Sure, shopping trips to Paris evoke haute couture, but look hard enough and you'll find bargains too. Hunt for antiques at Saint-Ouen flea market, buy a kitsch Eiffel Tower for your mantelpiece, or make your credit card splutter on Paris shopping trips to rue Saint-Honoré boutiques.
Begin your Paris shopping trip in the cobbled lanes of the Marais district, home to quirky bourgeois boutiques and kitsch design. Rue Charlot is a hub of up-and-coming French fashion design, or root around Montmartre for affordable chic, and rue de la Roquette and rue de Charonne for that bohemian-chic look. Or window-shop in smart Faubourg Saint-Honoré, home to concept store Colette, a cool hub of cutting-edge fashion, music and design. Can't be bothered boutique-hopping on your shopping trip to Paris? Enjoy a one-stop shopping trip in Paris' elegant department stores – Printemps and Galeries Lafayette – on boulevard Haussmann. Round off your shopping trips to Paris with a spin around Saint-Germain-des-Prés' glamorous stores, around rue de Rennes and rue du Four.
Rise with the lark for bargain shopping trips to Paris at Saint-Ouen Flea Market around Porte de Clignancourt. At the weekend, 2,000 stalls are piled with curios from second-hand books to Art Deco lamps. Sip coffee and shop for spicy charcuterie at rue Mouffetard street market, or bag fresh vegetables and creamy pâtés at Marché Aligre, Paris' cheapest and liveliest food market. Stroll pedestrianised Avenue Saxe Breteuil for a traditional French street market full of local life for an ultra Parisian shopping trip. Breathe in to smell the fresh flowers and pungent French cheeses, and pause to take in Eiffel Tower views while you shop.
Remember your Paris shopping trip with a wardrobe filled with classic Parisian style, and a kitchen packed with French flavours – from Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) to marrons glacés (crystallised chestnuts).
