Paris on the whole is full of wonderful stores and brands, most of which you can find on any shopping street or mall in any big city.
If you feel like a bit of retail therapy which won’t break the bank and taking in brands that you don’t find in the UK you might like to check out these:
Caroll - Caroll is a French fashion brand widely available in France which hasn’t made it over to the UK yet. Mid priced and modern/classic Caroll is well worth visiting particularly as they frequently have promotions.
Strengths in particular are coats and jackets, the casual collection, fine knitwear and accessories such as bags and scarves. All items that’ll need a little extra space in your bag. However everything here is superb quality.
Salamander - just down from Caroll on the Rue Tronchet Salamander is the place to go when your feet get tired from pounding the streets. They offer some of the most comfortable footwear you’ll find anywhere with a wide choice in autumn (of course) of knee high boots and ankle boots in leather and suede plus smart shoes and accessories and in spring and summer of more dressy shoes, ballet pumps and sneakers.
Most of their own brand are well cushioned and have rubber soles which makes walking on pavements so much easier.
Prices are mid range - not cheap but not top designer level and you’ll find a Salamander store in most cities in France and Germany. Another one to make room for. Once you put a pair of their boots on you’ll never want to wear anything else.
Jewellery and Accessories at Lullabi - Totally off the beaten track Lullabi, whose storefront reads Cocktails (don’t ask) offers glitzy jewellery and some very attractive and reasonably priced printed wool scarves. I’ve written about this store before here, it’s a fun store with unique products you won’t find anywhere else.
Costume jewellery again in the centre of Paris in a tiny and totally unique store Toross 45 - Just up from the Place de la Concorde on the Boissy d’Anglas in a street full of high end stores such as Giambatista Valli and Cartier.
You’ll also find cashmere store Eric Bompard - with beautiful quality cashmere scarves and knitwear and not as expensive as many other brands. They do ship to the UK. Also Agatha jewellery and Nine West footwear.
Mettez, at 12 Boulevard Malesherbes is the place to go if you like beautiful quality and Austrian style clothing. They also have luxury down coats and a wide choice of scarves in cashmere, cashmere and wool and silk. All of which you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Mettez is expensive but for the quality is worth it.
Also
I will confess that one of my favourite stores in Paris is Massimo Dutti, which seems to have a wider range of modern high quality clothes and accessories than it does in the UK. They specialise in buttery soft leather jackets which are less expensive than the competition anywhere.
Its sister store Zara is everywhere in Paris and is usually mobbed whatever the time of day. The same is not true of Massimo Dutti - if you go, visit their flagship store on the Place Madeleine.
Finally - Chocolate Heaven in Montmartre!
Gird yourself for a walk up to Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur Basilica. Have a coffee on the way up so you can speed yourself up the many steps - this is a steep hill but the view is incredible as is the Basilica itself.
On the way down stop at Maison Georges Larnicol and buy chocolates, chocolate cookies or a little pot of ice cream. This is by far the best chocolate shop I have ever come across. Chocolate lovers you have been warned…..