Page 314 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

312  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS
SHOPS AND MARKETS

Paris seems to be the very definition of luxury kitchen gadgets to tableware. Remember,
and good living. Beautifully dressed people too, that Parisian shops and markets are the
sip wine by the banks of the Seine against a ideal place to indulge in the French custom
backdrop of splendid architecture, or hurry of strolling through the streets, seeing and
down gallery-lined streets carrying parcels being seen. For high fashion, there are the
from specialist shops. The least expensive exquisite couture house window displays
way of joining the chic set is to create French on Avenue Montaigne, or you can browse
style with accessories or costume jewellery. the bookstalls selling second-hand books and
Alternatively, splash out on the fashion, or prints along the Seine. Below is an overview
the wonderful food and related items, from of the most famous places to shop.

Opening Hours Non-EU residents shopping in
Shops are usually open 10am– France are entitled to a refund
7pm, Monday to Saturday, but of this if they spend a minimum
hours can vary. Many department of €175 in one shop in one day.
stores stay open late on Thursday, You must have been resident in
while boutiques may shut for an France for less than six months
hour or two at midday. Markets and either carry the goods with
and local neighbourhood shops you out of the country within
close on Mondays. Some three months of purchase or get
smaller shops shut for the the shop to forward them to
summer, usually in August, but you. If shopping in a group, you
they may leave a note on the can usually buy goods together
door suggesting an equivalent in order to reach the minimum.
shop that is open nearby. Larger shops and department
stores will generally supply a
form (bordereau de détaxe or
How to Pay bordereau de vente) and help
Cash is readily available from you to fill it in. When you leave Le Bon Marché in St-Germain, one of the
the ATMs in most banks, which France or the EU, you present oldest stores in Paris
accept both credit and bank the form to Customs, who either
debit cards. Visa and MasterCard permit you to be reimbursed large airports such as Orly and
are the most widely accepted straight away, or forward your Roissy, some banks may have
credit cards. claim to the place where you the facilities to refund you on
bought the merchandise; the the spot. Though the process
shop eventually sends you a involves a lot of paperwork,
VAT Exemption
refund. If you know someone in it can be worth it. There is no
A sales tax (TVA) of 5.5–19.6 per Paris, it may be quicker if they refund on food, drink, tobacco,
cent is imposed on most goods can pick up the refund for you cars and motorbikes. Bicycles,
and services in EU countries. at the shop. Alternatively, at however, can be reimbursed.
Sales
The best sales (soldes) are held
in January and July, although
increasingly often you can find
sale items throughout the year,
and especially at Christmas. If
you see goods labelled Stock, it
means that they are stock items.
Dégriffé means designer labels
marked down, frequently from
the previous year’s collections.
A dépôt-vente sells high-end
second-hand clothes. The sales
tend to occupy prime floor
space for the first month and
are then relegated to the back
Printemps, the grande dame of Parisian department stores of the store.

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