I was looking for store branded items to consume. They did not have a big winter selection this…read moreyear.. Another trip back to my signature store :-)

This store was on my list and I made it there. There products are made in Provence and are…read moreabsolutely wonderful. I wish I had bought more. You can find some of the products on Amazon. Less expensive to buy in France. The store smells heavenly. It is in Marais. The shopkeeper was so sweet and so helpful. I love Durance.

From the owner: Durance, Maison de Famille fondée à Grignan en Terre de Provence, offre des produits parfumés…read moreraffinés et locaux pour de véritables moments de bien-être. Ses bougies parfumées, parfums d'intérieur, parfums pour soi et cosmétiques naturels embellissent notre quotidien et sont issus des essences naturelles les plus précieuses de Provence, Terre d'Origine et Source d'Inspiration.

I went to the Hermès flagship during a two-day stay in Paris last month. The brand is a bit statusy…read more(and expensive) for my taste, but they have a tableware line I've admired for years, and I figured it'd be meaningfully cheaper in France. I wasn't going to go out of my way during such a short visit with my two small children, but when we found ourselves walking past the place on our way to the Christmas markets, I decided to go in for a quick browse. It turned out to be a wonderful stop on our chaotic Christmas-themed mini-tour of France. The store had been transformed into a fancy Christmas destination, with a scavenger hunt that took guests, both children and adults, through several stops within the store, where they played adorable immersive carnival-style games and received stamps in a little book. Once the stamps were all collected, they could be redeemed for a special gift. At first, I was just grateful that my kids had something to do while my friend and I looked at a change tray I'd had my eye on for a few Christmases but had never seen in person. The woman helping me (I think her name was Claude) was gracious and professional. She had me sit, showed me catalogues, and went into the depths of inventory to retrieve the tray I wanted. I ran the numbers and figured I was looking at about a 30% discount with the French price and the tax refund. I bought the change tray and took it home in that distinctive orange box, which I put under the tree as a gift to myself. When I found my children again, they were with my mom in the climactic final stage of the scavenger hunt, a lushly decorated Christmas room with a couple of final games and the prize station: a table where all customers were invited to make their own Christmas ornaments with Hermès store quality ribbons and leather and little bits of hardware. There were sweet attendants who helped my boys, but most of the people claiming these prizes were adults. My kids had an absolute blast, and I got some great photos of them throwing fluffy snowballs at felt Christmas trees and posing in a fake gondola in the shape of an Hermès luggage tag. My five-year-old declared that this was his favorite store, and I tried to get him to memorize "Hermès Saint-Honoré" so we could troll his dad on FaceTime. I was pleased with my purchase, and all of us, children and adults, were impressed and thrilled with this surprise holiday experience. I'll bet we could sell those ornaments for a couple hundred bucks, too, but I'm happier having them on our tree.

This Hermès flagship has been around since 1880, back when they made harnesses instead of handbags…read more-- but it's still got serious style. Unlike other Hermès stores where you wait outside like you're trying to get into a nightclub, they actually let us right in. Big, gorgeous two-story space with a café and restrooms tucked in the back. Although a wine bar would've definitely helped to loosened my wallet even more ;) We checked in downstairs (just to the right of the stairs) and waited about 15 minutes before a friendly salesperson helped us. Best part? They actually had the bag my girlfriend wanted -- unlike the wild goose chases in Barcelona and Prague. She was ecstatic, which meant I got a free pass to spontaneously duck into wine bars as we wandered Paris while she sat there drinking coffee and floating on a cloud of Hermès happiness. Win-win. Happy Shopping!!

As with other locations I have been to of this store, the location was very clean, well organized,…read moreand full of friendly and helpful staff, plus no real wait at checkout.

Right next to the huge Galleries Lafayette are multiple Au Printemps, each dedicated to Women, Men,…read moreHome.... Not as crazy busy as Galleries Lafayette, some options are the same. We had to go catch dinner, our suitcases were full, so it was only a quick walk through. Would be nice to have more time to explore.

I just assume Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are at loggerheads because they represent Paris' two…read moremost elite department stores. Jamie W and I made it a priority to visit Galeries Lafayette because of the famous Art Nouveau dome, which was indeed fabulous (review: https://yelp.to/XRXnKANd7b). We decided to visit Printemps as part of our rainy day itinerary because we figured it would be a good chunk of time where we could stay dry indoors. We were right, and the store was less crowded and easier to navigate than its direct competitor. We found ourselves at the charming Cafe Perche on the 7th floor, where we relaxed over rich 6,50€ Chocolate Chauds and delicious butter cookies (Photo 8). Afterward, we found ourselves on two different rooftop terraces, the first was a more contained space that provided immediate views of the area as well as the architectural detail. The second space was actually an entryway to a nice-looking restaurant (Le Picnic) but still provided glorious panoramic views for freeloaders like us. One floor down was an upscale food hall. Printemos has its own Art Deco-style dome, but it doesn't have the grandeur of Galeries Lafayette (Photo 5). However, if you are a serious shopper of luxury goods, I'd come here first to avoid the tourist stampede down the boulevard. RELATED - Exploring Paris? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/TDhdgjoONI

Restaurant Monsieur Dior - Arrogance Over Hospitality:…read more We reserved this restaurant for a quiet break from shopping and paid a deposit for the privilege. Instead, we were met with outright hostility. Two of us ordered an entrée to share while the rest ordered desserts. The head manager, an egotistical older man with zero people skills, accused us of trying to share one meal among six people. He accordingly told us to leave because it was not worth serving us while implying we were cheap. There's something especially embarrassing about being talked down to by restaurant staff and managers in their mid-30s/40s acting like gatekeepers of luxury, while the people they're dismissing are hardworking professionals actually paying the bill. Arrogant, insecure, and wildly out of touch. Skip this place unless you enjoy being disrespected by people on a power trip.

This cafe is located inside the Dior store, making it a convenient spot to take a break while…read moreshopping. I visited later in the day, so choices for pastries were limited as some were sold out. Overall the pastries and drinks I tried were delicious. Whether you're in the mood for a hot cocoa or a cocktail, this cafe is the perfect little rest stop to recharge during your shopping trip!

From the owner: Installée dans le sud de la France, Ressource est une maison d'édition de peintures et de papiers…read morepeints familiale, héritière d'un savoir-faire artisanal depuis 1946. En juin 2018, Ressource, en tant que fabricant français de peintures, été labellisée "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant". La boutique Ressource peintures Paris Rive Droite située au 62 Rue de La Boétie est la boutique de référence pour la décoration dans le 8ème arrondissement et tout l'ouest parisien.