6 Best Areas To Shop Like A Parisian

Haut Marais 

Sure, there’s plenty of shopping to be done in Le Marais, but when it’s all commercial high street ventures and dodging crowds of tourists, who’s really interested? For some of the best shopping in Paris head north into Haut Marais, which runs from the Picasso Museum to the Place de la République and is where Parisians really shop. You’ll still get the charming cobblestone streets and ivy-clad buildings that you’d expect from this quartier, but head to Rue Charlot and you’ll also get the boutiques of up and coming designers, independent and quirky little clothes shops and a sprinkling of galleries for good measure. You can easily get some of the best shopping in Paris done here and for those who like hunting for one-off treasures rather than buying off the rail - check out Yves Andrieux & Vincent Jalbert, whose pieces from homeware to clothing are all made from antique fabrics that have been sourced anywhere from ex-army uniforms to your local flea market, and Pring, who makes the kind of neo-Cinderella glam-rock shoes your mum wouldn’t like but you can’t help buying anyway. True to its bobo (bourgeois bohemian) personality, as well as the tangle of tiny streets around the Rue de Bretagne where you can find clothing that's made for this effortless-chic style, the recently reopened Carreau du Temple market is redefining the area's working class roots. 

Your bank account might not thank you for clothes shopping in Paris, but if you find yourself in this laid-back enclave, your wardrobe certainly will. If you are compiling a list of where to shop in Paris then include Etienne Marcel. This is where the cool kids come to shop (or window-shop), where penniless fashion students come for inspiration and where you can find big names alongside indie gems and home-grown Parisian labels. With a unique atmosphere of Paris via California (if you can picture it), this area draws on all of my favourite things about La La Land - laid back Venice Beach vibes, thrift shops, skating concept stores and street art. There’s the Cali inspired store American Retro as well as denim classics like Levi’s and Replay, as well as tres unique boutiques like By Marie, which is always stocked with romantically whimsical, feminine pieces. If you are shopping in Paris ,the Sandro and the Kooples are go-to spots for the latest in effortless cool, and vintage lovers rejoice because Etienne Marcel is also home to the most celebrated vintage store in the city, Kiliwatch. 

Montmartre

If you are wondering where to shop in Paris you may have overlooked Montmartre, which tends to scream tourist hotspot and pickpockets, not unique boutique shopping, but some of the best shopping in Paris can be done here. Skip the madness of the area’s souvenir shops selling an impressively tacky selection of things you definitely don’t want and head straight to the, where you’ll find the unique, speciality and chic boutiques you were looking for all along. From the French staples like Comptoir des Cotonniers to wonderfully off the wall fashion stores like Et Vous, Rue des Abbesses is a wonderful mash-up the brings together everything I love about Parisian style. There’s speciality beauty boutiques like Oh My Cream!, the vintage treasure trove Homies where you’re sure to unearth something special (they also sell contemporary ready-to-wear) and Coco Bazar, an eclectic shoe shop. And if that’s not enough, there’s also the Marché St Pierre where you’ll find anything from nicknacks to fabric so you can get creative and run up some of your own clothes!

With a name like rue du Commerce, it’s not surprising that this is where you can get some of the best shopping in Paris done. Despite being just around the corner from the Eiffel Tower, this shopping secret is loved by the locals for its variety of stores, which go from international brands like Zara to Parisian icons like Comptoir de Cotonniers, with a sprinkling of quirky homeware shops and tiny boutiques thrown in too. It’s the best place for clothes shopping in Paris if you’re looking for the latest trends without the price tag that comes with the city's more exclusive shopping districts.