bill and leaving some change is good practice.

Eating in France is an exciting and rich experience. Food in France has many different styles. There are staples, like bread, cheese, and coffee. Bread, especially the baguette, is very common, but there are dozens of different styles and sizes of bread. Each with its own name, own texture and varied use as it is with cheese. Hundreds of varieties are produced all over France, including delightful ones by small factories. Then of course there is wine, produced in the seven distinct wine regions of France. Food in France goes so far beyond the basics, where sometimes a simple meal can stretch on for hour, or maybe a dinner that last past midnight. Such is the passion of the French palate.

As France is known for culinary delights, Paris is the capital. Choices for food in Paris are all over town, from upscale hotels to intimate restaurants. Paris has a lot to offer. It's important to note the time when dining. A typical breakfast includes coffee and a bagel or fruit. The serious food in Paris isn't served until lunch, from about noon to two o'clock. Walk out of a museum at three, and you'll be hard pressed to find a full meal. Many restaurants close to prepare for the evening after two or two-thirty. They open again for dinner around five or six.

In addition, food in Paris is not restricted to traditional French delights. Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Paris, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to convenience and there family oriented style.

Parisians take their meals seriously, and when dining in Paris it helps to show up in a relaxed frame of mind, and not be in too much of a hurry. Plan your meal times, don't rush, and dining in Paris and France will be a pleasant and tasty experience.

If you want to taste the French cuisine, you have to plan to stay in France for a couple of days. You have to find a place of accommodation. There are many options for accommodation in France. There are either cheap or luxurious hotels in France and the quality of the service in all of them is excellent. To guarantee your stay for the chosen hotel in France, it is advisable to make an online reservation in advance. So if you have the chance to travel to France, don’t miss the opportunity to taste the unique cuisine.

France’s Best Cities, Part 2

France is among the top destinations not only in Europe but all over the world. All cities offer to its visitors a great variety of tourist attractions that are worth visiting. In this blog I will describe some of the best cities in France that you should include in your must-see list while visiting France:

1.     Strasbourg

The heart and soul of the province of Alsace, Strasbourg is one of France's best-kept secrets. A center for fine arts and everything medieval, its beauty leaves no question as to why it is the site of the European Union parliament. The most astonishing sight of this city, which sees three million tourists every year, is the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The highest medieval building in Europe, its one sky-scraping spire and intricate Gothic design have inspired Goethe and Victor Hugo to praise it as a world treasure. South of this wonder is a museum corridor, where you can catch works by Picasso, Rubens, Monet, and Gauguin for fairly cheap, at the different museums that line the area. Take a boat tour along the River Île and you'll see amazing Alsatian scenery as well as the imposingly beautiful Rohan Palace.

2.     Saint Tropez

Much of what you have heard is true: St. Tropez is a land of sinful delights. Over 40 beaches line the peninsula of this jet-setters' paradise, and these areas are the central focus of the lively town. Bask at Bouillabaisse, Caneliers or Salins Beach and then head down to Place des Lices (in the heart of St. Tropez) to people watch. Celebrities, including Naomi Campbell, and Robert De Niro vacation here, showing off their yachts and taking helicopter rides to infamous villa house parties. Experience a smidgeon of this craziness at one of many nightclubs or sample the local concoctions at Le Gorille or Sénéquier, two well-known brasseries. During the day, the markets are just as lively as the clubs, especially between May and June, when festivities take place amid the vendors every week.

3.     Lyon

Perfectly encompassing France's joie de vivre, Lyon is a city of glorious contrasts. You can wind your way through Old Lyon's narrow streets for a window into a different world, or stare in awe at the modern way Lyon has become a true "city of lights." For inspiring sites, check out the St. Jean Cathedral, which houses the remains of King Louis, and then walk along the surrounding area for more cultural gems. The Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls and the Odeon will also impress, as they are well-preserved Roman ruins. Travel back to the present with great shopping within "the golden triangle," home to high fashion, great food and interesting art galleries. In keeping with typical French attractions, Lyon also has over 20 museums for art enthusiasts.

4.     Marseille

The best way to describe Marseille is "classic" -- simple and understated, it is a place where the old and traditional are revered. Overlooking the city is the glorious Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica, a true masterpiece. From its steps, you can glance out over the entire landscape and spot other important destinations: the Opera House, the Courthouse, and the Chateau d'If, made famous thanks to Dumas' the Count of Monte Cristo. You also cannot miss a visit to the Panier, France's oldest quarter, as well as a stroll along the Old Port. Finally, the Saint-Victor Abbey remains a powerful tourist attraction with a storied history dating back, incredibly, to the 5th century. 

5.     Avignon

A haven for pedestrians and lovers of all things Gothic, Avignon will take you back in time, in style. The heart of Provence, this town easily lures visitors thanks to its simple, understated beauty, great food and ancient landmarks. As you stroll on the tree-lined promenade near the Sorgue River, you can indulge in some famous boutique shopping where luxury items, ceramics and handicrafts abound. The city became a "second Rome" in the 14th century with the arrival of the popes and in light of this a visit to the Popes' Palace cannot be passed up. It is the largest Gothic palace in Europe and an important attraction, right behind the Pont d'Avignon, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and oft-photographed bridge.

To sum up, I would say that France is an amazing country that you should visit. If you are still hesitating which the best destination for you is, France is the answer. Planning your trip to France, you have to think of a place of accommodation. There are many options for accommodation in France. The best one is to stay in one of the France hotels. There are either cheap or luxurious hotels in France and they all will meet your expectations. So if you ever have the chance to travel to France, don’t miss it out!