7 unique shopping experiences in Paris
From bookshops on barges to taxidermy treasure troves – you can’t miss these extraordinary Paris boutiques on your next trip to the City of Light
L’Eau et les Rêves
19th arrondissement
Paris has no shortage of beautiful bookshops, but this must be the city’s only floating librarie. You’ll find this unique literary boutique on a classic péniche at the Quai de l’Oise. As well as being crammed with books for every taste, the boat is also home to a café where you can enjoy your new read with a coffee.
Käramell
9th arrondissement
All things sugary and Scandinavian have made their home at this gorgeous sweetshop on Rue des Martyrs. Sweden is famous for its salty liquorice, so it’s no surprise that it’s a popular purchase here. You can also pick up cute gift bags to take home for your friends – who might think you actually visited Stockholm, not Paris!
Tombées du Camion
18th arrondissement
With a name literally meaning ‘fallen off a lorry’, you might be able to get an idea of what this quirky shop sells. Its owner picks up unwanted, unusual items from various warehouses across France for which he then finds a loving owner from this Montmartre boutique. Each find, from doll heads to sheriffs’ badges, comes in its own little box with its own tale.
Maison Aurouze
1st arrondissement
Have you ever seen the Pixar film Ratatouille? If so, you might recognise this one-of-a-kind pest control shop which made a brief appearance in the film. The window display is like no other – it’s filled with rows of stuffed rats hanging from traps.
Deyrolle
7th arrondissement
Stuffed animals are also the main attraction at this famous taxidermy and curiosities shop, founded in 1831. All sorts of beautiful creatures are immortalised here, including bears, zebras and ostriches. The shop has many celebrity admirers – Wes Anderson is reported to be a fan, and director Woody Allen even filmed scenes of Midnight in Paris here.
Lulu Berlu
11th arrondissement
France’s largest vintage and collectible toy store, this Parisian institution boasts more than 25,000 toys in its care. You can also pick up books, vinyls and video games.
La Boutique Sans Argent
12th arrondissement
A free shop – sounds like an impossible concept, right? But this almost-too-good-to-be-true store allows people to drop off their unwanted possessions for others to collect for free.
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