Galeries Lafayette (40 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris) (Metro: Chasssée d’Antin La Fayette) – this is one of Paris’ major department stores, housed within a 10-story building, finished in 1912 with a glass & steel dome and Art Nouveau staircases. Items here range from women’s & children’s designer apparel, cosmetics, jewelry & accessories, books, music and electronics […]
Galerie Vivienne (4 rue des Petits-Champs, Louvre/Tuileries, Paris) (Metro Palais-Royal/Bourse) – this 19th century “covered passageway” now has retailers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Catherine Vernoux (ladies apparel), Wolff & Descourtis (scarves & shawls), Si Tu Veux toy store, and Legrand Filles & Fils (fine foods).
Galerie Véro-Dodat (19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Louvre/Tuileries, Paris) (Metro Palais-Royal) – known as a “covered passage”, this was a 19th century version of a shopping mall – designed for wealthy shoppers to be provided with a warm, dry place to shop during times of bad weather (which included gas lighting. This, before department stores were […]
FNAC (Forum des Halles, Paris) (Metro: Les Halles) – this is a popular French music & book store that also has photo, TV and audio equipment sections. Its stores can be found in other countries like Spain, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and even Morocco and Brazil.
BHV / Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville (52-64 rue de Rivoli, Paris) (Metro: Hôtel de Ville) – another popular Parisian department store (www.bhv.fr), this one has a decent selection of men’s outdoor wear, home items like bed linens, household appliances like blenders & toasters, books. Its 5th floor has a restaurant, Ma Cantine, for hungry […]
Showcase (Port des Champs-Élysées, under the Pont Alexandre III)(Metro: Champs-Elysees Clemenceau or Invalides) – located beneath the high-brow Pont Alexandre III, this club already stands out, since the entrance is literally under a bridge. Showcase is lavishly decorated in an Art Nouveau style and overlooking the Seine. The walls are carved from stone and the […]
Rex Club (5 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris)(Metro: Bonne Nouvelle or Grands Boulevards) – launched by French techno music producer Laurent Garnier in 1992, this venue plays a lot of bass-heavy house and electronica, with many patrons showing up well past midnight. Because of Garnier’ s involvement with this club, a number of top-name House & Trance […]
Paris Social Club (142 rue Montmartre, Paris) (Metro: Sentier) – open from Wednesday to Saturday, this one-time printing house for the “Aurore” newspaper was converted into a small concert hall and electro club. Young Parisian hipsters are often attracted to the DJ line-up here, such as “Busy P”, “2ManyDJs”, and Brodinsky.
Panic Room (101 rue Amelot, Paris)(Metro: Saint-Sébastien – Froissart) – this is a trendy rock & dance music club that is reputedly named after the Jody Foster Hollywood film of the same name. Once inside, patrons find a chill 80s-style watering hole where a quirky clash of bright pop art, pink walls, and colorful fabric […]
Le Truskel (12 rue Feydeau, Paris) (Metro: Bourse, Grands Boulevards) — located in the heart of Paris between the Rex and the Olympia, the Truskel was opened in June 2002, with various DJs every night mixing new indiepop classic punk rock and electropop, preceded by concerts, broadcasts, preview album, and DVD preview events.