A few days ago I wroite this post but accidentally deleted it. I thought I would take this time while on the train to Rouen to recompose it.
After visiting Montmartre I headed to the behemouth Galleries Lafayette and Printemps department stores for what I called “civilized shopping”.
Well, shopping at these 2 rival giants is far from civilized.
Galleries Lafayette
Galleries Lafayette is made up of 3 huge stores. The men's store and mouth watering Lafayette Gourmet market are in one building, women's and cosmetics in the second (this is the building with the famous dome) and home goods are in the new Lafayette Maison across the street.
I am glad I am not a lady (everyday) because the female side of Galleries Lafayette is so huge you would surely need a whole day to shop it. There are floors and floors of clothing which are centered by the gigantic domed rotunda. Even if you don't shop you must stop in to see the dome.
The men's store is a bit more managable since it has less floors and is more focused. I will say that prices here seem terribly high and much of the clothing is designer. There are not as many bargains to be found like in your local Macy*s, although if you look around you can usually find a good deal.
Amoungst the €100 lambswool sweaters and €75 shirts I managed to find an Abercrombie-like sporty cotton sweater for €39.
I love walking throught the Lafayette Gourmet floor in this building to look for treats to take home and small food souvenirs. If you get hungry, scattered amoungst the food aisles are counter service and tables serving the specialties of the area. By the butcher is a counter serving meat dishes, in the coffee/tea area is a cafe, by fish they serve fish, etc. Most counters offer a fixed price lunch menu which I believe also includes a glass of wine.
Across the street is the new and ultra modern Lafayette Maison, the shop for everything home.
Printemps
Like Galleries Lafayette, Printemps is equally as huge. Printemps also consists of 3 buildings. Two buildings side by side house cosmetics, home goods and women's fashion. The third building has all men's clothing.
I like the men's store here at Printemps better that at Galleries Lafayette. I always seem to land a bargain accessory, shirt or pants. Much of the goods in this modern looking store are designer and the prices will surely frighten you.
Printemps also has their own line of clothing so there are some more moderately priced goods if you hunt.
Printemps usually has some of the best window displays in Paris which are fun to view while strolling at night. The recent Cristian Lacroix holiday windows were window dressing at its finest.
10% Discount
Show you international passport or drivers license at the info/welcome desks at either store and you will get a card which entitles you to 10% off any purchase.
Both stores all offer tax free shopping (-12%) if you spend over a certain amount in a single day. I think it is €175.
Monoprix
Adjacent to the Printemps men's store is a good branch of the Monoprix chain. Monoprix is sort of like a small Target but with a full size supermarket. I wouldn't buy clothes here though.
What you can get at Monoprix is fun French toiletries, soaps, cosmetics, stationery, basics and some housewares. This is a good place to search for some inexpensive souvenirs, replace the deodorant you left at home
or pick up a pair of pantyhose. I always stop in at the beginning of my trip to get some decent shower gel to use at my hotel.
Monoprix on rue Caumartin (in between the two Printemps buildings) also has a small gourmet section in their market where you can pick up some great items from around France. Even with the poor value of the dollar, there are good buys to be had.
Throughout the aisles of the market you will find everuything from dijon mustard to lightbulbs. On a recent trip I noticed that they even had some goods noticibly cheaper than what I paid at the exclusive (and more attractive) La Grand Epiciere at the Bon Marche department store (or Lafayette Gourmet). Check here first before shopping anywhere else.
Other Markets
In addition to Monoprix you will also see the two other large supermarket chains throughout the city. They are called Franprix and G10 Supermarche. Both are great for picking up anything from bath soap to bottled water and “supplies” for your hotel room.
Christmas
It is November in Paris and the Galleries Lafayette and Printemps are all decked out to lure holiday shoppers.
At Galleries Lafayette the exterior of the main store is decked with a billion tiny light depicting churches and buildings. Inside there is a huge decorated Christmas tree in the rotunda which must be a few stories high.
At Printemps the outside of the building is decorated with huge colorful lanterns and twinkling lights. The main store windows are wildly colorful and trimmed with bizarre outfits by badboy designer Cristian Lacroix.
The windows in the second building which are also a Cristian Lacroix theme, look like puppets gone wild with each window showing animated scenes of chaos using plush and toys (by Christian Lacroix) which are sold in the store.
Galleries Lafayette and Printemps are both located on Boulevard Haussmann near the Opera Garnier. Metro - Hauvre Caumartin or Opera.
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