Shopping

You don't have to buy anything to appreciate shopping in Paris -- just soak up the art form the French have made of rampant consumerism. Peer in the vitrines (display windows), absorb cutting-edge ideas, witness new trends, and take home with you a whole new education in style.

Art

An Open-Air Canvas Gallery -- The Paris Art Market (tel. 01-53-57-42-60) is "the place to go" on a Sunday. At the foot of Montparnasse Tower, this market is like an open-air gallery and has done much to restore the reputation of Montparnasse (14e) as a quartier for artists. Some 100 artists participate, including painters, sculptors, and photographers, even jewelers and hat makers. Head for the mall along the boulevard Edgar Quinet for the best work. Go anytime on Sunday between 9am and 7pm (Métro: Montparnasse).

Books

If you like rare and unusual books, patronize one of the bouquinistes, the owners of those army-green stalls that line the Seine. This is where tourists in the 1920s and 1930s went to buy "dirty" French postcards. You might get lucky and come across some treasured book, such as an original edition of Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, which was banned for decades in the United States.

Fabrics

A Touch of Africa in the Marais -- A stroll down rue Elzévir in the Marais is like a trip to Senegal. Valeria Schlumberger, a Frenchwoman who lives for part of the year on Ile de Gorée, off the coast of Dakar, has opened up several storefronts on this street in the Marais, all under the umbrella organization of La Compagnie du Sénégal et de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (www.csao.fr). You can find beautiful hand-woven and hand-dyed bolts of cloth that make fabulous curtains, cushion covers, or quilts. Many decorative items are made of recycled material, such as metallic bits and pieces from tin cans, or even aerosol sprays. Multicolored carpets are sold, along with basketwork and paintings. The leading outlets, all in the 3rd arrondissement, include La boutique de la CSAQ, 9 rue Elzévir (tel. 01-42-71-33-17); and La Garerie 3A, 9 rue Elzévir (tel. 01-42-77-66-42). La Jokko, 5 rue Elzévir (tel. 01-42-74-35-96), is a languid bar, ideal for drinking between rounds of shopping. At the association's restaurant, Le Petit Dakar, 6 rue Elzévir (tel. 01-44-59-34-74), you can order such native specialties as grouper with cassava and rice, topped off by litchi ice cream.

Designer Boutiques & Fashion Flagships

There are two primary fields of dreams in Paris when it comes to showcasing the international big names: rue du Faubourg St-Honoré and avenue Montaigne. Though the Left Bank is gaining in status, with such recent additions as Dior, Armani, and Vuitton, the heart of the international designer parade is on the Right Bank.

Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré is so famous and fancy, it's simply known as "the Faubourg." It was the traditional miracle mile until recent years, when the really exclusive shops shunned it for the wider and even more deluxe avenue Montaigne at the other end of the arrondissement. (It's a long but pleasant walk from one fashion strip to the other.) Avenue Montaigne is filled with almost unspeakably fancy shops, but a few of them have affordable cafes (try Joseph at no. 14), and all have sales help who are usually cordial to well-dressed customers.

The mix is quite international -- from British (Joseph) to German (Jil Sander) to Italian (Krizia). Chanel, Lacroix, Porthault, Ricci, Dior, and Ungaro are a few of the big French names. Also check out some of the lesser-known creative powers, and don't miss a visit to Caron. Most of the designer shops sell men's and women's clothing. The Faubourg hosts other traditional favorites: Hermès, Lanvin, Jaeger, Rykiel, and the upstart Façonnable, which sells preppy men's clothing in the United States through a business deal with Nordstrom. Lanvin has its own men's shop (Lanvin Homme), with a cafe perfect for a light (and affordable) lunch.

Food: Chocolate, Honey, Pates & More

Food Markets -- Outdoor markets are plentiful in Paris. Some of the better known are the Marché Buci; the rue Mouffetard market, open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 1pm; Tuesday to Saturday from 4 to 7pm (6e; Métro: Monge or Censier-Daubenton); and the rue Montorgueil market, behind the St-Eustache church, open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm (1er; Métro: Les Halles). The trendiest market is Marché Biologique, along boulevard Raspail, a tree-lined stretch lying between rue de Rennes and rue du Cherche-Midi, 6e. It's open Sunday from 8:30am to 6:30pm (Métro: Montparnasse).

Malls

A Discount Shopping Village Outside Paris -- Just 35 minutes from the center of Paris, La Vallée Village, 3 Cours de la Garonne, 77700 Serris (tel. 01-60-42-35-00; www.lavalleevillage.com), is home to some 75 boutiques in this chic Outlet Shopping Village. Sometimes brand names such as Lacoste or Waterford are sold at 70% less than retail prices in the center of Paris -- just ask such patrons as Sir Mick Jagger, Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), or even the Duchess of York. From the center of Paris you can take RER to the Val d'Europe station; by car, follow the A4 motorway out of Paris to exit 12.1 (signposted from there).

Perfume & Makeup (Discount)

The Scent of a Parisian -- If there's one reason international shoppers come to Paris, it's cosmetics -- after all, the City of Light is the world capital of fragrances and beauty supplies. These are a few of our favorite perfume and makeup shops:

Although you can buy Parfums Caron scents in any duty-free or discount parfumerie, it's worth visiting the source of some of the world's most famous perfumes. The tiny shop is at 34 av. Montaigne, 8e (tel. 01-47-23-40-82; Métro: Franklin-D-Roosevelt), boasting old-fashioned glass beakers filled with fragrances and a hint of yesteryear. Fleur de Rocaille, a Caron scent, was the featured perfume in the movie Scent of a Woman. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6:30pm.

Although there are other branches, and you can test Goutal bathroom amenities at many upscale hotels, the sidewalk mosaic tile and the unique scents make the Annick Goutal, at 14 rue Castiglione, 1er (tel. 01-42-60-52-82; Métro: Concorde), worth stopping by. Try Eau d'Hadrien for a unisex splash of citrus and summer. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Shiseido, the world's fourth-largest maker of cosmetics and skincare goods, has become more prominent thanks to the efforts of the Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido, 142 Galerie de Valois, Palais Royal, 1er (tel. 01-49-27-09-09; Métro: Palais-Royal). In addition to an awesome array of skincare products and cosmetics, it stocks more than 20 exclusive unisex fragrances created by the company's creative director, Serge Lutens, including one of its latest, Les Sarrasins, a jasmine-based scent which was introduced in September 2007. Don't be afraid to wander in and ask for some scent strips. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Souvenirs & Gifts

Sign of the Times -- A shop such as La Plaque Emaillées et Gravée Jacquin stands in sharp contrast to the mass merchandise in most department stores. Established in 1908, when the Art Nouveau craze swept Paris, the outfit has done a respectable business promoting turn-of-the-20th-century Parisian charm ever since. Its specialty is the custom manufacture of cast-iron plaques, enameled and baked, commemorating virtually any event, person (including yourself), or piece of real estate that appeals to you. Phillippe Jacquin, the owner, offers a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors for the finished product. It will take 3 to 4 weeks for your plaque to be manufactured, after which it can be shipped. Shipping can be expensive and, in our opinion (because of the cast-iron nature of what's in the package), complicated. Much smaller plaques, some ready-made, are also available. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2 to 6pm. It's located at 18 bd. des Filles-du-Calvaire, 11e (tel. 01-47-00-50-95; Métro: St-Sébastien).