A recent trip to Paris brought on an overhaul of chocolat-chaud, baguettes, crowded pavements, vin rouge, mille-feuille, macaroons and of course lots of shopping. As much as I adore London, Paris is such a beautiful and vibrant city filled with lots of exciting boutiques. Having lived there in the past, my recent trip was a real test for my memory to find those wondorous hidden ‘magasins’ again. Sadly for my bank manager, my memory served me well. For those of you heading to the French capital, here a few of my top recommendations:
-La Grande Epicerie, Rue du Bac - head to this insane food hall for the vanilla macaroons and unbelievable Mille-feuille.
-L’Artisan Parfumeur, Boulevard Saint Germain - this wonderful perfume shop hidden in a narrow side street off Boulevard Saint-Germain holds the most wonderful smells know to any Parisien worth their myrhh.
-Come On Eline, Rue des Taillandiers - a stones throw from the Bastille, this is heaven on earth for any vintage loving lady. Don’t let the petite shop entrance fool you, there are two floors beneath that house some of the best fur coats in the city.
-Free’P'Star, Rue de la Verrerie - hidden in the winding streets of the Marais, this vintage boutique is filled to the brim with vintage pieces at very affordable prices. Descend the spiral staircase to find the real hidden jewels, such as breton tops for £5 and fur coats for £40.
-Mariage Freres, Rue Bourg Tibourg - on my favourite street in the Marais, this tea emporium will have you lost for hours. With millions of teas and trinkets such as gold camel teapots, you can never leave empty handed. Pop into the back room for a cup of the stuff too.
-Le Fumoir, Rue de l’Amiral de Coligny - this  is the ultimate uber-chic French laid back restaurant with a great Sunday brunch menu. Try and get a table at the back in the library room and order the hot chocolate too, it’s the best in the city. Stroll across to the Louvre opposite afterwards if you’re a culture vulture.
-Colette, Rue Saint-Honoré - this magasin is top of any hip person’s list of places to visit and you will see why when you go there. Full of extraordinary bits and pieces from fab international designers as well as gadgets, music and anything else.
-Deyrolles, Rue du Bac - a weird and wonderful taxidermy shop full of beautiful animals from across the world. More of a wonder experience than a shopping one.
-La Coupole, Boulevard Montparnasse - a traditional French brasserie with amazing fruits des mer, rude waiters and a great atmosphere.
-Georges, Centre Pompidou - this has got to be one of the best spots for both people watching and window gazing, with tremendous views and good food. Best in summer for the tables outside.