Paris is the Shopper’s Paradise with Exclusive Shopping Streets

Paris is the City of Lights and one of the top fashion capitals of the world. The Paris Fashion week is renowned world over for top designers including Valentino, Armani and various others who take part and display their outfits. These designers have also established their exclusive fashion boutiques across the various shopping streets in the city. If you visit this pulsing capital of France, a great shopping experience awaits you as you explore chain stores and haute couture fashion boutiques, French labels and unique stores.

These shopping streets in Paris are lined with different kinds of stores which reflect their unique character.

Rue de Rivoli
Rue de Rivoli houses chic marques as well as bargain boutiques. The store catalog of the street features the who’s who of fashion including Zara, Mango and many others. A BHV Department Store is located opposite Hotel de Ville. The Tuileries Garden and Museé du Louvre are also located just off the street. House of Angelina which is the Mecca of desserts and serves Paris’ best hot chocolate is also located on this street. The shopping areas around the Louvre are crowded with tourists on the weekends buying T-shirts and trinkets. The nearby streets offer great dining options.

Boulevard Haussmann
The locals and visitors flock this street for the Galeries Lafayette located in Boulevard Haussmann. It is an upscale department store since 1895. It has become a must-visit site in Paris if one wants to explore French labels and shop for discounted luxury goods in Paris’ bi-annual sales (les soldes). The store is housed in a glass dome building with 10 floors and central staircase with Art Noveau design. The Galeries Lafayette is a must-visit in December with giant Christmas tree positioned just below the dome with beautiful Christmas decorations.

Rue St. Honoré
Rue St. Honoré along with urbane Rue Faubourg St Honoré is a high-end shopping street in the city. The street boasts top fashion design houses including Gucci, Michael Kors, Hermes, Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin. Hervé Chapelier is another store located on 209 with a wide range of handbags, rucksacks, purses, shopping bags, suitcases and make-up cases. Au Nain Bleu shop, established in 1836, offers books and toys for all ages of children. The Place vendrome square is within walking distance in which reside the stores of bigger names in fashion. Colette is an über –trendy lifestyle store that sells clothing, gadgets and various other home products. The Élysée Palace which is home to the French president is also located on Rue Faubourg St. Honoré.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées
The Champs Élysées is indubitably the most beautiful street in the world. It is quite popular among the locals and tourists. The Obelisk of Luxor (Concorde) marks the beginning of the street after which it is lined with square trimmed trees bosquets. The street ends at the Arc de Triomphe. Despite the attempts to prevent the street from getting banalised, there are numerous global chain stores including Benetton, Hugo Boss, Gap and Cartier. The flagship Louis Vuitton store located at 101 Avenue des Champs-Élysées is the key highlight of this shopping street. The window décors that change regularly are a treat for the eyes while people in long queues wait to splurge in the store.

Boulevard Saint Michel
The Boulevard St. Michel is a laid-back neighborhood with comparatively affordable French labels including Jules, Camaïeu and Etam along with NafNaf, Sinéquanone and Benetton. The street also houses one of the largest book stores in Paris, Gilbert Joseph. The punters can take a break from their shopping and visit Jardin du Luxembourg for a relaxing stroll in the park. The area has many bars and cafés around La Sorbonne University that cater to the hip young crowd. Boulevard St Michel is connected to Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue Soufflot through which the visitors can go to the Pantheon.

Avenue Montaigne
Avenue Montaigne competes with Rue Faubourg St Honoré for the luxurious stores. It is the Grande Dame of shopping streets in Paris. It was once known as the Widows Lane as Parisian widows would come to this place to mourn. The ritzy stores list includes Valentino, Fendi, Bulgari, Chanel, Gucci, Harry Winston and Christian Lacroix. The glamor of the street is further embellished by the presence of The Plaza Athénée hotel.

Rue de Rennes
Rue de Rennes is one the longest shopping street in the city as populace pounds the pavements with bags like the Pretty Woman. Many big fashion names along with international chain stores are situated on this street. Some eccentric designer stores make this place a shopping paradise. With Paris’ tallest building, Montparnasse tower as the beacon guiding the visitors to this street, one can easily walk to Jardin du Luxembourg from this street. Rue de Rennes houses the largest FNAC stores which has literary works and electronic products.