33 Best Places to Shop in Around the Louvre, Paris

Justly famous for its sexy, derriere-shaping jeans, this Swedish label daringly mixes genders and genres in body-hugging or oversize, asymmetrical styles that rival some of the best catwalk looks. Standout shoes, boots, and accessories—all exhibiting the brand's underplayed cool—are sold here, too.

The late McQueen's hallmarks—tons of lace, gossamer fabrics, tartans, death's heads, and voluminous silhouettes—are all lavishly on display at this two-story boutique. Sarah Burton's dramatic gowns were the brand's signature for her 13 years as creative director; now, it's Seán McGirr, former head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson, who has taken the lead. Shoes, accessories, and surprisingly affordable jewelry to go with the garments are available as well.

This shop has been selling lingerie to Parisians since 1889, offering some of the city's most sumptuous couture undergarments. Ready-to-wear bras, corsets, and sleepwear fill the eponymous boutique.

Much like the clothes it sells, Chloé's flagship boutique is softly feminine and modern without being stark. Housed in an 18th-century mansion, its creamy marble floors, gold sconces, and walls in the brand's signature rosy beige are the perfect backdrop for Chemena Kamali's designs, which effortlessly continue in the vein of founder Gaby Aghion's sensibilities—unsurprising, seeing as Kamali has been connected to the brand on and off for over 20 years. Shoppers are met with the kind of sincere attention that is all but extinct in most high-end Paris shops, and sustainability is the mot d'ordre.

Never mind the creaky stairs: E. Dehillerin has been around for almost 200 years and clearly knows its business. The huge range of professional cookware in enamel, stainless steel, and fiery copper is gorgeous; rely on the knowledgeable staff to locate specific items in the vast expanse of this store. During her years in Paris, Julia Child was a regular.

The world's oldest perfumer has a gorgeous Parisian flagship store, just blocks from its very first shop founded by Pierre-François Guerlain in 1828. This outpost is a sumptuous affair, offering more personalized services and customization than ever before. A tablet helps you define your olfactory profile, and experts are on-hand to guide you through a private consultation in a special room decked out in blushing velvets. You can also have a private consultation with a house "nose" to design your own fragrance. If those options are out of your price range (as they are for most mortals), you can still personalize any of the perfumer's 110 fragrances from the "perfume bar," choosing from several crystal bottles and selecting the color of your label and ribbons.

The go-to for those who prefer their logo discreet yet still crave instant recognition, Hermès was established as a saddlery in 1837, then went on to create the eternally chic Kelly (named for Grace Kelly) and Birkin (named for Jane Birkin) handbags. The silk scarves are legendary, known for their rich colors and intricate designs, which change yearly. Other accessories are also extremely covetable: enamel bracelets, dashing silk-twill ties, and small leather goods. The sought-after clothing line sometimes hits the mark and sometimes doesn't, but you can always expect lots of leather. During semiannual sales, in January and July, prices are slashed by up to 50%, and the crowds line up for blocks.

Every year, Serge Lutens dreams up two new fragrances, which are then sold exclusively in this boutique. Each is compellingly original, from the strong somptueux scents often with musk and amber notes to the intense florals like Rose de Nuit. Bottles can be etched and personalized for gifts. The shop itself boasts a beautiful spiral staircase.

The Paris-based luxury leather goods and fashion house par excellence is resplendent in an 18th-century mansion on the elegant Place Vendôme. Part fashion boutique and part art gallery, this impeccably restored locale retains the original woodwork, gilding, and stone, adding contemporary chrome, glass, and colorful works from more than 30 contemporary artists and sculptors. Covering three floors, the grand Place Vendôme store offers the entire Vuitton collection, including high-end jewelry and watches, bags and accessories, fashion, luggage, and some fabulous home furnishings on the top floor.

After standing empty for 16 years, the Samaritaine department store finally reopened in 2021 following an ambitious renovation by new owners LVMH. The space dating to 1870 retains many of its Art Deco details, including its beautiful facade overlooking the Seine, and is also now home to the city's Cheval Blanc hotel. You can enter the store via Rue de la Monnaie, encountering labels from more than 600 fashion brands like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, and Moschino. The new Samaritaine is also home to a spa and several eateries, including a gorgeous fifth-floor restaurant, Voyage, where you can dine on seasonal, international dishes beneath the department store's beautiful glass roof.

This shop has been at the heart of the Parisian locavore movement since 2008, when it began uniting innovative chefs with small local producers. Today, Terroirs d'Avenir also caters to individuals, with no fewer than five shops on the tiny Rue du Nil: a bakery (No. 3), butcher shop (No. 6), cheesemonger (No. 8), greengrocer (No. 7), and fishmonger (No. 8). Even if you're not planning a purchase, the picturesque cobbled street is worth a stop for a photo op.

Located between the Bourse and the Palais-Royal, Galerie Vivienne is the most glorious glass-capped arcade in Paris. The 19th-century beauty is home to an array of interesting boutiques as well as a lovely tearoom (A Priori Thé) and a terrific wineshop (Cave Legrand Filles et Fils).

Parisian chefs have been coming here for their kitchen needs for more than a century, from plates and glasses to pans and wooden spoons. The section for pastry-baking accessories is one of the best in the city. There's also a great selection of white porcelain baking and tableware.

This brand embodies the quintessential French approach to easy but stylish dressing. There are many branches, and the clothes are also sold in department stores, but for the fullest range go to Rue du Jour, where agnès takes up much of the street (women's and children's wear are at No. 6, menswear at No. 3). For women, classics include sleek black leather jackets, flattering black jersey separates, and trademark wide-stripe T-shirts. Children love the two-tone T-shirts proclaiming their age. And the stormy-gray velour or corduroy suits you see on those slouchy, scarf-clad men? agnès b.

This boutique with its own spa sells tailor-made skin-care products popular with top models. Products feature seaweed and trace elements as well as essential oils.

Come here for tongue-in-chic interpretations of 18th-century table settings and furniture. You can live out your Baroque or Empire fancies with lots of mahogany and milk-white china sets made in the artisan ceramic workshop—the only one of its kind in Paris. The paper goods come from France's last typographic printer on the outskirts of the city. Moody candles, incense, and bespoke perfumes complete the atmosphere.

This small, refined store is the brainchild of Terry de Gunzburg, Yves Saint Laurent's former director of makeup, whose brand of ready-to-wear cosmetics is a favorite among French actresses and socialites. Upstairs, specialists create what de Gunzburg calls haute couleur, exclusive makeup tailored to each client (it's very expensive, and takes three weeks to create).

This historic jeweler welcomes devotees past the 19th-century, gold-flecked black marble facade into a massive six-story boutique. Boasting truly contemporary flair, albeit with nods to the brand's storied past, this Cartier is airy and bright, capped by a glass ceiling that takes inspiration from the city's beloved secret courtyards. Longtime favorites like Trinity rings and Tank watches compete for attention with the newer Panthère, Love, and Caresse d'Orchidées collections.

This family-run cavern teeming with artists, actors, models, and jewelry lovers offers an Ali Baba–ish shopping experience. You'll need to take your time, as the walls are filled with row upon row of antique jewels from every era, as well as more modern secondhand jewelry and vintage one-of-a-kinds.

These colorful totes are the choice of royals, blue bloods, and the like (clients have included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Gregory Peck, and the duke and duchess of Windsor). Parisians swear by their durability and longevity; they're large enough to transport a baguette and durable enough for a magnum of champagne. Dog owners won't want to miss the "Le Chic du Chien" boutique farther down at No. 352.

Forty masterful varieties of chocolate and some of the best pastries in Paris earned Jean-Paul Hévin his world-class chocolatier status. Devotees will be pleased to know that there are several other outposts in the capital, including one nearby at 108 rue St-Honoré. The all-chocolate tartlet is a must.

Representing 100 artisanal perfumers, Jovoy is the largest independent purveyor of fragrances in the world—indeed, the brand calls itself the "embassy of rare perfumes." Owner François Hénin is often on-site expounding on the unique qualities and fascinating histories of different fragrances, some of which date back hundreds of years, and many of which are exclusive to the boutique. The shop also carries fragrances for the home and a range of beautifully packaged scented candles.

Cheese fans will fall in love with this little shop steps from Les Cave du Louvre, a wine cellar run by the same team. The open plan of the fromagerie allows shoppers to get up close and personal with a wide range of cheeses, from time-tested favorites like Comté and Brie to house specialties like peat whiskey–aged tomme de Savoie. And unlike many other Parisian cheese shops, it's open on Monday. The shop also offers customizable picnic boxes for one to four people that feature a selection of cheeses and charcuterie.

Dating to 1520s Venice, this venerable bookstore opened in Paris in 1801 and was the first to specialize in English-language books. Its present location, across from the Tuileries Garden on Rue de Rivoli, opened in 1856, and the wooden bookshelves, creaking floors, and hushed interior provide the perfect atmosphere for perusing Paris's best collection of contemporary and classic greats in English and French, plus a huge selection of gorgeous art books.

Until you've eased on an exquisite pair of gloves handcrafted by Fabre, you probably haven't experienced the sensation of having a second skin far superior to your own. Founded in 1924, this historic gantier is known for styles ranging from classic to haute: picture elbow-length croc leather, coyote-fur mittens, and peccary driving gloves.

This famously elusive Belgian designer has earned a devoted following for his avant-garde styling and his innovative technique, from spiraling seams to deconstructed shirts.

This Faubourg St-Honoré boutique dispenses with Miu Miu's Modernist ethos in favor of a Neo-Baroque sensibility—and it influences everything from the velvet wallpaper to, perhaps, a lavish pair of ruby slippers. Although the shoes and accessories scream glitz, the clothes still have a sleek refinement, with the designer's notorious tension between minimalism and opulence.

With Vivier and Louboutin, Pierre Hardy completes the triumvirate of anointed Paris shoe designers. Armed with a pedigree—Dior, Hermès, Balenciaga—Hardy opened his own boutique in 2003 and made serious waves. The luxe bags are ever popular, and the shoes are unmistakable: sky-scraping platforms and wedges or demure kitten heels double as sculpture with breathtaking details and luscious colors.

Rick Owens expertly finessed the jump from L.A. rock-star chic to Paris offbeat elegance. Lately defined more by glamour than grunge, his lush fabrics and asymmetrical designs have evolved to a new level of artistry—and wearability. Owens still loves a paradox (shrouding while revealing) and mixes high luxury with a bit of tooth and claw. You'll also find shoes, furs, jewelry, and accessories.

Long known for his Pilgrim-buckle shoes and inventive heels, Roger Vivier's name is being resurrected through the creativity of uber-Parisienne Inès de la Fressange and the expertise of shoe designer Gherardo Felloni. The results are easily some of the best shoes in town: leather boots that mold to the calf perfectly, towering rhinestone-encrusted or feathered platforms for evening, and vertiginous crocodile pumps.