If you were in Paris and going to get a birthday gift -- what?

[hillview]

DH has suggested I get a bday present while in Paris. I hit Louis Vuitton but nothing was of interest. Any ideas?

[queenmama]

I would hit the flea markets! Some kind of textile would be easy to pack.

Lara

[jgenie]

A nice leather bag or hit Hermes. :)

[Zukini]

Goyard. They're totally less known than Louis Vuitton which is in every high end mall in America. Even Hermes is pretty accessible in the US - store wise. To score one of their more noted purse pieces, I've heard you need to be in the right place at the right time (and willing to pick an odd color or size birkin or kelly they just might happen to have) or be a valued $$$ client already on a waiting list. Hermes also has beautiful silk scarves and twillys, often limited edition prints, that you can enjoy for years.

But you cannot beat having the shopping experience of any of these stores, for sure. Even if you eventually do not buy anything, they will usually offer you champagne and you can have a lot of fun trying on stuff at your own pace.

If obvious brands aren't your thing, try the markets. I love visiting and looking at homes where folks have beautiful vases or chandeliers that they scored abroad as their "souvenir" and get to enjoy every day. My DH is totally against checking luggage and waiting for customs on most every trip (he travels waaay too much lol) so I make do with purses and leather goods that I can carry along much easier :)

[Pepper]

Do you like to cook? Go to Dehillerin and buy yourself some beautiful copper pots. I got two oval gratin dishes for a fraction of the price that they would cost in the US. We paid to ship them home because we had limited baggage space, and the salesman thought I was cray because the shipping was expensive ($75), but even with paying shipping it was still much less than I'd pay for something similar at home. (Thought that was 10 years ago, not sure how prices have changed by now. Still, it's a wonderful store for kitchen toys).

http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/

[lele]

Le Cruset outlet in Fresnoy-le-Grand, maybe? But that would be kind of heavy to take back.

[fedoragirl]

Do you like jewellery? There is a fabulous shop in St. Germaine and they sell handmade jewellery. I love their stuff but it's very colorful and floral--not for everyone.

[bostonsmama]

Go to the Fragonard perfume museum and have them mix you a custom scent. I love their Soleil line, but everything else in their shop smells divine.

[dcmom2b3]

There's a wonderful knitwear store in St. Germain de Pres called Tiki Tirarwa. Beautiful things. I bought my mother's birthday gift there one year. Address is 55 rue Bonaparte.

Enjoy Paris!! :)

[ccather]

Sigh. Now I want to be in Paris looking at lovely things. <pout>. (it's on my bucket list)

[larig]

Comptoir sud pacifique perfume.

[gatorsmom]

Shoes. There are so many darling little shoe shops on the less traveled streets with so many unique kinds that you won't see in the US.

[Mermanaid]

Repetto shoes!

[mommy111]

Honestly, if I went to Paris, I'd hit the drugstores and stock up on cosmetics/skin care. Even their regular cheap skin care lines are so much better than ours

[Kindra178]

Shoes. There are so many darling little shoe shops on the less traveled streets with so many unique kinds that you won't see in the US.

Absolutely this. The unknown European brands are so comfy.

[Jen841]

I love trip momentous... Artwork, charm, cookbook, picture book,...

[Jen841]

...forgot Christmas ornament, wallet, wine glasses, ....