Paris - July 7, 2010

Jerome Dreyfuss - Paris

W.H. Smith - Paris

stained glass ceiling - Printemps Dept. Store - Paris

Annick Goutal - Paris

What would a trip to Paris be without shopping? The window shopping is phenomenal -- each "fenetre" perfectly displayed to entice the viewer. And entice they do. The imaginative and tasteful windows lured me in and before the shopkeeper said "bonjour" I was in fantasyland. On the main shopping boulevard, Boulevard Haussman, lie the two major department stores on the Right Bank - Galeries Lafayette www.galerieslafayette.com and Printemps www.printemps.com Both stores are several stories high and it takes hours to explore each department. My recent trip to Printemps was a huge success. I didn't realize that I had arrived during the month of "soldes", one of the two months where all of the shops in France hold their "soldes" or sales. (January is the other month -- but I much prefer to be in Paris during July than during January). The dollar is stronger than it has been in years so my purchases became even sweeter. One of the musts in Printemps is looking up at the stained glass domed ceiling from the top floor restaurant -- not to be missed. Also,the vast shoe department is a must for every shoeaholic.
WHSmith www.whsmith.fr/ is a Parisian English bookshop located at 248 Rue de Rivoli in the 1st Arrondisement. They have an extensive selection of English books, DVD's, newspapers and magazines. If you are looking for something that is unavailable in the shop, they will place a special order to get it for you. It's really a wonderful place to browse the latest editions of books, etc. Another lovely, small French chic shop in the 1st Arr. is Annick Goutal. It is a house of "Haute Parfumerie" offering the finest in French scents and skin care. Among the popular scents are "Eau d'Hadrien", " Petite Cherie", and " Ce Soir ou Jamais " (tonight or never).
Moving over to the Rive Gauche, you will be amazed at the selection of fine leather handbags, wallets and backpacks at Jerome Dreyfuss located at 1 Rue Jacob in the shopping mecca near Blvd. St. Germaine www.jerome-dreyfuss.com. His bags are French chic and never trendy. Made from the finest quality materials, Jerome Dreyfuss bags are quintessentially French.
Au revoir!! A bientot!!