Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [131]
Organic oils (pumpkin seed oil, avocado oil, daisy oil, carrot, cashew and cherry) are made at this sky-blue atelier. Be it your hair or health you need to boost, Codina has something to suit.
MINI PARIS Map Hobby Items
01 56 77 00 00; www.miniparis.fr, in French; 91-93 av Émile Zola, 15e; 8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri; Charles Michels or Av Émile Zola
Tricky to take a Mini Cooper home, yes, but this showroom is a must – not only for the gorgeous, top-of-the-range convertibles it showcases, but for its interior design. Buy a pedal-powered version of the peppy little cult car for your kid or simply enjoy the glam experience it promises.
VITRA Map Home Interiors
01 56 77 07 77; www.vitra.com; 40 rue Violet, 15e; 9am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 5pm Fri; Charles Michels or Av Émile Zola
The classics from the history of furniture design can be ogled at in this crisp, white space in life-size or miniature form. Go to the back of this inspiring showroom to fully appreciate its own industrial, glass-roofed design.
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MONTMARTRE & PIGALLE
The area of the 9e and 18e along rue des Martyrs and climbing up rue des Abbesses from metro Pigalle constitutes a good stroll for the patient shopper who wants to enjoy the scenery. You’ll find little designer-clothing shops and a mixed bag of secondhand fashion depots, vintage clothing and records, not to mention some excellent, typically Parisian bakeries and food stores. The rest of the 18e, especially around the less-than-salubrious Goutte d’Or area (rue Myrha and rue de la Goutte d’Or) has cheap fabrics, cut-price fashion, young designers and assorted frippery. Around metro Barbès Rochechouart and blvd Magenta it’s working-class, bargain-basement shopping: take a detour from the glamorous avenues and see how the other half lives.
GASPARD DE LA BUTTE Map Clothing & Accessories
01 42 55 99 40; www.gasparddelabutte.com, in French; 10bis rue Yvonne le Tac, 18e; 11am-7.30pm Tue-Sun; Pigalle
This shop specialises in women’s and children’s wear, all locally made with beautiful cottons as well as colourful felts for the infants’ clothing. It’s very ‘Montmartre’ in style – you could imagine Amélie Poulain shopping here.
LA CITADELLE Map Clothing & Accessories
01 42 52 21 56; 1 rue des Trois Frères, 18e; 11am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 7pm Sun; Abbesses
This designer discount shop hidden away in Montmartre has some real finds from new French, Italian and Japanese designers. Look out for labels like Les Chemins Blancs and Yoshi Kondo.
TATI Map Department Store
01 55 29 52 20; www.tati.fr, in French; 4 blvd Rochechouart, 18e; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9.15-7pm Sat; Barbès Rochechouart
With its war cry of les plus bas prix (the lowest prices) – and quality to match, some would say – Tati has been Paris’ great working-class department store for more than half a century. Don’t be surprised to see trendy Parisians fighting for bargains hidden in the crammed bins and piled onto tables. There’s a smaller 3e branch (Map; 01 48 87 72 81; 172-174 rue du Temple, 3e; 9.30-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat; Temple or République) as well.
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BEYOND CENTRAL PARIS
Don’t expect to find unusual little boutiques selling all sorts of ephemera beyond central Paris. Instead, head out beyond the blvd Périphérique for the capital’s wonderful flea markets.
MARCHÉ AUX PUCES DE MONTREUIL off Map Flea Market
av du Professeur André Lemière, 20e; 8am-7.30pm Sat-Mon; Porte de Montreuil
Established in the 19th century, the Montreuil flea market is known for its quality secondhand clothes and designer seconds. The 500-odd stalls also sell engravings, jewellery, linen, crockery, old furniture and appliances.
MARCHÉ AUX PUCES DE ST-OUEN Map Flea Market
www.parispuces.com; rue des Rosiers, av Michelet, rue Voltaire, rue Paul Bert & rue Jean-Henri Fabre, 18e; 9am-6pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun, 11am-5pm Mon; Porte de Clignancourt
This vast flea market, founded in the late 19th century and said to be Europe’s largest, has more than 2500 stalls grouped into 10 marchés (market areas), each