Fashion and beauty
Paris is the capital of luxury, with countless boutiques offering a wide range of beauty products. Among these, perfumes occupy a special place. There are hundreds of fragrances to choose from, from the best-known to the rarest. Don't hesitate to visit one of the capital's many independent perfumeries. You can also opt for cosmetics. Paris is home to numerous boutiques selling French and international brands. The Champs-Élysées, the Marais district and the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré are just some of the places where you'll find a high concentration of dedicated boutiques, but don't neglect the less-frequented districts: here too, small designers are setting up shop. When it comes to fashion, it's hard not to find something to bring home. If you don't want to go to the big fashion houses (usually concentrated in the1st and 8th arrondissements), don't hesitate to take a stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin, Saint-Germain-des-Prés or the department stores, taking care to choose a sale or promotional period. Note that certain streets and neighborhoods are now well known to Parisians (and only to them) for their supply of small boutiques beloved by fashion victims: rue de la Villette, in the heights of the 20th arrondissement, or in the village of Saint-Paul, in the south of the Marais, for example. Others will choose vintage clothes, found at flea markets or in boutiques. In the Île-de-France region, some towns, such as Saint-Germain-en-Laye, have a large number of fashion boutiques. Finally, here as elsewhere, outlets are plentiful throughout the region.
Food delights
Provided your means of transport allows it, a culinary speciality is often chosen by those who want a souvenir of Paris and the surrounding area. While this souvenir is by definition ephemeral, it will nonetheless please the recipient. Wines, chocolates or macaroons are the most popular products, but you can also opt for mushrooms or ham. Note also that the Gastronomy section of your Découvrir folder gives you examples of typical local products (including a fine selection of local cheeses)!
Cultural products
Bookshops may be clearing their shelves in the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but Paris remains the capital of culture. For centuries, its authors have crossed frontiers to become world standards. Why, then, not take home a book or DVD of a French work? Bookshops are plentiful, and many offer works that are also available in foreign languages. Don't hesitate to choose small, independent bookshops - we can't stress this enough! A book on the history of Paris, for example, should appeal to visitors. If you're not too far from the capital and have the possibility of returning easily, why not choose a ticket to a show: concert, theater, opera? There's no shortage of choice, for any event, in any venue and on almost any date! Last but not least, many people have their portrait painted on the Butte Montmartre: why not you? Provided you can select a genuine Montmartre artist!
The must-sees, for the best... or not!
They're among the most sought-after items: those bearing the effigy of Paris. At the pinnacle of symbols, the Eiffel Tower is available as decorative objects, magnets, key rings, badges... of uneven quality, depending on the source. Perhaps you'll be able to find original Eiffel Towers, customized and well-made. Other monuments, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Sacré-Coeur, are available in the same way, but with less success. At the same time, you can choose customized objects in the capital's colors: T-shirts, local posters, objects related to the iconic metro. And with the Olympics just around the corner, boutiques selling accessories featuring Parisian Olympiad mascots are beginning to open: so go for authentic creations, not knock-offs! The range of possibilities is vast, but also uneven.
