Bad times for gentlemen, good times for ladies: Shopping! Paris is the city of fashion and what, dear female users, shall you keep from a «small» shopping tour through the consumption paradise along the Seine river? Nowhere else the credit card can be charged better than here, only here you find all the famous designer labels and only here one buys their collection also in fact! Thereby an uncountable quantity of little (and favorable!) boutiques are at your disposal, too – heaven knows that the Parisian chic does not count only on your moneybag but above all on your creativity: In Paris it must be fancy, not expensive.
 Avenue des Champs-Élysées The most popular street of the world extends between Triumphal Arch and place de la Concorde, right through the «Beaux Quartiers». During the general renovation in 1994 the pavements have been broaded and trees have been planted – to the debit of the car parks, of course, as it is indeed usual in Paris. Since that time the saunter myth is at least for the hosts of tourists still higher than ever before. On the Champs-Élysées the Parisians celebrate at all times the year's turn, the French celebrate themselves on the national holiday (July 14th) and the Europeans celebrate the winner of the Tour de France. This parade street's impressive width of 71 m is surpassed in Paris only by the Avenue Foch – nevertheless very clear with a width of 120 m. ► Accessible publicly. Address: Avenue des Champs-Élysées · F 75008 Paris (8th Arrondissement) · Métro: Concorde, Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Champs-Élysées/Clémenceau  |
 Avenue Montaigne  The finest fashion address of Paris is reputed to be the most beautiful avenue! Here you find such very promising haute couture suppliers like «Dior» and «Lacroix» – unfortunately they miss the today's Champs-Élysées completely. You do not need to look for prices in the window displays: Here discretion plays an important role – and money is anyhow no object for the customers of these places. The building with the number 25 is one of the last, quite big grand hotels on Earth: The Plaza Athénée, meanwhile aged in dignity.
► The avenue Montaigne is for the public traffic. Accordingly there are no admission charges or closing hours. Address: Avenue Montaigne · F 75008 Paris (8th arrondissement) · Métro: Place de l'Alma, Franklin D. Roosevelt |
 Forum des Halles The Parisian covered markets, which where located here on site, were for centuries the heart of the whole Rive Droite. But after the demolition of the ten, more than 100 years old pavillons of Victor Baltard in 1972, which was accompanied by the population's vociferous protests, one stuffed the house blank with the Forum des Halles, a modern, sub-terranean shopping centre, which was opened in 1977. Several boutiques and restaurants found here new business rooms but they do not replace even a part of the market halls' former charme.
► Opening hours: Mondays to saturdays 10:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. (business hours are varying). Address: 101, porte Berger · F 75001 Paris (1st arrondissement) · Phone 01.44.76.96.56 · Fax 01.44.76.96.50 · www.forum-des-halles.com · Métro: Les Halles |
 Galeries Lafayette Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn founded in 1893 in the 1, rue la Fayette the actually biggest consume temple of Paris: The Galeries Lafayette, called after the French general Marquis de la Fayette. Finally around the turn of century the first own building with the Byzantian central-hall and the legendary glass dome (created between 1910 and 1912 by architect Ferdinand Chanut) came into beeing under architect Georges Chedanne in the today's location, the boulevard Haussmann. Meanwhile the Galeries consist here of three real estates, among them special shopping centres for women and men fashion and accessoires. Here you are really spoilt for choice! The gigantic perfumery is the world's most important and is delievered with new creations as first one at all by every producer.
By the way: Since 1996 the French Galeries Lafayette are present internationally, too. And this – «of course» – in Germany, in the Friedrichstraße in Berlin. ► Opening hours: Mondays to saturdays daily 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., thursdays until 9:00 p.m. Address: 35, boulevard Haussmann · F 75009 Paris (9th Arrondissement) · www.galerieslafayette.com · Phone 01.42.82.34.56 · Fax 01.42.82.80.27 · Métro: Chaussée d'Antin-La Fayette |
 Printemps The Printemps (French: «Spring»), the first bigger and in those days modernst shopping centre in Paris, was founded by Jules Jaluzot in 1865. The today's house in art nouveau style is created by René Binet and was inaugurated celebratory on May 23rd, 1907, at 9:00 a.m. (!). Since that time the Printemps put its main focus on fashion. In 1995 all six floors with a sales area of 20'000 sqm were renovated completely.
► Opening hours: Mondays to saturdays daily 9:35 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., on thursdays until 9:00 p.m. Address: 64, boulevard Haussmann · F 75009 Paris (9th arrondissement) · www.printemps.com · Phone 01.42.82.50.00 · Métro: Chaussée d'Antin-La Fayette |
 Samaritaine   What means the KaDeWe for Berlin, Macy's for New York or Harrod's for London, that means the Samaritaine for Paris. On 32'000 sqm and seven levels everything is offered to the 15'000 to 50'000 visitors each day (!) whatever the consuments' shopping-hearts desire. The Samaritaine was opened in 1872 and sprays still the architectural charm of the old Paris. Here Frantz Jourdain (building architecture) and Henri Sauvage (interior design) let run together harmonically Art Nouveau and Art Déco.
From the restaurant terrass on the 11th floor and the look-out platform on the 12th floor you have a beautiful view on Paris from an attitude of approximately 70 m. As usual in each big Parisian shopping centre small leaflets are available for your orientation at the entrances. ► Opening hours: Mondays to fridays daily 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Address: 19, rue de la Monnaie · F 75001 Paris (1st arrondissement) · www.lasamaritaine.com · Phone 08.00.01.00.15 (free) · Métro: Pont-Neuf, Châtelet |   |
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