Product Description

It has been said that even those who hate shopping love to shop in Paris. Indeed, of all the ways to explore the City of Lights—touring, studying, or meandering through its colorful streets—shopping is by far the most pleasant and civilized way to get to know the city.

This new edition of The Paris Shopping Companion is a major revision and expansion of the third edition. As such, it is the perfect book for the traveler who wants to make the most of what Paris has to offer. While certainly a travel guide, it provides something no other book offers: personal guidance from two authors who know the city and its shops intimately. Each establishment is viewed from a French point of view, and practical advice is given on the best buys at each shop. With maps of the major shopping areas and photographs that richly illustrate the text, the book is organized to encourage shopping forays, neighborhood by neighborhood, throughout the city.

The Paris Shopping Companion describes the merchandise of a wide array of Paris businesses that offer unique goods and services, from clothing to linens, jewelry and accessories to books (including English-language stores), stationery, food, collectibles, leather goods, kitchen aids, and more. Packed with practical information, it will be useful for anyone who travels to Paris, regardless of one's budget.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #154386 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 259 pages

About the Author
Susan Swire Winkler first became fascinated with Paris as a young girl. Her experiences as a student abroad in Paris, a graduate student in French literature, a fashion journalist for Women's Wear Daily, and an importer of French linens for her own shop, she looks at Paris with an eye to what is uniquely French. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Caroline Lesieur is a VIP personal guide in Paris and a native Parisian.

Customer Reviews

Slightly helpful
The book itself is somewhat helpful;however, the photos are really bad quality: they look like some taken in the 20's or 30's...

Shopping Guide
Lots of the shops and retaurants were closed in August which was not noted in the book and two in particular were no longer at the address shown. While all the shops were located by an area it would have been nicer if the shops were along a fixed route.

Not just shopping!
I lived in Paris for two years (2004-2006) but didn't begin to shop until I found this book (recommended by Amazon). Often in Paris, the store windows don't really show much about what's inside, but this book tells everything you want to know before getting on the Metro. Every description was accurate. The shops were where they were supposed to be, the merchandise was as described in the book, and prices were close on the mark.

Every Saturday I mapped out where I would go based on "the book". I found that if I read the shop descriptions, I could tell in advance if I would want to find them, so I would check off my "must sees". Along the way I made notes in the margins about the shops, and also what else was in the neighborhood. I didn't find the restaurant reviews particularly helpful, and wish they were left out to make room for more shops.

An unexpected bonus: looking for "the book" stores often lead me into streets and neighborhoods far from my usual treks, and MORE shops! The sightseeing hints were excellent also. I never went out without this book, and my co-workers borrowed it until it became available at WH Smith. I met Susan Winkler at a book signing there, and she was amazed at my margin notes (and probably at the tattered condition of the book).

Two of the specialty shops Susan praised were down the street (Rue Royale) from where I worked and I went into them at lunchtime at least once a week. My only regret is that my last month in Paris was the dead month, August, when almost every thing is closed, but I burned up the pavements for the six months preceeding. (I bought the book as soon as it came out in February).

Happy shopping!