A local’s guide to the best streets and areas to go shopping in Paris, from clothes to makeup, food shops, makeup stores and hidden shopping spots!
When I first wrote this post, I’d been living in Paris again for a little over a month, after years roaming between London, Rome and Barcelona.
I did my time, with five years working in Paris in various makeup stores, and had always felt that the time was up, and I needed to see something else.
Yet, this city has an attraction that I really cannot deny.
Something ethereal transpires from the historic shopping arcades, and something avant-garde yet very posh seems to attract all of us to areas like Montmartre and the Champs-Elysées, whether you’re French like me, or not.
Shopping in Paris: 8 Spots for Clothes, Makeup, Books & Food
Aside from very cute cafes and local restaurants, Paris offers views, plenty of gorgeous museums and aesthetic streets that you can’t miss out on when traveling to France.
But if there’s one thing I always end up doing a lot here, it’s shopping.
Mostly makeup and nail polish shopping, that’s true, but I always also find lots of second hand bookshops, dreamy flower shops and other covered passageways in which souvenirs are to be found…
Even if you didn’t plan on going shopping that day.
Shopping in Paris: Passage Molière and Châtelet Area
Let’s start with one of the most popular Parisian neighborhoods, Châtelet.
This is the place where you will find lots of restaurants and instagrammable cafes, either right next to the station or near Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Paul, but also the colorful Stravinsky Fountain – a must-see!
Châtelet is also a huge shopping center in which you will find anything from Sephora to Rituals, and even a recently-opened Krispy Kreme donut shop.
Then, special mention for the Passage Molière, one of the cutest and secret passageways of Paris, which is filled with literary shops, from the Café de la Poésie to stationery stores.
Finally, and one of the prettiest streets in Paris, the Rue Montorgueil, which is lined with cute bakeries, restaurants, and, further away from Châtelet, many boutiques and clothing shops.
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Shopping in Paris: Le Marais Neighborhood and Sentier
Le Marais is a neighborhood in which you will find medieval sites like the Cloître des Billettes, many historic Jewish bakeries and restaurants, paved streets and tiny boutiques, just a few minutes from the Rue de Rivoli.
All around this hip area are scattered independent boutiques, vintage shops, records stores and some of the craziest shop windows, avant-garde and pretty unhinged.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookstores in Paris
Nearby, close to the Sentier metro station, are located other interesting boutiques and flower shops like the pretty-in-pink Luvbox pictured above.
MiniMeLand, which makes the angle with Rue de Turbigo, is the kind of instagrammable shop in which you can customize your own luxury handbags – something you definitely cannot find anywhere in Paris.
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Shopping in Paris: Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann are heaven on Earth for anyone who is looking for high-end clothes and couture accessories, but that’s not all there is in this area.
The entire Haussmann area is filled with upscale clothing shops, and if you’re looking for more streetwear brands, do pop by Citadium, a few minutes’ walk away.
The Printemps department store, sometimes mistaken for the Galeries Lafayette, is another spot to get great food, clothes, accessories, and pretty much anything you’re feeling like shopping.
And if you’d like more high-street brands, many shops like Kiko Milano, Hema, or even Aux Merveilleux de Fred for French pastries can be found nearby, inside the Saint-Lazare station.
Read: 7 Wonderful Lipsticks to Buy in Paris for that French Pout
Shopping in Paris: Westfield Les Quatre Temps, La Défense
The Westfield mall, formerly called Les Quatre Temps in La Défense, is one of the biggest shopping centers in Paris – well, right outside of Paris.
You can find anything there: clothes, makeup, beauty, and a myriad of restaurants and cafes, including Factory & Co, which makes some incredible burgers and fries.
Sephora, Rituals, Hema, MAC Cosmetics, Normal, Zara, H&M… There are so many stores there that you can easily spend a full day shopping there.
Do not miss out on Wycon Cosmetics – this Italian makeup brand didn’t use to have shops in France, but I am so happy it’s finally there, with their incredible lip liners and waterproof eye pencils!
Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Paris
Shopping in Paris: Champs-Elysées, Place Vendôme and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
If you want upscale and don’t want to go all the way to Haussmann, the Galeries Lafayette are also present on the Champs-Elysées.
You will find anything there from Skims underwear to Marc Jacobs handbags and sophisticated perfume brands like Penhaligons and L’Artisan Parfumeur.
Then, somewhere off Rue de Rivoli, at the end of the Champs-Elysées, you will also find the famous Place Vendôme – this is where you will find many high-end jewelry brands like Boucheron and hotels such as The Ritz.
Finally, another shopping street you shouldn’t miss is the famous rue Saint-Honoré, with stores like Moschino and Alexander McQueen for designer clothes and accessories.
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Shopping in Paris: Saint Germain des Prés
With the Saint Germain des Prés area, we feel a more boho vibe that very much fits that effortlessly elegant image of the Parisian girl.
One gorgeous passageway to visit there, mostly for foodie souvenirs and restaurants, is the Cour du Commerce Saint-André – an amazing photo spot, too, if you’d like a different vibe in your pictures.
Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Carroll are all located on or near the Boulevard Saint-Germain, but that’s really an area I would recommend visiting for its myriad of restaurants and cafes.
Read: 11 Non Touristy Restaurants in Paris That Won’t Break the Bank
Shopping in Paris: Rue de Buci and Quartier Latin
Between Saint-Michel and Saint Germain des Prés, the Rue de Buci is another must-visit shopping street for anything from colorful, geometrical-patterned clothes at Heroine to elegant table books at Taschen.
The Rue de Buci is what I consider one of the most beautiful streets in Paris, with that cobblestone vibe you can find in many neighborhoods in town that end up making Paris feel like a huge village.
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Shopping in Paris: Rue Saint-Denis, Strasbourg Saint-Denis and Château d’Eau Areas
Lastly, other places I love to go shopping in Paris are the rue Saint-Denis, where you will find lots of cute cafes such as Café Crème with its vintage decor to independent clothing shops.
Closer to Strasbourg Saint-Denis, Bonne Nouvelle and Château d’Eau are many African beauty shops and hairdressers – that’s where I get lots of haircare products, but also lesser-known makeup brands.
On the Faubourg Saint-Martin is also where you’ll also find the only shop that sells LA Girl products in Paris, with their affordable and amazing concealers, highlighters and lip glosses.
Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Rome
Shopping in Paris: 8 Spots for Clothes, Makeup, Books & Food
All the spots mentioned in this guide are places I personally visit whenever I want to do some serious shopping in Paris.
I would rather pop by Châtelet, La Défense or the Galeries Lafayette whenever I’m feeling like new makeup products, but when it comes to books or stationery, my go-to is the Passage Molière.
You’ll hopefully have found all you needed in this guide, and if you’re looking to complete your bucket list, make sure you also visit my favorite, prettiest and secret gardens in Paris for some well-deserved down time!