good shopping values in Paris

I have read different threads with shopping information. I know that for the most part, Paris is an expensive city for American shoppers. I have read that frames for glasses are a good value buy in Paris.

What other items are a good buy in Paris?

Thanks in advance

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Some brands have %26quot;specials%26quot; like la Tercera d%26#39;Afflelou but for the most part I do not think that frames are cheaper than in the States.

Paris is expensive compared to Marshall%26#39;s or TJ Max but not more expensive for similar brands in Boston for example. Then you can buy duty free etc.

Look around, if you have a %26quot;coup de foudre%26quot; start comparing prices.

A few extravaganzas are allowed!

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It depends on what you%26#39;re looking for really.

For example, Perfume, Cologne and such are a good buy at the duty free shops.

I have purchased Limoge pieces whenever in Paris as I%26#39;ve found (even with the devaluation of the dollar) the prices more reasonable in Paris than in the states.

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Wine, cheese, wine and more wine.

My wife sews and she gets great deals on fabrics in Montmartre.

I have found the best men%26#39;s ties at a place called Chaumet in Place Vendome, they%26#39;re a little pricy but you couldn%26#39;t touch them in the States.

Street art is also affordable and there is some high quality art out there. If you%26#39;re going between the 26 of April and 1st of May go to the big artist market at the Bastille. - the Grande marche%26#39; d%26#39;Art Contemporaine.

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Myrilyn--

Please tell me more about the artists market at the Bastille-- will be in Paris at that time and would love to buy something quality not from an expensive gallery. Thanks

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I still canot get over how cheap wine is here! Buy wine when u are here! We bought 4 bottles.

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BlueSue

They have the marche twice a year, April and October. It%26#39;s situated along the both side of the canal at Bastille. There%26#39;s a large enclosed tent and then smaller open air tents. There are all sorts of fine artwork, oils, w/c, sculpture, pastels and a few things hard to describe - installations etc. Artists come from all over France to show. It costs about 7 euros admission, but once you%26#39;re inside you can get free tickets to come back the next day. If you purchase something they will even mail you free tickets for the next show.

Web site is

http://www.organisation-joel-garcia.fr/

clique vous on calendrier

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Make up and Perfume is usually cheaper in boutiques than it is in the Duty free and certainly cheaper than in the UK (can%26#39;t vouch for the states though) so thats what I always stock up on.

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Myrllyn,

Thanks so much for the info. on the Bastille art show. I am definitely going to

try and make it there. I%26#39;ve travelled all over the world and bought some really lovely art, but I%26#39;m running out of wall space! We are staying on the left bank right across from Notre Dame--shouldn%26#39;t be too hard to figure out the Metro for the Bastille. I

see that your wife shops in Montmartre--any tips for interesting or good shops there?

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BlueSue

That%26#39;s a great area where you%26#39;re staying. We stayed at the Henri IV Rive Gauche once. There is a cafe on the corner of rue St Jacques right on the Seine where you can have cafe and croissants and listen to the bells of Notre Dame Sunday morning.

Try rue de le Huchette for dining. It%26#39;s a maze of little streets filled w/ restaurants and cafes.

As for the shopping, I had to go to my consultant for this info:

She shops for fabrics at:

Marche St.Pierre, a four or five story building, full of fabrics.

Reine, got some elegant fabric for drapes here, and some fabric for a vest for me.

These are at the pied de Montmartre, right below Sacre-Coeur on Place St. Pierre

There was also a place with silk and linen on left side of rue de Steinkeroue, just up the hill from rue d%26#39;Orsel. Can%26#39;t remember the name but it had a lot of fabrics on the sidewalk and a very tiny stair to a second level.

I, myself, happened to find the best Paris prices on little metal Eiffel Towers on this street! ;)

For higher end souveniers there is a museum shop on rue St. Louis en Ile (also some nice art galleries)

We%26#39;re going to the art thing the first day we%26#39;re there. Hope you enjoy it.

Bon journee.

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Just remebered this. Might be interesting.

%26quot;The Marché aux Puces is the largest antiques market in the world. You can get everything here: furniture, paintings, jewelry, chandeliers, trinkets, porcelain, objets d%26#39;art, decorative goods, and more. It%26#39;s open Saturday to Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., including public holidays. When you exit the Métro at Porte de Clignancourt, don%26#39;t be fooled by the stands of new goods. Walk past them northbound %26#39;til you cross the Périférique and turn left onto rue des Rosiers. That%26#39;s where the real market begins with over 200 antique dealers.%26quot;