Shopping in Paris: Budget Travel Guide

The holidays are a magical time in Paris. Due to a lack of a buffer holiday in the fall, the lights start going up just as Americans are digging in to their Thanksgiving turkey. Stores, public squares, and streets are all decorated with dazzling displays of holiday cheer brightening up the already aptly-named City of » Read more

Theadora’s the name and shopping’s my game. For your high browsing pleasure, I’ve put together a list of my favorite museum shops in Paris. Not in France? Fret not. This week I’m leaving no Francophile or Shopaholic behind! In SELLabration of “Cyber Monday,” most of the shops listed below have online boutiques and offer international » Read more

Gather ’round my fashion Cheapoupées because this stroll c’est pour vous! Let’s sashay to one of my favorite streets in Paris, the rue de la Paix. Formerly known as rue Napoléon, it was given a new name during the Bourbon Restoration (led by Louis XVIII) of 1814. Connecting the Opéra Garnier to Place Vendôme, this centuries-old » Read more

One of my favorite spots in Paris to get beautified in a pinch is the Sephora on the Champs-Elysées. Outfitted with a dramatic ramp, a red carpet and black and white columns, it’s one of the largest Sephoras in the world. A cheapo dream-come-true, the shop is stocked with more than 250 discounted brands of » Read more

It’s summertime and the shopping will be easy in Paris when the city-wide “Soldes d’été” (the big summer sales) kick off on Wednesday, June 30, 2010. So let’s whet the appetite with a little preparatory window-shopping at Le Bon Marché! Le Bon Marché was not only the very first department store in Paris (in fact, » Read more

Everyone in Paris has a favorite nook of paradise. So where do I go for a little escapism? Clipping from the fabulous Petula Clark, I make my way downtown to the Galeries Lafayette Coupole’s rooftop, where the lights are much brighter and the view at the top is always free! Related: 25 Free things to » Read more

Like snowflakes, the truly sensational Soldes by Paris (annual winter sale) has recently returned to Paris, so why not outfit your kitchen with a few French classics? Here are my favorite hot spots for picking up kitchenware, guaranteed to make you the toast of the town! So shop to it, Cheapos! 1. Let’s dish at » Read more

There are plenty of things to bring back from Paris, whether lasting or fleeting, that won’t eat up all your euros. Here are five of our suggestions for souvenirs that will remind you of la vie Parisien—for €5 or less. 1. Livre d’occasion from Gilbert Jeune With outlets on both sides of the St. Michel » Read more

Les Musées de Paris aren’t the only ones in the city getting a “little work” done these days. Following suit, why, even the Printemps Haussmann, the grand department store, has begun to enter the final phases of an extreme makeover! Now sporting a chic modern look that nevertheless manages to pay homage to her expansive Belle Époque » Read more

It’s that most wonderful time of the year for shoppers in Paris, Cheapos! “Les Soldes d’Eté” (the summer sales) kick off Wednesday, June 24! Mark your calendar, get set, but first create a plan of transaction. Here are some tips for scoring big during this glorious five-week event. 1. Get smart. I spy. Visit your » Read more

Let’s face it. Open-air market shopping in Paris can look pretty intimidating, even to a shopping enthusiast like myself. Cheapos, I’ve been there. In fact, during my first few months in Paris, I avoided the food market scene altogether, sticking instead to the safe predictability of the supermarché aisles. But I’ve changed. I have seen » Read more

Oops, I did it again. I attended an exposition’s “vernissage” (literally, the “varnishing”—how the French refer to a preview or opening of an art show), and became smitten with the show and its fine-looking catalog. Obsession activated. Hit hard, and a post card just wouldn’t do. But, how can I get an art catalogue on » Read more

I see London, I see France… I see Cheapo underpants! I’m still giddy with excitement. You see, I’ve just discovered Paris’ route de la soie (“Silk Road”). It’s a road through the less-traveled bargain clothing stores of Montmartre. Follow my lead and you, too, can find high-end clothing at bargain-bin prices. The Panty Raid low-down Our search takes place at » Read more

Fellow Cheapos, I’ve got a confession to make: I’m hooked on flea markets. I’ve hardly missed a weekend at the flea market in years. I rarely spend more than €20 a visit, but rest assured, I’ve slowly amassed a world-class collection of treasures (which some might call “kitsch”). Porte de Vanves Flea Market If you only » Read more

Art and Paris are forever linked—throughout history, popular culture, and in the minds of most visitors to the French capital. Reproduction posters, postcards, and vintage magazine covers allow tourists to bring home a frame-worthy piece of art history (often by the likes of Gauguin, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec) for a vraiment cheapo price. Boutique or bouquiniste? Gifts from museum shops or » Read more