Abbey Bookshop
29, rue de la Parcheminerie, in the 5th Arrondissement. 01 46 33 16 24.
Mon–Sat, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Canadian-run shop with Anglo-American and Canadian books, and a large secondhand section.

Artazart Design Bookstore
83, quai de Valmy, in the 10th. 01 40 40 24 00.
As the name suggests, Artazart is a design bookstore hawking hardbacks (and paperbacks) in subjects ranging from photography to fine art to architecture. Many of the books are just as stimulating visually as they are literarily, and they’re great for any design student or interior-decorating aficionado.

Les Bouquinistes
Along the Seine. Tues–Fri, 2–6; Sat–Sun, 11–6. Summer: about 9:30–7.
These booksellers have been selling their wares along the Seine for nearly 500 years. You can peruse their used or antique books and posters from quai du Louvre to quai des Célestins, in the 2nd and 4th Arrondissements, and from quai Voltaire to quai de la Tournelle, in the 5th and 6th. One can always find something interesting for sale here.  

Galignani
224, rue de Rivoli, in the 1st. 01 42 60 76 07.
Mon–Sat, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
This is a grand institution, claiming to be the first store in Europe to offer English-language books. Today more than half of its 50,000 books are in English. With dark wood walls, it retains a quiet Grand Tour ambience that Henry James would recognize. Impressive range, too: history books, guidebooks, beautiful books on the arts and art catalogues. English selections have their own section, but you’ll find translations scattered throughout. It also has a thriving collection of French-language books. A trip to Galignani is worth it, if not purely to absorb a bit of history—the shop has withstood empires, revolutions and wars. A great haven on rainy days.

I Love My Blender
36, rue du Temple, in the 3rd. 01 42 77 50 32.
Tues–Sat, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Small, idiosyncratic shop whose owner, Christophe Persouyre, used to work in advertising. Not only books—all originally written in English, with many French translations—also Persouyre’s own choice of small and amusing gifts.

Librairie des Femmes
33–35, rue Jacob, in the 6th. 01 42 60 93 76.
Mon–Sat, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
At Librairie des Femmes, visitors will find books written by women, about women and for women. The bookstore is part of a larger women’s collective, organized by Antoinette Fouque, a prominent women’s liberation leader in France. In addition to the bookstore, the collective presents a gallery and several publications under the Editions des Femmes umbrella, and hosts various rendezvous throughout the year.

The Red Wheelbarrow
22, rue St.-Paul, in the 4th. 01 48 04 75 08.
Mon, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tues–Sat, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun, 2 p.m.–6 p.m.
In the Marais, this bookstore is small and crowded but the staff is very friendly. It also has a children’s section.

San Francisco Book Company
17, rue Monsieur le Prince, in the 6th. 01 43 29 15 70.
Hours vary, so call ahead.
This bookstore has entirely secondhand stock of English-language reads in hardcover and paperback. It’s dusty and a bit haphazard, so if you’re looking for something specific, be prepared to search. It has some collectibles, plenty of mysteries, airplane fodder and more. You can also sell books here.

Shakespeare & Company
37, rue de la Bûcherie, in the 5th. 01 43 25 40 93.
Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sat–Sun, 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
Opinions are divided about this “legendary” bookstore, once an expat destination on a par with Jim Morrison’s grave. Not so many new books, much secondhand dust. Every book sold is specially stamped. Carries a few bilingual books, such as volumes of Prévert poems in English and French. In the last few years, the store has rebranded itself with events such as its own literary festival.

Village Voice Bookshop
6, rue Princesse, in the 6th. 01 46 33 36 47.
Mon, 2 p.m.–7:30 p.m.; Tues–Sat, 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Sun, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
A gem of a bookstore, noteworthy for great service and author events—which are very crowded, so go early. It’s also patronized by well-known expat authors who live in the area. There’s a good selection in the new fiction, arts, bios, social sciences and philosophy sections, and elsewhere. It’s perhaps the most likely place to find new US releases first, and the staff is always happy to order anything.

W. H. Smith
248, rue de Rivoli, in the 1st. 01 44 77 88 99.
Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun, 12:30 p.m.–7 p.m.
The Paris branch of the ubiquitous UK chain offers a huge selection of current Anglophone magazines and British best sellers. The children’s department hosts monthly kid’s club readings. Very popular with both Brits and Americans, W. H. Smith stages its own author readings and discussions.

Only Umbrellas

Madeleine Gély
218, blvd St. Germain, in the 6th Arrondissement.
01 42 22 63 35.
This shop right out of My Fair Lady sells only umbrellas, from the sturdy and practical to the frilly and adorable.

Only Socks

Tabio
15, rue Vieille du Temple, in the 4th. 01 42 78 20 38.
Tabio is a shop selling simply socks for both women and men.

Only Antique Perfume Bottles

Belle de Jour
7, rue Tardieu, in the 18th. 01 46 06 15 28.
Devoted solely to antique perfume and perfume bottles—the kind of shop you’ll probably find only in Paris.

Only Gloves

Maison Fabre
128–129, Galerie de Valois, in the Palais Royal, in the 1st.
01 42 60 75 88.
Has been making gloves in the Aveyron region of France since 1924. Pick up a pair of orange gloves, or whatever the new color might be.

JB Guanti 
59, rue de Rennes, in the 6th. 01 45 48 65 50.
18, rue Tronchet, in the 8th. 01 47 42 61 44.
French girls love Italian style, and JB Guanti is the preferred purveyor of Italian-style gloves. The real attraction here is the huge range of colors. The gloves are lined with silk or cashmere. Enjoy trying to decide between the two! The favorite Parisian pattern is the elegant pois, or polka dot.

Only Cashmere

Eric Bompard
46, rue du Bac, in the 7th.
Prestigious French cashmere boutique Eric Bompard is the destination for pure cashmere for women, men and children. In addition to scarves, sweaters, tights, robes and socks, they carry more unusual items like fine cashmere tank tops, plus leg warmers in a silk-cashmere blend.

Only Paper

Mélodies Graphiques 
10, rue du Pont Louis Philippe, in the 4th. 01 42 74 57 68.
At Mélodies Graphiques, you’ll gasp at the elegance of the calligraphy by owner Eric de Tugny, as well as his embossed bookmarks, cut-paper cards, quill pens and special desk accessories. Fine classic papers are sourced from France and Italy. Brass paperweights of life-size feathers and butterflies make a tasteful gift for the home office.

Moeti
30, rue Dauphine, in the 6th. Open every day.
This paper and card store carries organizers, pencil cases and notebooks featuring playful contemporary designs by French artists such as Sandrine Fabre, Herisson, and Fifi Mandirac. A delightfully colorful boutique showing how French graphic design has been influenced by the Japanese.

Handmade by Monks and Nuns

Comptoir des Abbayes
4–6, rue Fléchier, in the 9th. 01 48 78 49 25.
Shop and purify. Here you’ll find many items made by monks and nuns from various regions of France (there are other shops like it around Paris). We love their honey shampoo as well as their smart linens.

For more holy shopping, try:

La Boutique de l’Artisanat Monastique
68 bis, ave Denfert-Rochereau, in the 14th.
01 43 35 15 76.

For more on shopping in Paris, read our post Shopping, Sweets and Sights.

Note the difference between a market street, which houses permanent shops, and a real marché, which is an outdoor market where trucks pull up and vendors sell their food for only a few hours—akin to our farmer's markets.

Batignolles and Raspail: Biologique (Organic)
Blvd des Batignolles, from rue des Batignolles to rue Boursault, in the 17th. Sat, 9–2.
Blvd Raspail, from rue du Cherche-Midi to rue de Rennes, in the 6th.
Sun, 9–2.
Batignolles was Paris’s first organic market. The roasted free-range chicken is delicious. At the Raspail location there is a conventional (nonorganic) market on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 to 2:30. If you can get to the organic one—go. We think it’s the best in Paris. 

More marchés 

Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux
Place Louis Lépine, on Île de la Cité, in the 1st. Mon–Sun, 9–6.
Offers an abundance of small shops selling flowers and plants every day except Sunday. Sunday is reserved for the birds (oiseaux). It can be a bit cruel to see them all in cages, but somehow interesting, too. This is a nice thing to combine with a trip to the Conciergerie or Sainte-Chapelle.  

Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves 
Ave Georges Lafenestre and ave Marc Sangnier, in the 14th. Sat. and Sun.
Opens at 7 a.m. Ave Marc Sangnier closes at 1 p.m.; other markets' closing times vary, between 3 and 5 p.m.
Two avenues of vendors sell antiques, textiles, books, magazines, religious objects, costume jewelry, toys and silverware at bargain prices. Be on the lookout for audio, video and photography equipment. This market has great finds at budget prices for seekers willing to dig through piles of less interesting ephemera. Also on view: “normal” Parisians bargain hunting.

Marché aux Puces Montreuil
Avenue de la Porte de Montreuil, in the 20th.
This flea market between the 20th Arrondissement and the suburb of Montreuil is one of the best in Paris, with secondhand clothes, jewelry, antiques, spare parts—just about anything.

Marché Barbès
Blvd de la Chapelle, from blvd Barbès to rue de Tombouctou, in the 18th.
Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
This market feels like a visit to North Africa. It tends to be very crowded, so stand your ground.  

Marché Baudoyer
Place Baudoyer, in the 4th, near the Hôtel de Ville. Wed, 3–8; Sat, 7–3.

Marché Belleville
Along rue de Belleville, beginning at the Belleville metro stop, in the 20th.
Tues and Fri, 7–1.
Belleville is a wonderful ethnic market, another North African version of Paris.

Marché d’Aligre
Place d’Aligre, bet. ave Daumesnil and rue du Faubourg St. Antoine, in the 12th. Mon and Sat, 8–3:30 and 5:30–8:30 p.m.
Aligre focuses on Arab and North African foods. It’s fairly near the Bastille market, and you can do both on Sundays—when you’ll also be able to enjoy Aligre’s flea market, which sells antiques, vintage clothes and small collectibles.

Marché de la Bastille
Blvd Richard Lenoir, from rue Amelot to rue St.-Sabin, in the 11th.
Thurs, 7–2:30; Sun, 7–3.
This is the largest and, we think, one of the most impressive markets in Paris. It seems there are miles of fishmongers and fruit and vegetable stands. You’ll find other things for sale besides food, including hardware and kitchen tools as well as gift items.  

Marché Edgar Quinet
Blvd Edgar Quinet, from blvd Raspail to rue du Départ, in the 14th, near the Montparnasse cemetery. Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
You’ll find everything here, from fish to mushrooms to CDs.  

Marchés Maubert and Monge
Maubert: blvd St. Germain, near the Maubert metro stop, in the 5th. Tues, Thurs and Sat, 7:30–2:30 (Sat. until 3).
Monge: place Monge, in the 5th. Wed and Fri, 7:30–2:30; Sun, 7–3.
We like these markets because they are near one of our favorite fromageries: Du Bois (47 ter, blvd St. Germain). Plus, you can stop and check out the Mouffetard market street, which is very near here.

Marché President Wilson
Ave President Wilson, in the 16th, near the Iéna metro.
Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
Walk west from the Pont de l’Alma on ave President Wilson. This is a huge impressive market with high-quality food and flowers.  

Marché Saxe-Breteuil
Ave de Saxe, from place de Breteuil to ave de Ségur, in the 7th.
Thurs, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
This is a pleasant upscale market with a view of the Eiffel Tower.  

More marchés here. There are 57 roving markets in Paris. Here is a walking tour (from one of the many firms that offer them) specializing in the markets.

Covered markets

Marché des Enfants Rouges
39, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd.
Tues–Thurs, 9–2 and 4–8; Fri–Sat, 9–8; Sun, 8:30–2.
This is the oldest marché, from 1628. It is named for the red clothing worn by the children who lived at the former orphanage on this site. This is not as impressive a market as it is a fun place to go have lunch or an early dinner. There are wonderful takeout options, or you can order and eat there. The Japanese place and Moroccan places are particularly good. Outside on rue de Bretagne, a traditional market street, you’ll find great cheese, meat and fish purveyors as well as good boulangeries, patisseries and a fine Greek spot for takeout hummus and other Greek delicacies.

Marché St. Quentin
Blvd de Magenta, at rue de Chabrol, in the 10th.
Tues–Sat, 8:30–1 and 4–7:30; Sun, 8:30–1.
Another old covered market—a slice of life of vrai (real) Paris for those who are neither poor nor posh.  

Good market streets

Rue Cler
From just south of rue de Grenelle to ave de la Motte Picquet, in the 7th.
Tues–Sat, 10–6; Sun, approx. 8–12.
This is a beautiful market street—one of our favorites.  

Rue d’Aligre
Rue d’Aligre, in the 12th. Tues–Sat, 10–5; Sun, 8–1:30.
It is best to get to Aligre before 2, as a lot of the vendors start to break down their shops by then. This street has a reputation for being one of the best in Paris and has in addition a covered market called Beauveau, as well as a flea market nearby, at place d’Aligre (see More marchés, above). There is a distinct North African bazaar feel to this market. Don’t forget to check out Beauveau while you are here.

Rue de Buci
Rue de Buci off blvd St. Germain; rue de Seine from St. Germain to Buci.
In the 6th.
This was my market street when we had our apartment in the 6th. In particular, we love the shops Da Rosa, for Spanish ham and other goodies; Fromagerie 31 and Paul—the boulangerie chain at the corner, which always stocks a plethora of perfect breads and baguette sandwiches. It is fun to watch them make the bread in the window that opens onto the street.  

Rue Montorgueil
From rue de Turbigo to rue Léopold Bellan and rue St.-Sauveur, in the 1st and 2nd.
Along this stretch is the überfamous pastry king Stohrer.  

Rue Mouffetard
From rue Thouin to rue Edouard Quénu and rue Censier, in the 5th.
Tues–Sat, 10–6; Sun a.m.
This street, back in the day, was called “the road to Rome,” and it still looks like it, with the ancient cobblestones that line the street. There are countless little shops selling pastries, crepes, scarves and foie gras, and there are produce stands and cute little cafés for coffee—plus the tourist traps you’ll want to avoid. This street has it all. This is probably the place we’ve all ended up on our first trip to Paris. Hemingway lived near Mouffetard as a young man and he wrote A Moveable Feast about his time spent here.

Les Bouquinistes
Along the Seine. Tues–Fri, 2–6; Sat–Sun, 11–6. Summer: about 9:30–7.
These booksellers have been selling their wares along the Seine for nearly 500 years. You can peruse their used or antique books and posters from quai du Louvre to quai des Célestins, in the 2nd and 4th arrondissements, and from quai Voltaire to quai de la Tournelle, in the 5th and 6th. One can always find something interesting for sale here.  

Louvre des Antiquaires
2, place du Palais Royal, near the Louvre, in the 1st. Tues–Sun, 10­–6. Some shops close for lunch. Second entrance on rue de Marengo.
A fairly high-end place, but you can still find a good deal, especially if you ask the vendor for his best price. You’ll find shops specializing in many different areas, such as items from Asia, old Lalique glass, hotel silver, midcentury French pieces or art and antiquities from the Middle Ages.

Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt
Rue des Rosiers, in the 18th. Sat–Mon, 7 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
This is probably the most famous flea market in the world; however, it is no longer a place for bargains. Do not fear, though, for you can still walk away with something to treasure. Get off at the Porte de Clignancourt metro stop and walk east under the périphérique (the road that circles Paris). Turn left on rue des Rosiers. If you see stalls of junk you haven’t reached the proper market area yet. Keep going and you’ll see a number of different markets here, each with a collection of dealers. There’s Marché Vernaison, which is charming and full of smaller items as well as some furniture; Marché Biron, which is more upscale; Marché Malassis and the newer Marché Dauphine; plus Marché Serpette and Paul Bert, which we enjoy. There are many from which to choose and you can get lost, but take a look at the main marchés and you’ll quickly get a feel for which ones you prefer. If you’d like to have a nice lunch after shopping or just break up the day, try Le Soleil (109, ave Michelet, St.-Ouen; 01 40 10 08 08).

Rue de l’Université and rue Jacob
In the 6th and 7th.
Have a stroll here and you’ll find a plethora of beautiful—if expensive—antique and home shops. Walk along Rue de l’Université (which becomes Jacob), from Quai Voltaire to rue des Sts. Pères, for the heart of the Carré Rive Gauche (a consortium of antiques dealers).

Village St. Paul
Rue St. Paul, near rue de Rivoli just behind the St. Paul Church, in the 4th. Most shops open Tues–Sun, 9–noon and 2–6.
This area can be fun for a bit of antiquing. There are 30 or so antique dealers here, whose offerings range from junk to collectibles.

Village Suisse
58, ave de Suffren bet. rue Dupleix and ave de la Motte Picquet, in the 7th. Thurs–Mon, 10–7.
An upscale mall of roughly 150 antique shops. You’ll find a lot of 19th- and 20th-century furniture here.

Ted Alexander
109, rue du Bac, in the 7th Arrondissement. 01 45 44 42 24.
Ted Alexander’s collection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets adds just the right kind of sparkle to a smart ensemble. He even has tiny gold or silver charms of the Eiffel Tower, along with medallions from the neighboring pilgrimage site, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

Astier de Villatte
173, rue St. Honoré, in the 1st. 01 42 60 74 13.
Primarily a housewares shop specializing in ceramics. You’ll find three new scents by Françoise Caron, plus candles, each titled to evoke a destination such as Hong Kong.

Annick Goutal
16, rue de Bellechasse, in the 7th. 01 45 51 36 13.
See website for more locations.
Beautiful bottles and beautiful scents created by Ms. Goutal starting in 1981, now carried on by her daughter. Makes a great gift for someone you really cherish.

Bijoux Burma
See website for locations.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend: true, but costume diamonds will do just fine. Bijoux Burma offers the best of both worlds, presenting a variety of colorful precious gems in bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings and broaches, as well as costume jewelry that is sometimes even more spectacular.

Cartier, Boucheron and Buccellati are but a few of the famous jewelry shops on the Place Vendôme in the 1st. Even if you aren’t ready to drop 10’s of thousands of dollars, this can be an enjoyable window-shopping experience.  Drop in for tea at the Ritz Hotel also on the Place Vendôme after.

Dinh Van 16, rue de la Paix, in the 2nd; 01 42 61 74 49.
A contemporary look yet timeless look.

Corpus Christi (pictured to the right)
6 rue Ravignan, in the 18th, 01 42 57 77 77.
Artsy, creative and lovely. Corpus Christi is a special little shop of original creations that we quite enjoy. If you spend over 175 euros at one shop, bring your passport and ask the shopkeeper to fill out the détaxe refund form.

Casoar
15, rue Boissy d’Anglas, in the 8th. 01 47 42 69 51.
For fun and fabulous costume jewelry that won’t break the bank but will be the envy of your friends, check out this tiny shop for killer rings, earrings and necklaces. There is no need to tell your friends that the jewels aren’t real—a smart girl never reveals her secrets.

Guerlain
68, ave des Champs-Elysées, in the 8th. 01 45 62 52 57.
The grand dame of French perfume since 1828—plus a spa on the Champs. Two other locations, in the 6th and 8th.

JAR
Perfume: 14, rue de Castiglione, in the 1st. Jewelry: 7, Place Vendôme, in the 1st. 01 42 96 33 66.
For very exclusive jewels and perfume. Joel Arthur Rosenthal, a Harvard-educated New Yorker has a cult following. Both shops are by appointment only due to their sky-high prices. Don’t give up, as the shop is nearly impossible to find. Think you need your hubby to purchase these kinds of jewels? Don’t be silly!

Francis Kurkdjian
5, rue d’Alger, in the 1st. 01 42 77 40 22.
Call well in advance for an appointment. 
For a fragrance uniquely your own, let award-winning perfumer Kurkdjian—France’s “most famous contemporary nose”—guide you through the process of luxury scent creation. Kurkdjian knows how to offer his select clientele the royal treatment. After all, he re-created Marie Antoinette’s favorite perfume to great acclaim. Receive this royal treatment yourself for 8,000 euros (2,500–5,000 euros to adapt an existing scent).

Serge Lutens at Shiseido
142, Galerie de Valois, in the 1st, in the Palais Royal. 01 49 27 09 09.
Serge Lutens’s perfume is very hot, especially Ambre Sultan. His work can be found at the Shiseido boutique (even though he’s French) in the Palais Royal.

For more on fragrances, read our post Pretty Pink Perfumes from Paris.