I stumbled in here during my first trip to Paris. Martine (the shop owner) was unobtrusively…read moreavailable. I was a bit taken aback by the prices and it took me a while to figure out sizing (95 C = 36 C in US), but after I'd tried on a sexy lace bra and a more "practical" beige smooth cup bra, Martine said something that forever changed the way I think about lingerie-- "Lingerie is about how you feel on the inside." This is the key to French women's style. They're not about big boobs & boffo cleavage. They're about aura and impression. And that starts with the way you yourself feel. I went with TWO lace bras and matching panties. I have never spent that much on lingerie in my life, but the French are on to something. Victoria's Secret, I'm done with you. You get the quality you pay for. Worth it.

From the owner: Lingerie, corseterie, collanterie du bonnet A au bonnet H. Conseils personnalisés. Dentelle,…read moreguipure, tulle. Grands choix de marques françaises: Lise Charmel, Epure, Antigel, Eprise, Chantal Thomass, Simone Pérèle, Chantelle, Freya, ... Petits top en laine et soie Oscalito. Sublimes nuisettes en soie Marjolaine 100% made in France.

After being bored to tears by the vast number of trashy "male gaze" sex shops around the city, I…read morewas so happy to find a store that didn't make you feel like you needed to shower immediately after leaving. The vibe is very similar to Babeland in NYC and Good Vibrations in SF. Lots of women-friendly toys, a respectable amount of options of lube and condoms, and some fun games. Prices are reasonable and the staff is friendly. This is my go-to store from now on.

From the owner: Bienvenue au Passage du Désir, le premier Lovestore dédié au développement durable du couple avec…read moreses sextoys, cadeaux coquins et cadeaux romantiques à Paris et en France avec 6 boutiques, un site internet et un réseau de vente à domicile, la Loveforce.

I was visiting Paris and looking for lingerie when I stumbled upon this gem. I am not the thinnest…read morewoman in the world, and have had trouble finding stores that have a wide variety of sizes. Alizèe, the woman helping me, was extremely patient and helpful and made it all around my best experience at a lingerie store in Paris. I walked out with a beautiful set that I cannot wait to wear for my boyfriend.

Galeries Lafayette Paris is absolutely breathtaking!…read more The gorgeous glass dome and ceilings are a showstopper all by themselves. Almost every designer you can think of is here, making this a must-see and a must-shop when visiting Paris. And it doesn't stop inside Galeries Lafayette--the entire surrounding area has stores for days! Lights, glitz, glamour, luxury, and fashion everywhere you turn. It reminded me of an upscale New York City 42nd Street, but with that beautiful Parisian elegance. Even if you're not planning to shop, go for the experience. There's so much to see, you could spend hours just walking around and taking it all in. Definitely one of my Paris must-visits!

My husband and I were talking to our good friend who's been living in Paris for the last five…read moreyears, and she told us e-commerce is less dominant there because people seem to prefer shopping in physical stores. While malls die all over America, retail still thrives in Paris. Exhibit A: Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. I've been to this department store a number of times over the years, and I both enjoy it and fear how completely it can suck up precious vacation hours. It's a fantastic place to shop, with a ton of well curated inventory spread out across multiple floors in multiple buildings. The main building features that beautiful domed ceiling, which manages to catch me by surprise every time I walk in. I haven't had the opportunity to shop for my own clothes here in a long time, but I've gotten some really great stuff on the children's floor, and discovered the souvenir section on my last visit, where I picked up some cool Paris Metro toy trains and magnets. We did somehow get stuck at Galeries Lafayette for over two hours and ended up skipping Notre-Dame, which might have been a better place to spend our last afternoon in Paris. But it was sale season, and my kids look super cute in their heavily discounted Petit Bateau. Galeries Lafayette is busy and sometimes overwhelming, but it's a wonderful department store. I wish we had something like it back home. I'd much rather shop there than fall for targeted ads on Instagram.