Oui! Real Italian Gelato in Paris!! and other Paris, France Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: Amorino Gelateria

I first read of Amorino in a Rick Steves book touting it as an alternative to Berthillon on the Île St-Louis. Many people like the taste & texture of this better but then, of course, this is gelato as opposed to ice cream!

Yes, their gelato is wonderful. I love the way you get 2 flavors to the cone & they wrap one flavor around the other instead of piling 2 scoops on top of one another. I think I got a cherry-flavored gelato & a lemon/citron flavored one.

They have 6 locations in Paris:
82, rue Montorgueil 75002
47, rue St Louis en l'Ile 75004
16, rue de la Huchette 75005
22, rue Soufflot 75005
4, rue Vavin 75006
17, rue Daguerre 75014

Photo: February 2006



Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink
Phone: 01 43 26 57 46
Address: 4, rue de Buci 75006 Paris
Directions: Located in St-Germain-des-Prés on the corner of rue de Buci & rue Gregoire de Tours.

Métro: Odéon (Lignes 4, 10)
Website: http://amorino.fr/
Other Contact: daguerre@amorino.fr

Name of Shop: Cacao et Chocolat

I've shopped at 2 of the Cacao et Chocolat locations:
63, rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Isle in the 4th arrondissement on the Île St-Louis
29, rue de Buci in the 6th arrondissement

The shop on rue de Buci is just right across the street from London-based Lush bath & beauty products shop (and what better way to treat yourself in Paris than with bath products & chocolate?)!

The first time was in February 2006; the chocolates were so good I had to return!

They have a 3rd location in the Marais at:
36, rue Vieille du Temple

What To Buy: Orangette Imperiale (200G) - Dark chocolate-covered candied orange peel - these are my mother's favorites and are hard to find in Cincinnati. Apparently, we love them, too. The previous trip when I bought some for her they didn't quite make it to her!! - 15.60€

Carrés de Chocolat - Pavés of dark chocolate, like the kind they serve here in Paris with espresso! - 7.00€

Bouchée Chinampa (Praline) - for the kids - 3€ apiece

Amandes Gianduja - Dark chocolate-enrobed almonds - I bought these the previous trip and they're fabulous! - 8.50€

Their chocolat chaud was divine! Deep, rich, dark & thick!! - 3.70€

The best part is that you can order from their website!

Photos: November 2007

What To Pay: 3€ to several hundred € dependent upon your chocolate cravings!

Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink
Address: 29, rue de Buci 75006 Paris
Directions: R de Buci site lies between r de Bourbon le Château & Bd St-Germain
Métro: Mabillon (Ligne 10)
Île St-Louis site lies just west of r Regrattier
Métro: Pont Marie (Ligne 7)
Marais site lies south of r des Rosiers
Métro: St-Paul (Ligne 1)
Website: http://www.cacaoetchocolat.com/

Name of Shop: Franprix & ED

Two major grocery store chains you can expect to find in Paris are Ed & Franprix. These are great place to stock up on water, sodas, pick up cheeses, buy toiletries, any little item you might need while in Paris.

There're a plethora of them in Paris and there will most assuredly be one near your hotel. The best way to scope one out before your trip is to go to www.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi, type in "Franprix" or "Ed" in the Nom box, type in "Paris" in the Localite box then enter the zip code (i.e. 75005 for the 5th arrondissement) you'll be staying at in the Departement ou region box to find those nearest you.

We found one at 27 rue Cler on our April 2002 trip near our hotel when we stayed in the 7th, I shopped at the Franprix in Paris on rue Lomat in the Latin Quarter & at the Ed on the rue d'Orsel in Montmartre.

As a funny aside: on another travel board I frequent was a debate over whether or not the French eat corn, specifically corn on the cob - most people said no because the French think of corn as horse feed. Well, times have quickly changed because for the first time during my travels to Paris I noticed corn on the cob at ED! Check out the photo.

What To Buy: Water, cheese, Coke, yogurt, Orangina, fruit, toothpaste, wine, batteries.

Photos: Feb 2006

What To Pay: About the same as what you'd pay for items in the US but the prices are far cheaper than at the specialty shops such as the fromageries (cheese shops).

Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Address: Everywhere in Paris
Website: http://www.franprix.fr/

Name of Shop: Kazana

Kazana is a cool boutique shop selling scarves, jewelry, handbags, hats, and other fashion accessories in exotic crafts from around the globe (Berber, Indian, Mayan, Moroccan, Tibetan wares).

I took the photos at their previous location on 15, rue Vieille du Temple (which is now closed) and shopped at the one in the Latin Quarter (rue Soufflot - but that one is closed, as well as the one on rue Mouffetard) where I tried to buy a CD titled "French Cafe"; unfortunately, they were out of them. Have no fear, though, as there is a location at 7, rue Lagrange in the 5th arrondissement along with locations in:
Île St-Louis (52, rue St-Louis-en-l'Île)
St-Germain-des-Prés (115, rue de Rennes)
Montmartre (10, rue de Steinkerque)
in the 20th arrondissement east of Place de la Nation (30, rue Plaine)

There are several locations throughout other areas of France and in Belgium.

What To Buy: Scarves, jewelry, pretty pens, paper products, CDs

Photos: February 2006


Leave a Comment

Theme: Local Craft
Website: http://www.kazana.fr/

Name of Shop: L'Occitane

L'Occitane en Provence is a bath and beauty products shop that specializes in old-fashioned singular scents such as verveine (lemon verbena), lavande (lavendar), rose, iris, & cherry blossom scents for women and cedar, patchouli, & vetyver for men. It's like the French version of Crabtree & Evelyn but with a Provençal twist.

We have a L'Occitane en Provence here in Cincinnati and I was eager to see what new items they had in Paris; however when I shopped at the L'Occitane on the Île St-Louis I couldn’t find anything cheaper than what you’d find here in the US nor anything new. I don't really recommend shopping for items in Paris unles you just don't have one close by or just wish to say you purchased it in the City of Light.

However, trip before last, I did pick up some lavendar linen water from the L'Occitane at the rue des Francs-Bourgeois location in the Marais. I used it to give my hostel corner a homey feel!

What To Buy: Some of my favorites include:
*Masque Gommant Adoucissant (Softening Hand Scrub) which carries a light verbena scent,
*Beurre de Karité (100% pure shea butter) cream (which is a dream on winter's dry skin,
*Shea Butter mini hand cream with 20% shea butter,
*Eau Démaquillante (extra-gentle cleansing water for skin, eye, lips - this stuff is great because if you accidentally spray it in your eyes it causes no irritation - sort of like Johnson's Baby shampoo but for adults and as a skincare product),
*Travel packs with verveine shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion. When I see these on sale in my local store I stock up and throw in my suitcase to bring to France,
*Lavendar linen water to spray on pillows & sheets or to spray on clothes during ironing.

What To Pay: Same as in the US

Leave a Comment

Theme: Bath and Beauty
Phone: 01 40 46 81 71
Address: 55, rue St Louis en l'Ile, Paris 75004
Directions: Down the street from Berthillon on the Île St-Louis
Website: http://www.loccitane.com/
Other Contact: 01 40 46 84 39

Name of Shop: Monoprix

Monoprix is an inexpensive department store that has many locations throughout Paris (see website below). You'll find anything you'd need to stock up on grocery supplies during your stay in Paris: water, yogurt, cheese, wine, soda. If you're on a budget, then this is definitely THE place to shop!

What To Buy: I shopped at the Monoprix Sebastopol at 95, bd Sebastopol in the 2nd arrondissement. Picked up some really cute baby clothes for my niece: a top for 12euro, matching bottoms for 12.90euro as well as the matching cardigan at 14.90euro. Also picked up some:
Fleur de Sel (2.90€ a piece)
tapenade (3.62euro for 100 gr)
3 mustards by Edmond Fallot (Verte a l'Estragon, Cassis de Dijon, & Dijon au Vin Blanc - 3.35€)
Terrine de Canard à l'Armagnac (2.39euro for 200 gr)
These I purchased as inexpensive gifts for friends back home or for cool French items for the home. Another gift item was some funky striped leggings (7.90euro a piece).

I also noticed cute inexpensive journals & calendar books that would be perfect for teenage girls. If it's raining this is a great place to pick up a fabulous Frenchy umbrella!

A friend also pointed out to me Bourjois cosmetics, an inexpensive line by Chanel. Another friend, who performs on stage, says the face powder is the best he's used; it doesn't run when he sweats under stage lights - good news for all of us, right ladies?!

When my bags didn't show up for the first couple of days this past trip, a friend ran out and bought me some almond-scented shampoo & ylang ylang shower gel (this last I have GOT to some more of!).

What To Pay: Typical French food items that you'd love to take back home for friends and family and normally MUCH less than what you'd expect to pay for the same items in the US, including wine, eau de vie for 1/2 the price of what I'd pay in the states (10-15€), fleur de sel, tapenade, and pâté.

Photos: February 2006 & November 2007

Leave a Comment

Theme: Department Store
Address: Multiple locations
Directions: Look up locations on www.pagesjaunes.fr for locations nearest you. I find stores are usually very close to metro stops.
Website: http://www.monoprix.com/

Name of Shop: Nicolas

On the way to Le Grand Colbert I found time to pick up some wine at the Nicolas wine shop on 22, rue des Petits Champs where I had a nice conversation about American/French relations & politics with the proprietor of the store, Florent. He advised me on wine & showed me a bottle Pouilly sur Loire, a nice inexpensive substitute for Sancerre (about 8€) and 2 bottles of the Nicolas brand (less than 3€ apiece).


What To Pay: 2-3€ for the least expensive bottles to several hundred euros for wine & champagne.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink
Phone: 01 42 97 41 11
Address: 22, rue des Petits Champs 75002
Directions: Numerous other locations
Website: http://www.nicolas.com/

Name of Shop: Le Repaire de Bacchus

I never ventured beyond the threshhold of this shop as I purchased the wines sitting outside in the woven baskets. The signs boldly diplaying the cheap prices caught my eye and I couldn't resist so I purchased 2 of those!

This is a chain of wine shops, much like Nicolas, with 29 stores in Paris:
7, rue Gomboust 75001

---

88, rue Montorgueil 75002

---

40, rue Bretagne 75003
14, rue Rambuteau 75003

---

112, rue Mouffetard 75005

---

29, rue Clerue 75007
74, rue Grenelle 75007
122, rue St Dominique 75007

---

12, cité Berryerue 75008

---

11, rue Martyrs 75009

---

56, rue Oberkampf 75011

---

79, bd Diderot 75012
4, rue Rendez-Vous 75012

---

197, av Maine 75014
104, rue Raymond Losserand 75014

---

66, rue Commerce 75015
228, rue Convention 75015
85, rue Lecourbe 75015
75, rue des Morillons 75015
110, rue St Charles 75015

---

58, rue d'Auteuil 75016
11, rue Le Marois 75016

---

39, rue Acacias 75017
6, rue Bayen 75017
51, rue Lévis 75017
30, rue des Moines 75017

---

40, rue Damrémont 75018
1, rue Joseph de Maistre 75018

---

218 bis, rue Pyrénées 75020

What To Buy: Very inexpensive wines (and good, too).

What To Pay: 2€ per bottle

Photo: November 2007

Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink
Phone: 01 47 07 39 40
Address: 112, rue Mouffetard 75005 PARIS
Directions: I found this shop on rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter south of Place de la Contrescarpe between Square Vermenouze & rue de l'Arbalete.

Métro: Censier-Daubenton (Ligne 7)
Website: http://www.fr.chateauonline.com/RB/

Name of Shop: Sales in Paris

There are two sales seasons in Paris when prices are slashed 30-50% off (or more): January to mid-Februry and July. The word to watch for are Soldes. From the photos you can see I was in Paris during the late soldes period when the 2e demarque (2nd markdown) occurred on prices.

What I especially like about the Soldes are the clever window displays.


What To Pay: Prices are generally marked down by 30 - 50% although later in the season they can go as low as 90% off. Off course, during this time you'll really have to search as everything has been picked over. The good thing, though, is that many of the stores have extended hours during this time.

Photos: Feb 2006

Leave a Comment

Theme: Department Store
Address: Paris

Name of Shop: Didier Ludot

Didier Ludot's hallmark is La Petite Robe Noire, the quintessential "little black dress" copied from various vintage designs. He also has a shop across the gardens of the Palais Royal that sells haute couture vintage, such as the lovely peacock blue Dior I saw in the window from 1960, along with Vionnet, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Courrèges with accessories from Hermès, Prada, Gucci, and Dior. I never purchased anything that day, just did a bit of window shopping (and drooling).

La Petite Robe Noire shop is located at 125, Galerie de Valois, Jardin du Palais Royal in the 1st arrondissement and is open Monday-Friday from 11am-7pm.

He sells his little black dresses in Printemps in Paris as well as at Barney's in NYC.

What To Buy: Little black dresses & vintage clothing.

Photos: February 2006

What To Pay: Several hundred euro to several thousand!

Leave a Comment

Theme: Women's Clothes
Phone: 01 40 15 01 04
Address: 20-24, Galerie de Montpensier (Palais Royal) 75001
Directions: Located in the gardens of the Palais Royal in the first arrondissement, a shop on each side.

Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (Ligne 1)
Website: http://www.didierludot.com/france
Other Contact: wallis@didierludot.com