It is entirely possible to shop the large Paris fashion houses without going completely broke in the City of Lights.  Why? Because of Le Maris, a shopping district favored by tourists and Parisians alike.

Le Marais (3^rdarrondissment) is one of the few areas of Paris that was left un-touched during the major urban renovations led by Baron Haussmann that transformed the city under the reign of Napoleon III in the mid-1800′s.  As the old Jewish quarter, Le Marais also has the distinction of being open on Sundays – a day when much of Paris is closed.  

Fall Collection from Zadig et Voltaire

Entering Le Marais, on is struck by the liveliness of the people that crowd the shops.   Narrow streets are lined with stores like Freep’star (vintage) and Gaspard Yurkievich (couture).

Packed with distinctly Parisian brands, many of them won’t break your budget.  Better yet, as is the case with Zadig et Voltaire, there is a Source store nearby – the equivalent in the States is an Outlet store.  Literally a block or two away, several of the stores sell extra merchandise from the previous season.  This means that when these stores are having their July sales, the same piece can be found with an even greater markdown at their Source location.

Feel like taking a break from shopping for an hour or two?  Le Marais also hosts a variety of Art Museums, including, but not limited to: Musée Picasso, Musée Cognacq-Jay, and Musée Carnavalet.  Revived by a cute café lunch and a museum or two, you’re still close enough to boutiques to continue shopping.

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