5 shopping districts you shouldn’t miss when you visit Paris

First published: 10 March 2022 by Elinor Sheridan

A holiday to Paris is not complete without a shopping spree. Whether you are looking for high-end brands, quirky boutiques, or high-street bargains there is ample opportunity to shop until you drop. After Brexit, Brits can also save some money on their shopping by using a tax-free shopping app like Wevat to get a VAT refund on their holiday purchases like other non-EU travellers. You can take advantage of the tax refund as well as currency discount. Sounds good? We will share how to do so step by step, but first let’s familiarise ourselves with five of the best shopping spots in the French capital…

1. Boulevard Haussmann

The iconic Boulevard Haussmann is where you will find two of the biggest department stores in Paris. The original Galeries Lafayette (there are now 30 stores across the country) has women’s and men’s fashion, a children’s section, restaurants, an exhibition space and a separate food and home building. This area is also home to the Printemps department store with 44,000m² of luxury shopping, personal shopper services and private lounges for a high-end experience.

2. Palais-Royal and Saint-Honoré

If Carrie Bradshaw is your style icon, then you might want to head to the Galerie de Montpensier to get yourself some shoes at Manolo Blahnik, one of a variety of designer shops in the beautiful arcades surrounding the Palais-Royal Gardens. Or you could try nearby Rue Saint-Honoré for some Jimmy Choos or Christian Louboutins.

3. Rue de Rivoli

Budget won’t stretch to designer shoes? Not to worry, you will find some more familiar high street shops on the Rue de Rivoli. And don’t forget to use your Wevat app for a VAT refund that will make the prices even more attractive! The road, which runs parallel to the Seine, eastwards from the Louvre, is lined with favourites such as Zara, Mango, Bodyshop and Sephora.

4. Marais

Bookshops, creative homeware, and vintage shops can be found in the trendy Marais district. The main shopping streets here are Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Rue des Rosiers, and the Rue Vieille du Temple. You will also be spoilt for choice with cafes and patisseries where you can take a moment to refresh yourself and update your Wevat app with your latest purchases.

5. Saint-Germain-des-Prés

On the Left Bank of the river, Saint-Germain and the adjacent streets in the 6th arrondissement are a must visit for shopaholics. The area offers speciality shops, couture designers and gourmet eateries as well as housing the oldest of Paris’ departments stores, Le Bon Marché. First opened in 1852, the store still today offers an exceptional shopping experience with exclusive brands and stunning surroundings.

Now you know where you can shop, the next thing is how can you save money during your trip…

As previously mentioned, Brits can claim VAT back during their trip to Europe due to Brexit. There is a short and simple process in order to receive your VAT refund on your trip to France.

Here’s an outline of the process in 5 easy steps! The digital VAT tax refund amounts to nearly 13.4%. Imagine a 13.4% discount on your designer clothes, wine, cosmetics, souvenirs and luxury goods!

1. Sign up to the Wevat app: Just download the app to your phone, sign up and fill in the relevant information ahead of your trip so that your purchase will be valid.

2. Get invoices as you shop: Ask the shop assistant for a purchase invoice addressed to Wevat, following the app’s instructions on requesting an invoice. Quick tip: it’s easier to ask for facture (“invoice” in French) for shop assistant to understand. Try to not mention tax refund other wise they will direct you to an in-store partnered method which you will be commissioned by the shops as well. Shops are obliged to issue an invoice upon request.

3. Upload your invoices: Simply snap a photo of the invoices to upload them to the app. You can find an example invoice in the Wevat app for you easily identify whether the invoices you have received are correct.

4. Generate your digital refund form: Once you have done all your shopping you will just need to scan your passport and take a selfie to verify your identity in the app and then generate the refund form and barcode. It normally won’t take 10 seconds to generate the form and barcode. But it is recommended that you do this early to avoid potential technical issues.

5. Scan the form and get your refund: On your journey home, just scan the barcode the app has produced at the detaxe kiosk at a Wevat supported departure point – the most popular ones Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris Gare du Nord Eurostar station, Paris Orly Airport, Nice, Lyon and Calais which are all supported by Wevat. You will get an update on your refund the day after your departure and should receive your refund within a week!