28 Best Places to Shop in Les Grands Boulevards, Paris

At her multibrand concept store, jewelry designer and general fashionista-about-town Marie Gas does the work for you, mixing women's wear designers you already know and love (Spalwart, Ulla Johnson) with French and European créateurs that you definitely want to know (and will love). Browse a seasonal collection of everything from ready-to-wear to jewelry, leather goods, perfume, and design objects for the home.

Harking back to the Victorian era, when every chic household had a stuffed bird or small mammal, this outstanding cabinet of curiosities mixes jewel-like butterflies and insects with astonishing specimens of wild animals, including giraffes, lions and tigers, polar bears, antelopes, zebras, and exquisite birds. (Note that all of the animals died of natural causes in zoos.) More comical or whimsical pieces include pastel-color chickens, winged monkeys or mice, and the Poe chandelier, complete with a raven. All items come with certification for easy export and can be shipped anywhere.

Join Paris's chefs and head for G. Detou (get it, j'ai de tout—I have everything), just off the wonderful Marché Montorgeuil, for an absolutely astounding range of baking staples, nuts, chocolate, canned rarities, and other French and European delicacies. Basically, a bit of, well . . . everything.

Come here to learn the secrets of Paris's chicest apartments and upscale boutique hotels, brought to you by the sought-after Parisian designer herself. The boutique carries everything from textiles, throw pillows, tableware, and accessories to furnishings and lighting, all in Lavoine's signature jewel colors and luxe textures and shapes.

One of Paris's oldest and most colorful market streets, with its roots in the 12th century, still harbors addresses that hark back to the 18th century. To get the full effect, start at Rue Réaumur, and walk this cobbled pedestrian street all the way to the Forum des Halles, past shops displaying every French delicacy, from cheese and chocolate to oysters and pastry, interspersed with bustling cafés. Stop in at Société des Huîtres d'Étretat (1777), at Nos. 61–63, purveyors of oysters to Marie-Antoinette, or grab a divine pastry at Stohrer (1730) at No. 51.

Off the bustling Rue Montmartre, this unique concept store is Paris's perfume and skincare central—a must for seekers of that elusive perfect fragrance. After you're installed at the bar (with refreshment), you'll be given a detailed questionnaire on the in-house iPad to pinpoint 5 or 10 scents from 500 niche perfumes that correspond to your deepest self. There's also a super range of European skin-care products, scented candles, and other delicious surprises.

This toy shop has anything you can imagine for the French home (and garden) in miniature, such as Lilliputian croissants, wine decanters, and minuscule instruments in their cases. Build-it-yourself dollhouses include a 17th-century town house and a boulangerie storefront. Upstairs are do-it-yourself teddy-bear kits and classic toys.

Once a sordid spot where grifters convened to count the daily take, this minuscule street, tucked away in the up-and-coming Sentier neighborhood in arrondissement 2e, is now foodie central. It all began with the Frenchie empire—takeout, wine bar, and gastronomic restaurant—then their suppliers followed. Now, the cobbled street is lined with chic eateries and purveyors of everything from fresh fish and fruits to tempting breads and pastries, and boasts one of Paris's best gourmet coffee shops (L'Arbre à Café, No. 10).

This institution opened in 1730, thanks to Louis XV's Polish bride, who couldn't bear to part with her pastry chef and thus brought Nicholas Stohrer along with her to Paris. Today, it has all the to-die-for pastries that made the bakery's name, including the famous baba au rhum that originated here, as well as a tantalizing range of other sweets, breads, and savory prepared foods to go.

Le Passage des Princes—one of the city’s historic covered passages—is home to Paris’s most comprehensive toy store. Part of a large French chain, the two-level Village JouéClub carries all the usual suspects (Barbie, Disney, Hello Kitty, and the like) plus the better traditional European brands, including Vilac, Moulin Roty, and L'Atelier du Bois. It’s made up of more than 10 “shops,” each of which is dedicated to a different age group or toy genre. Virtually every kind of plaything is here, so be prepared to linger.

Yamamoto's voluminous, draped, and highly coveted Y's label fully expresses itself in this sleek backdrop of white and chrome. Don't expect a varied palette; the clothing comes mostly in his signature black, with splashes of red, beige, and white. But do expect sophisticated, classic clothes for women and men that never go out of style.

A former model, Anouschka has set up shop in her apartment (open by appointment only, Monday through Saturday) and has rack upon rack of vintage clothing dating from the 1930s to the '80s. It's the perfect place to find a '50s cocktail dress in mint condition or a mod jacket for him. She calls this a "designer laboratory," and teams from top fashion houses often pop by looking for inspiration.

This historic vinothèque (wine store), set in the beautiful Galerie Vivienne, is as picturesque a spot as you’ll ever find in Paris for buying and tasting wine. With a comptoir (tasting counter), seating in the lovely courtyard, and a restaurant, you can discover the finest French wines accompanied by gourmet dishes. Themed tastings and dinners are a great way to mingle with the experts (just be sure to reserve in advance online).

The iconic design elements of the pearl-draped designer are in evidence in Chanel Jewelry, where you'll witness the quilting (reimagined for gold rings), camellias (now brooches), and shooting stars (used for Chanel's first jewelry collection in 1932, now appearing as diamond rings).

The Parisian equivalent of a Savile Row tailor, Charvet is a conservative, aristocratic institution dating to 1838. It's famed for made-to-measure shirts, exquisite ties, and accessories; for garbing John F. Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, and the duke of Windsor; and for its regal address. Although the exquisite silk ties in hundreds of colors and patterns and custom-made shirts for men are the biggest draws, refined pieces for women and girls, as well as adorable miniatures for boys, round out the collection.

Founded in 1830, Christofle has fulfilled all kinds of silver wishes, from a silver service for the Orient Express to a gigantic silver bed. Come for timeless table settings, vases, jewelry boxes, and more.

Just around the corner from Place Vendôme's titan jewelers, Dinh Van thumbs its nose at in-your-face opulence. The look here is refreshingly spare. Bestsellers include a hammered-gold-orb necklace and leather-cord bracelets joined with geometric shapes in white or yellow gold, some with pavé diamonds.

This cashmere shop provides stylish Parisians with luxury cashmere in every color, style, and weight; yarns range from light as a feather to a hefty 50-ply for the jaunty caps. The store caters to men and women (there are some kids' models, too). Styles are updated seasonally yet tend toward the classic.

This enchanting shop dates from 1761 and is the oldest continuously open confectionary in Paris. Though it has gone the way of the chain, with multiple boutiques in Paris, À la Mère de Famille retains its authenticity and is well versed in French regional specialties as well as old-fashioned bonbons, chocolates, marzipan, ice creams, and more.

This shop has the largest selection of wine in one spot in Europe—more than 6,000 wines and spirits from all over the world, ranging from the simple to the sublime. There are expert English-speaking sommeliers on-site to help you sort it all out, as well as a wine-tasting bar, a bookshop, and a restaurant.

One of the best wine shops in Paris, Les Caves Augé has been in operation since 1850. It's just the ticket, whether you're looking for a rare vintage, a select Bordeaux, or a seductive bubbly for a tête-à-tête. English-speaking experts are on hand to guide you through an excellent collection of small-producer, organic, and natural wines, as well as select grower-producer champagnes.

With branches throughout the city, consider this the French Target. Here you'll find everyday items like cosmetics, groceries, toys, kitchenware, and more, as well as a grocery section that's a great place to stock up on French chocolate, jams, or confit de canard at reasonable prices. Monoprix also has a line of stylish, inexpensive, basic wearables for the whole family—particularly adorable kids' clothes.

Built in 1799, the city's oldest extant arcade has become a foodie paradise, with no fewer than a dozen gourmet destinations, including Racines, Alstair, Caffé Sterne, and Coinstot Vino wine bar.

This passage is full of eclectic shops selling toys, Asian furnishings, cinema posters, and more. Pain d'Épices, at No. 29, specializes in dollhouse decor.

Across from Passage Jouffroy, Passage Verdeau has shops carrying antique cameras, comic books, and engravings. Au Bonheur des Dames, at No. 8, has all things embroidery.

Near Parc Monceau, this is one of Paris's more vibrant and oldest market streets, dating back to the 1600s. Though some cut-rate boutiques lately encroached, you'll find plenty of the authentic good stuff, from cured Iberian ham to every French specialty under the sun.

A retail institution, Au Printemps is made up of three major stores: Printemps Maison (with home furnishings on four refurbished floors), Printemps Homme (featuring six levels of menswear plus two levels for the gourmet shopping area, Printemps du Goût, which opened in January 2018), and fashion-focused Printemps Mode (which has everything à la mode, from couture to teen trends). While in the Printemps Mode building, be sure to check out the newly enlarged beauty area—the largest in Paris—with the Nuxe spa, hair salons, and seemingly every beauty product known to woman under one roof. The luxurious Printemps du Louvre—in the Carrousel du Louvre, at the underground entrance to the museum, across from I.M. Pei's inverted pyramid—carries fine leather goods, accessories, watches, and beauty products; fittingly, it also hosts revolving art exhibitions.

This mammoth department store is one of those places that you wander into unawares, leaving hours later a poorer and humbler person. Inside its flagship building at 40 boulevard Haussmann, a Belle Époque stained-glass dome caps the world's largest perfumery. The store bulges with thousands of designers, and 25-minute fashion shows are held Friday at 3 pm in the upstairs café to showcase their wares (reservations are a must: email [email protected]; admission €12). Another big draw is the comestibles department, stocked with everything from herbed goat cheese to Iranian caviar. Just across the street at 35 boulevard Haussmann is Galeries Lafayette Maison, which focuses on goods for the fashionable home. The Montparnasse branch is a pale shadow of the Boulevard Haussmann behemoths.