Really Nice Vacations

Many women visit France’s Paris not to glaze lovingly at Eiffel Tower, they are more likely to grab a few LV bags plus another few bottles of Chanel No.5 back home. Paris is a darling city to many women because this is a shopping paradise where the fairer sex can literally shop until they drop. A girlfriend actually planned which nice hotels to stay in by planning her shopping routes first. It is true that most hotels in France are not cheap, but with a clear plan of where you want to go, what you want to do and how much your budget is, you can still find some really charming hotels in Paris by checking with your travel agent or browsing online for good deals or even last minute deals.

My girlfriend also gave me a good tip. She said if you intend to buy something to match an outfit, a handbag, a sofa or fill up a room, take some photographs for reference or bring some colour swatches. This way, you will not end up with products that’s a little off-colour or off-size. Of course, bring the measurements and a measuring tape along. armored yourself with these, you are all geared to shop until you drop. Having that said, you may want to hire a professional shopper if you can’t even say “merci” and “au revoir”. The professional shopper will be a great help to bring you around and, yes, bargain on your behalf.

Shoppers can pound the streets that house famous brands as Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Dior, they can also check out open-air food markets and flea market where they can shop for the best deals. If you shop the Paris Flea Market, go early in the morning when you get the pick of the best merchandise. The best day of the week to shop is on Monday, when dealers want to unload all the weekend’s unsold merchandise. By the way, food markets don’t just sell food, they also carry lots of knick-knacks like fashion accessories , lingeries etc. The Paris Flea Market is another great place to shop, especially if you have a penchant for antiques. The price is reasonable because it is virtually a “free-trade zone” where the rents are low, and the merchants manage to avoid paying lots of taxes.

The next tip she gave is simply great. 30% of the retail sales in Paris are done during a six-week biannual period, called “les soldes.” They usually start the first week in January, and in the second week in June. So plan your trips in these 2 months if your objective to Paris is nothing but shop, shop, shop and eat, eat, eat.

When you are tired, go to have a cuppa at their al fresco cafe and watch the world go by. The French took such pride in themselves that they are a joy to look at. So if you want to blend in as much as possible, perhaps you can start by wearing something chic and not that old tattered jeans and T-shirt. When you eat, appreciate what the chef prepared for you and avoid drowning your food with tomato sauce, chili sauce, tobacco sauce before you even tried it.

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