OK, the exchange rate isn’t good, it takes about $1.44 US to buy one euro,
BUT you can still have fun shopping in Paris.
The trendy Merci concept store in the third arrondissement has only been around
for a couple of years but the merchandise has completely changed since the last time I was there.
It’s fun to browse everything from clothing
 |
| my little mademoiselle, Alie |
I love chairs.
And there are affordable things to buy like these cute creamers and
these cotton dish towel rolls that are perforated like paper towels but washable.
I bought two easy to pack rolls to take home as gifts.
The Porte de Vanves flea market still has some deals to be found.
The flea market is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 am to noon. Try to get there early.
Prices are negotiable.
My friend purchased the antique wooden tray above on the left.
I bought the little pitcher for two euros and the silver soup ladle was twenty euros.
This toile tray was only three euros.
I also bought this vintage Chanel silk scarf.
In France, counterfeiting products is a huge crime (ha! not like in Chinatown in NYC)
and they save forever for the real thing and go for quality over quantity.
My point is, I am pretty sure the scarf is authentic and the quality is beautiful BUT
there are a couple stains that the dry cleaners could not get out (any suggestions?).
C’est la vie. The pattern is busy enough, they are sort of hidden.
It is not the time for sales like in the summer and the big department stores are not
offering a 10% tourist discount anymore, but
we still had fun shopping at the Galeries Lafayette Gourmet.
A beautiful tour. Love the ceramics!
Thanks for the shopping tour, love seeing the stores and the scarf looks fabulous! Thanks so much for linking up to VIF!! xoxo Debra
Oh it looks absolutely beautiful!! I would love to go to Paris and Europe~ a huge dream of mine!! Thanks for sharing this inspiration at FNF! 🙂
ah this trip was so fun to tag along. I would love to go to Paris someday…and bring an extra suitcase for treasures.
oh my gosh- everything is so beautiful! How amazing that they have a "target"..!
Paris and shopping always sound good together! Great pics. I love the tray you got. 🙂
A downer??? No, you mentioned Paris, and that was all I heard! Hehe, just kiddin', but this looks like a blast! Your finds are perfect for momentos from Paris (c:
I was just in Paris the first week of April for a business trip and sadly didn't have any time for some good shopping. I did buy the Marie France design mag though! Great photos – makes me want to book a trip just to shop (and then I'll bring a bigger suitcase!).
Mary Ann, I've been enjoying reading about your visit back to Paris. The pictures are so lovely, magazine ready! Thank you for taking us "along" with you!
I'm having complete Paris envy! Lucky you! Had Easter brunch at The Cottage in Laguna. 🙂 Safe travels.
these stores are amazing! i love that tray as well.
What wonderful shopping spots! I love those glass creamers. I hope to be traveling to Paris this year and will have to check out those places!
Looks like you had a blast!! Love the tray! The towels sound like wonderful gifts…interesting how they are perforated…..Thanks for sharing!
You're right, I don't know if Paris belongs in the same sentence as budget. ha! I love chairs, too. The truth is, everyone who comes into my place, has their own seat! No shortage. Thanks for coming by and entering my GiveAway. Wish I had signs to give to everyone. best, -s
Oooh I like Paris budget shopping if this is what it looks like!! 🙂 That patterned fabric office chair is officially in my bookmarks- I LOVE IT!!
I have a link to your post about Paris as you mentioned Target and gave me the idea to go. You seemed to have found all the best places there. Bravo!
I am drooling over your pictures and your purchases. What fun! Thank you for sharing your trip. I loved going along. laurie
I do kinda feel like I just went on a mini trip! Gorgeous images and you've given me hope that I can shop on a budget in Paris someday 🙂
Thanks for sharing your trip with us all!
Kelle
xx
Gorgeous blues!
I'd be so happy if you come and see my BLUES, have a great week!!
Very Pretty!
Would you mind peeking at my entry?, I would be delighted if you do. Thanks!
Let me try to get the stains out for you.
Love, Mom
That's a beautiful blue scarf; I hope you get the stains out.
Happy Blue Monday, Mary Ann.
thanks for taking us along on your shopping trip! how fun! how i would love a trip to paris. now.
Tessa
ahhhh this made me a little green with envy 🙂 i would die to shop in paris, even if i only got to bring one thing home.
looks like a great time!
have a wonderful easter!
Mary Ann,
I'm enjoying your posts about Paris more than you can imagine! It's almost as I'm there, talking to you about that gorgeous city.
You're a great writer and it's always so fun to be part of your "adventure" in Paris.
Thank you so much for the very sweet comment you left on my blog. It made me feel so happy… yes, I do try my best… but I'm far from being perfect. 🙂
Have a wonderful Easter, sweetie.
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Wow – you scored some wonderful things. Love your treasures. Seems like it was a fantastic trip. Reading your recent posts makes me want to take a trip to Paris!!!
I so miss Paris!
I would be buying everything at the Flea market, *sigh*
Hope you had an extra suitcase, you purchased lovely finds. and that scarf! lovely!
xx
callie
Family, friends, wine, fine food and shopping there is not a more perfect vacation! I am taking notes and adding "Baccarat lunch" to my bucket list. Thank you for the virtual vacation.
Beautiful post and blog…
I am still in a dream like state after Paris. I saw my sister last night and we were talking about how fun the Baccarat lunch was–and worth the euros. My friend, Lisa who bought the big wooden tray lives in England so we took it back to her house on the train. Looks great in her kitchen. But the shipping cost is why I just bought little items.
Your posts were better than anything I've read about Paris in a guide book. Thanks for taking us along with you!
Hello Mary Ann,
had fun to share in your trip..thank you for the images and delectable goods!
much love
Colette ~ Afrique du Sud
Hi Mary Ann! I did not get to Merci on this trip so I loved seeing your photos. I wondered if the red car was still in the courtyard… Last summer we took turns with crazy poses for photo ops with it – hah! (There was some previous consumption of wine)
I have been to the markets and to St Ouen but not to Vanves. You hit a jackpot and the prices are so reasonable.
Loved meeting you and Alie in Paris… Enjoy the remainder of your trip!
Bises,
Genie
Yum…I want to go now just to shop! Love the vintage Chanel scarf…..
Mary Ann,
That was a fun shopping trip and now it's time for coffee and a french pastry…yes?
Love the scarf the colors are perfect and this might help with stain removal advice I love The Laundress (website, blog, how-to, and "green" laundry products) good luck and keep us posted. Stain removal victories are blog worthy posts.
http://www.thelaundress.com/AboutUs/about-us.asp
Bette
Such a great post..thank YOU for taking us along. Such fun, why does everything in Paris right down to the little silly creamers and dish towels look so much better over there…lol? Seriously..everything is just so great looking so chic and you just want it to much more, at least thats how i was, so glad you got to go the flea market too…love your ladle! Gorgeous…you did well!! So glad you had such a wonderful trip….you have lots of us trying to plan our own next trip back as result:) Happy Easter.
How fun! Shopping with a friend in Paris! Looks like a fabulous trip. Love your purchases. Even the packaging of items in Paris is beautiful and unique!
Shopping in Paris…what a dream 🙂 I just read your post about your kitchen feature. I would so love to have a pantry to put those appliances in. What a great idea!! It looks beautiful.
Blessings,
Marcia
Oh I love love looooooooveeeeeee Merci. It's the best.
Love that toile tray and the wooded tray your friend bought. I would love to shop in Paris.
The title of your post grabbed me because I would certainly want to bring some things home from Paris for gifts and so it has to be affordable. BTW…do you ship your things home or do you cram everything into your suitcases? I like seeing some of the stores like Monoprix and how they are similar to our stores! LOVE the little birdie sugars!! Hope you scooped up some of those. They are the cat's meow!! ;-D Also love your pretty scarf. Stains or not, it's stunning!
Thanks for another fantastic post!
XO,
Janie
Eddie Ross did a post on stain removal, it was excellent! Your trip was so amazing . I think you are so kind and generous to share it with us:))
I loooove this post. I need to ear mark this!! I am going to Paris next May and I am soooo excited, Thankyou for taking us along!! Kathysue
Thanks for taking us along on your shopping trip! You purchased some beautiful things and at great prices. I don't see the stain on the scarf, so I think you'll be ok with the pattern hiding it. It is gorgeous!
The only problem with shopping in Paris is figuring out how to get everything home – obviously the towels and scarf – not a problem. But what do you do about the larger items that are so tempting?!
Mary Ann,
I want to go shopping with you in Paris! I love everything. I'm going to bookmark this page so I will know where to go next time I'm in Paris! I love all your purchases.
annie
I just shopped vicariously, thank you! And i adore your purchases!
I'm going to Paris this summer and read your post with interest. I think you got some great deals at the flea market. I won't be spending much time shopping so I have to make it count.
What a great place to shop! Paris is such a beautiful place, I would love to go there some day.
Susan
I am absolutely drooling over your photos! And your title was not a downer… It actually got me very excited! I would be total sensory overload! I love that scarf and hopefully a few careful washes will get it cleaned up… I have no idea about marks… but I would say that gorgeous pattern would make any very hard to see! X
I just read your post on "Hooked on Houses" and was surprised to see the similarities in our two kitchens. We are down-sizing from a 4000 square feet house to a 2700 square feet townhouse. We closed in December and then gutted it. We will move in 3 weeks. Our new kitchen has white cabinets, gray pennisula, carrara marble, etc. Then I saw your blog on Paris and chuckled because I spent 8 days there solo last spring and had a great time. It was my fifth visit. We just returned from two weeks of bicycling in Holland on Wednesday. I am going to add you to my favorites and keep up on your happenings.