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Updated by Jennifer Ditsler-Ladonne

Nothing, but nothing, can push you into the current of Paris life faster than a few hours of shopping. Follow the lead of locals, who slow to a crawl as their eyes lock on a tempting display. Window-shopping is one of this city’s greatest spectator sports; the French call it lèche-vitrine—literally, “licking the windows”—which is fitting because many of the displays look good enough to eat.

Store owners here play to sophisticated audiences with voracious appetites for everything from spangly flagship stores to minimalist boutiques to under-the-radar spots in 19th-century glass-roofed passages. Parisians know that shopping isn’t about the kill, it’s about the chase: walking down cobblestone streets looking for items they didn’t know they wanted, they’re casual yet quick to pounce. They like being seduced by a clever display and relish the performance elements of browsing. Watching them shop can be almost as much fun as shopping yourself.

And nowhere is the infamous Parisian “attitude” more palpable than in the realm of fine shopping—the more haute the more hauteur.

Parisians are a proud bunch, and they value decorum. So dress to impress—and remember your manners. You must say bonjour upon entering a shop and merci, au revoir when leaving, even if it’s to no one in particular. Think of it more as announcing your coming and going. Beyond this, protocol becomes less prescribed and more a matter of good judgment. If a salesperson is hovering, there’s a reason; let him or her help you. To avoid icy stares once and for all, confidence and politeness go a long way.

As for what to buy, the sky’s the limit in terms of choices. If your funds aren’t limitless, however, take comfort in knowing that treasures can be found on a budget. And if you do decide to indulge, what better place to make that once-in-a-blue-moon splurge? When you get home and friends ask where you got those to-die-for shoes, with a shrug you’ll casually say, “These? Oh . . . I bought them in Paris.”

Books

The scenic open-air bouquinistes bookstalls along the Seine are stacked with secondhand volumes (mostly in French), prints, and souvenirs. French-language bookshops—specializing in art, film, literature, and philosophy—can be found in the scholarly Latin Quarter and the publishing district, St-Germain-des-Prés.

How to Do Duty-Free

A value-added tax (V.A.T., or T.V.A. in French) of approximately 19.6% is imposed on most consumer goods. Non–EU residents can reclaim part of this tax. To qualify for a refund, you must purchase €175 of goods in the same shop on the same day, you must have stayed three months or less in the EU at the time of purchase, and you must have your passport validated by customs within three months after the date of purchase. Ask for a détaxe form at the time of purchase; smaller stores will fill it out for you, department stores have special détaxe desks.

Food Markets

The city’s open-air food markets attract the entire spectrum of Paris society, from the splendid matron with her minuscule dog in tow, to the mustachioed regular picking up his daily baguette. Although some markets are busier than others, there’s not one in Paris that doesn’t captivate the senses. Each season has its delicacies: fraises des bois (wild strawberries) and tender asparagus in spring, squash blossoms and fragrant herbs in summer, saffron-tinted chanterelles in autumn, bergamot oranges in late winter. Year-round you can find pungent lait cru (unpasteurized) cheeses, charcuterie, and unfarmed game and fish. Many of the better-known open-air markets are in areas you’d visit for sightseeing. To get a list of market days in your area, ask your concierge or check the markets section on the website www.paris.fr/marches.

If you’re unused to the metric system, it may be helpful to know that une livre is French for a pound; une demi-livre is a half pound. For cheese or meats, un morceau will get you a piece, une tranche a slice.

Most markets are open from 8 am to 1 pm three days a week year-round (usually the weekend and one weekday, but never Monday) on a rotating basis.

Store Hours

Store hours can be tricky in Paris. Aside from department stores, which keep slightly longer hours and are usually open late one weeknight, shops tend to open around 10 or 11 am and close around 7 pm. It’s not unusual to find a “back at 3” sign taped on the doors of smaller boutiques at lunchtime. Plan to do most of your foraging between Tuesday and Saturday, as the majority of shops, including department stores, are closed Sunday and some on Monday as well. You can find areas—particularly the Marais—where stores are open on Sunday. However, if you’re making a special trip somewhere, always call ahead to check hours.

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