Boutiques

Just a four-minute walk from City Hall, this stylish boutique is set in a light and airy space with exposed brick and carefully displayed clothes. This location is the original flagship store, which makes it something of a special space to those who admired Alaïa, the Tunisian-born designer. The shop sells ready-to-wear women’s clothing, as well as bags, shoes, and accessories. The high-quality products feature expert tailoring and often his signature sculpted waistline. Go with plenty of time to browse. 

The concept shop near the Canal Saint-Martin is always on the cusp of cool, curating of-the-moment clothing for mens and women by an exciting range of designers — not surprising, considering the owners are the founders of eco-friendly sneaker line Veja. In addition to carrying their brand, you’ll also find labels like Church’s, Roseanna, Bleu de Paname, and Suzie Winkle. The space takes on a community feel with events like book and product launches. Similar to the sustainable sneaker line, the owners commit to carrying brands that are just as transparent — so you can feel good about your purchase and know exactly where it was sourced and crafted. 

Fleux seems to take over nearly an entire street with six shops in the fashionable Marais that are devoted to home décor, children, eco-friendly gifts, and plants. Each of the shops feels like Alice in Wonderland, where the rabbit hole keeps extending further through multiple rooms and hidden courtyards that open to furniture showrooms with the latest Scandinavian, modern, and contemporary design. Walls are lined with various lamps, bulbs, and lights. The shops are great if you’re searching for quirky accessories for your home, as well as gifts for friends and family. You’ll find a great selection of stylish costume jewelry, purses, candles, and more.

Kiliwatch is something of a hybrid between a vintage clothing store and a ready-to-wear designer shop. Within the well-organized, industrial-chic store, people will find both men’s clothing and women’s clothing, as well as a few accessories. While many items are vintage, the store also sells a range of new, contemporary streetwear. No matter which section you shop in, each piece within the store is curated with the latest fashion trends in mind, so the styles are never outdated. 

Delphine Plisson studied business and initially planned on opening a bookstore before she started working in fashion. Her passion for gourmet products and markets led to the creation of artisanal grocery shop, La Maisson Plisson. The original location in the Marais is housed in a 20th century building and features 1,500 products, plus a bakery and wine cellar stocked with 300 bottles. The restaurant, which extends onto the streetside terrace, serves family style French fare (all homemade, of course) that’s driven by seasonal products. This is the definition of “market cuisine,” where you can shop for ingredients comprising items on the menu in the well-stocked shelves of the shop.

This playful pink and blue shop is airy and bright inside. This one-of-a-kind store features all things French and unique items that can’t be found regularly stocked. Many items are made by hand such as printed cards or homemade soaps, but every item in the store is made with an eye for detail. Guests can even find a few gourmet food items that are picnic-ready. The Super Marquette is a good shop for buying gifts and souvenirs as well as those with an eye for quality and comfort. 

The main shop is designed as a high-end bazaar filled with fancy brooms and cleaning items, as well as fine ceramics and Scandinavian-style furniture. Most of the items are crafted by French brands, although 25% are sourced from northern Europe, particularly Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway. It’s fitting, then, that the shop features a Swedish-inspired café, Smörgås, near the entrance. Take a seat inside or along the terrace and enjoy filtered coffee à la Belleville Brûlerie, as well as lunch fare like salads and quiche (with a Scandinavian twist). Across the street, Suite, the sister shop, focuses on furniture and home décor with European-sourced pieces that are on the more contemporary side.

Just steps from the Tuileries, LALIQUE is a fashionable home goods store with an eye for high design. The crystal and glass store sells beautifully fashioned items like wine glasses, art, vases, and other home accessories. The purple-walled showroom displays the shop’s products well with ideal lighting so customers can truly see the items. The French company even makes larger home items like glass tables and light fixtures, so plan to ship should you purchase a larger piece to take home. 

Lorette et Jasmin is a quaint consignment shop with some wonderful French finds. Among other high-end brands, customers regularly find Chanel handbags here. The shop curates quality items in good condition, which makes this a treasure trove of women’s designer clothing and accessories. Though the space is small, the team has worked to arrange their large selection in a careful manner so guests can easily browse through the collection. 

This French children’s clothing store adds a touch of chic refinement to the garments the store designs and sells. The white, minimalist shop lets the colorful clothing speak for itself as the bright hues pop throughout the store. The shop sells boys’ and girls’ clothing, as well as shoes and accessories, all of which are high-quality. From French favorite stuffed mouse, Maileg, and stuffed bunny rabbits to penguin night-lights and stamps to beautiful fabrics for your own creations, this is a good stop for children’s gifts, too. 

This stationary shop is in a charming building that feels like stepping back into old-world Paris. From the black exterior with gold lettering to the white interior with paper prints hanging from the ceiling and a white spiral staircase at the back of the shop, this stationary store requires some time to browse through. The charismatic shop sells all things paper and pens, as well as a few novelty items. Each item in the store is carefully selected and crafted with care, which maintains a high overall standard for this shop on a street filled with art stores and other stationary shops. 

Founders of children’s fashion label BONPOINT launched concept shop Merci over a decade ago in the historic Haut-Marais district. The three-floor boutique has become a staple for the fashion set and a launch point for up-and-coming designers. The ground floor acts as a rotating exhibition space combining art and fashion. Vintage designer handbags are sold alongside ready-to-wear pieces from designers like Isabel Marant and Ulla Johnson. Linens and candles line the mezzanine, and furniture and housewares are set up showroom-style on the top floor. While you’re here, pause for a coffee or lunch at the ground floor Used Book Café, a library-like space lined with 10,000 books. 

This small perfume shop is clean and modern. The light-filled space offers a wide selection of high-end perfumes, and the knowledgeable staff have a good understanding of the niche perfumes they offer. In addition to personal perfumes, the shop also sells a small selection of makeup as well as home fragrances. This shop is certainly one of small indulgences that have been highly curated rather than the typical big brands that are often and easily found.

Sentou Marais is a home goods store filled with colorful, Scandinavian designs. From light fixtures and furniture to art and accessories, customers will find a wide range of items here. The design is sleek and modern and features bright pops of color. The artful galleries are playfully displayed to help guests understand how these products and items can feel at home — or give you a contemporary spin on a mid-century modern interior design. 

The Left Bank independent bookstore is a must-visit for literary lovers. The original English-language bookshop (founded by Sylvia Beach in 1919) was a gathering spot for many of the 20th century’s most famous writers: Joyce, Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, Eliot, and Pound. The current version opened in 1951 across from the Notre Dame and still serves a similar purpose, playing host to over 30,000 writers and artists, including Ethan Hawke and Darren Aronofsky. Each writer who stays at the shop has to read a book a day and write a one-page autobiography, and the bookstore has built up quite an archive.

Created by a visual artist and a fashion designer, Spree is a concept store that sells both clothing and design products. The no-frills, minimalist space features mid-century modern accents and a wide selection of items to browse through. Each piece is carefully made with quality in mind and is carefully chosen to be a part of the shop. From clothing, accessories and shoes to tables, lights, and chairs, fashion and art mingle in this space. 

This globally inspired all-in-one store offers everything from gifts and home decor to clothing and jewelry. This eclectic store is filled to the brim, so visitors will need some time to shop and see everything there is to find. An artistic, bohemian touch accents this store and influences the type of items they carry, such as woven baskets and colorful, patterned textiles. Hand-crafted jewelry and bright children’s toys make this the perfect gift shop for your favorite free-spirited friend. 

A short walk from the Palais Garnier, Tartine et Chocolat is a beautiful high-end children’s clothing store. The sleek black and white store is accented by the colorful clothes and offers a peek into Parisian childhood. The minimalist, chic clothing store offers girl’s clothing and accessories for babies and young children. The garments are well-made and exude French style. 

This small shop of peculiarities is filled with unusual items thanks to its wide range of items gleaned from collectors, factories, and industrial lots. The sleek black and white entryway is small, so look for the name printed on the glass window and the unusual banner above the shop with white symbols on a black background. The store has several alcoves organized by religious items and kitchenware to toys and moveable type letterings. This unusual vintage shop is quite the organized collection for niche items. Located on the edge of the 18th Arrondissement along with other flea markets and vintage shops, it is well worth the journey.