No Paris holiday is ever complete without a hard-core shopping spree! Be it for food, perfumes, knick-knacks, designer clothes or art, there’s no better city in the world to spend your heard-earned holiday dollars. Should you be looking for holiday rental apartment in Paris, then keep in mind that the area around the Paris opera house, the Palais Garnier, is your best bet if you want to really absorb the true essence of Parisian life. Dine, shop and feel your way through Paris, just by stepping out of your front door!

To help you on your merry Paris shopping way, we’ve compiled a walking tour which will guide you to the most popular shopping havens in the area. Start your day out front of the Opera Metro station and discover the unadulterated bliss that retail therapy can bestow on even the most discerning tourists.

Fragonard Perfume Museum

Located merely meters from the colossal Palais Garnier, this unusual museum is a true treat for your senses. The lovely collections shown in the Fragonard Perfume museum showcase almost three thousand years of perfume history! Testers and gift-boxes are also available to purchase, making this one of the most enjoyable educational outings in Paris!

Printemps de la Mode

The Printemps is often regarded as a ‘shopping temple’, and the words ‘mall’ or ‘centre’ should really be avoided here. Here is where all the gorgeous housewifes of Paris congregate on a daily basis! Accessories, clothing, home decors and innumerable other goodies can be found through Printemps’ various buildings. When the bargain hunting gets all too much, head to the 7th floor restaurant, which offers breathtaking views of the greater Paris area. On your way back down stop by Laduree, the world-renowned bakery, and recharge your batteries with a mouthwatering St Honore!

This flagship store is located on Boulevard Haussmann and is so popular, that other branches have now opened up in Tokyo and Jeddah as well.

Galeries Lafayette

The Galeries Lafayette are synonymous with haute-everything, be it couture, epicurean treats or home furnishings. The center hosts regular catwalk shows throughout the year, and the super-popular Christmas window-displays attract thousands each day in December.

Popular designer boutiques like Chanel and Louis Vuitton can be found on the first-floor, and the world-famous Lafayette Gourmet is a mecca for food aficionados. Getting lost in the enchanting floors of Lafayette must be one of the best ways to absorb this captivating cultural icon.

Les Galleries

After a full morning negotiating your way through the two largest shopping havens in Paris, you may be ready for a little change of scenery. This is when we suggest you make your way back to the Opera Metro and take a short stroll down venue de l’Opera; turn left at Rue des Petits Champ and keep walking until your reach Les Galleries, a collection of upscale shopping arcades which date back to the 1800’s. They are much smaller than Printemps and Lafayette and provide a cozy and intimate shopping experience.

The best preserved gallery is probably Vivienne; the mosaic tiled floor is a true masterpiece! There are at least six different galleries here for you to peruse, and innumerable Parisian cafes and restaurants if another little break is in order. High ceilings and marbled archways are the perfect accompaniment to the opulently dressed windows. Yes, indeed, this shopping spree will be a little pricey, but at least you’ll know you’re taking home a little piece of Parisian history.