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ARTAZART Map Books

01 40 40 24 00; www.artazart.com; 83 quai de Valmy, 10e; 10.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 2-8pm Sat & Sun; République or Gare de l’Est

Hard by the Canal St-Martin, Artazart is the leading design bookshop in Paris and, along with design and source books, stocks directories, DVDs and CDs in French, English and other languages. Staff are knowledgeable and helpful.

ANTOINE ET LILI Map Clothing, Household Goods

01 40 37 41 55; www.antoineetlili.com; 95 quai de Valmy, 10e; 10.30am-7pm Mon, to 7.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, 12.30-7.30pm Sun; République or Gare de l’Est

Do not – repeat, do not – enter this huge shop, spread through three townhouses facing the Canal St-Martin, with a hangover. The décor (shocking pink, chartreuse, blinding yellow) will have you begging for mercy. All the colours of the rainbow and all the patterns in the world congregate in this wonderful Parisian institution with designer clothing and hip home decorations. It also has a Marais store (Map; 01 42 72 26 60; 51 rue des Francs Bourgeois, 3e; St-Paul), which keeps the same hours.

DARTY Map Electronics

08 21 08 20 82; www.darty.com, in French; 1 av de la République, 11e; 10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat; République

The best place to seek out adaptors and other electrical goods is the Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville (BHV;) department store or any branch of the electronics chain Darty, including this outlet at République. There’s also a Ternes branch (Map; 0821 08 20 82; 8 av des Ternes, 17e; 10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat).

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top picks

SPECIALITY STREETS

Rue de Paradis, 10e (Map; Château d’Eau) Crystal, glass and tableware.

Rue Drouot, 9e (Map; Richelieu Drouot) Collectable postage stamps.

Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 4e (Map; Pont Marie) Stationery and fine paper.

Rue Keller, 11e (Map; Ledru Rollin) Comic books, mangas, DVDs.

Rue Martel, 10e (Map; Château d’Eau) Sewing machines.

Rue Victor Massé, 9e (Map; Pigalle) Musical instruments.

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GARE DE LYON, NATION & BERCY

The upmarket boutiques of Bercy have transformed the 12e and are always packed with shoppers. Elsewhere in the 12e, the area near the Viaduc des Arts (Map) has discerning furniture, antiques and art. The flea market at place d’Aligre is a must.

ALBUM Map Books, Hobby Items

01 53 33 87 88; www.album.fr, in French; 46 Cour St-Émilion, 12e; 11am-9pm; Cour St-Émilion

Album specialises in bandes dessinées, which have an enormous following in France, with everything from Tintin and Babar to erotic comics and the latest Japanese manga. There are seven more outlets in Paris, including a Latin Quarter branch.

MARCHÉ AUX PUCES D’ALIGRE Map Flea Market

place d’Aligre & rue d’Aligre, 12e; 7.30am-1.30pm Tue-Sun; Ledru Rollin

Smaller but more central (and, punters say, more trustworthy) than Paris’ other flea markets (opposite), this is one of the best places to rummage through boxes of clothes and accessories worn decades ago by those fashionable (and not-so-fashionable) Parisians, as well as their bric-a-brac.

FERMOB Map Furniture

01 43 07 17 15; www.fermob.com; 81-83 av Ledru-Rollin, 12e; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat; Ledru Rollin

If you want to create the ‘Jardin du Luxembourg look’ in your own backyard or garden, head for Fermob. It makes French park–style benches and folding chairs in a range of yummy colours – from carrot and vanilla to sage and aubergine.

LA MAISON DU CERF-VOLANT Map Gifts & Souvenirs

01 44 68 00 75; www.lamaisonducerfvolant.com; 7 rue de Prague, 12e; 11am-7pm Tue-Sat; Ledru Rollin

‘The Kite House’ has just that – kites in every conceivable size, shape, colour and design, and kits with which to make them. You’ll also find quite a nice collection of boomerangs, should you be in the market for one.

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15E ARRONDISSEMENT

Hardly a frantic shopping district, but it is privy to a clutch of specialist addresses.

CODINA Map Food

01 45 75 00 08; www.codina.net; 24 rue Violet, 15e; 2.30-7pm Tue & Wed, 10am-1pm & 2.30-7pm Thu-Sat;