Books

If you like rare and unusual books, patronize one of the bouquinistes, the owners of those army-green stalls that line the Seine. This is where tourists in the 1920s and 1930s went to buy "dirty" French postcards. You might get lucky and come across some treasured book, like an original edition of Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, which was banned for decades in the United States. We like to start with the guy who sells travel posters right off the pont des Arts, and work our way toward the rest. Some of the bouquinistes are noted for giving the Parisians a reputation for rudeness, but don't let them intimidate you.

Department Stores

La Samaritaine, 19 rue de la Monnaie, 1e (tel. 01-40-41-20-20; Métro: Pont Neuf or Châtelet-Les Halles), and BHV, 52 rue de Rivoli, 4e (tel. 01-42-74-90-00; Métro: Hôtel de Ville), offer the department-store experience at slightly lower prices. La Samaritaine has a fine inexpensive restaurant with a panoramic view on the top floor.

Fashion

There are two primary fields of dreams in Paris when it comes to showcasing the international big names: rue du Faubourg St-Honoré and avenue Montaigne. Though the Left Bank is gaining in status with recent additions like Dior, Armani, and Vuitton, the heart of the international designer parade is on the Right Bank.

Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré is so famous and fancy it's simply known as "the Faubourg." It was the traditional miracle mile until recent years, when the really exclusive shops shunned it for the wider and even more deluxe avenue Montaigne at the other end of the arrondissement. (It's a long but pleasant walk from one fashion strip to the other.) Avenue Montaigne is filled with almost unspeakably fancy shops, but a few of them have affordable cafes (try Joseph at no. 14) and all have sales help that's almost always cordial to the well dressed.

The mix is quite international -- from British (Joseph), to German (Jil Sander), to Italian (Krizia). Chanel, Lacroix, Porthault, Ricci, Dior, and Ungaro are a few of the big French names. Also check out some of the lesser-known creative powers that be. And don't miss a visit to Caron. Most of the designer shops sell men's and women's clothing. The Faubourg hosts other traditional favorites: Hermès, Lanvin, Jaeger, Rykiel, and the upstart Façonnable, which sells preppy men's clothing in the United States through a business deal with Nordstroms. Lanvin has its own men's shop (Lanvin Homme), which has a cafe that's perfect for a light (and affordable) lunch.

Perfumes & Cosmetics

If there's one reason international shoppers come to Paris, it's cosmetics -- after all, the City of Light is the world capital of fragrances and beauty supplies. These are a few of our favorite perfume and makeup shops:

While you can buy Parfums Caron scents in any duty-free or discount parfumerie, it's worth visiting the source of some of the world's most famous perfumes. The tiny shop is at 34 av. Montaigne, 8e (tel. 01-47-23-40-82; Métro: Franklin D. Roosevelt), boasting old-fashioned glass beakers filled with fragrances and a hint of yesteryear. Fleur de Rocaille, a Caron scent, was the featured perfume in the movie Scent of a Woman. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6:30pm.

While there are other branches and you can test Goutal bathroom amenities at many upscale hotels, the sidewalk mosaic tile and the unique scents make the Annick Goutal, at 14 rue Castiglione, 1e (tel. 01-42-60-52-82; Métro: Concorde), worth stopping by. Try Eau d'Hadrien for a unisex splash of citrus and summer. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Shiseido, the world's fourth-largest maker of cosmetics and skin-care goods, has become more prominent thanks to the efforts of the Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido, 142 Galerie de Valois, Palais Royal, 1e (tel. 01-49-27-09-09; Métro: Palais Royal). In addition to an awesome array of skin-care products and makeup, it stocks 18 exclusive fragrances created by the company's artistic director, Serge Lutens. Don't be afraid to wander in and ask for some scent strips. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.

Souvenirs

Sign of the Times--A shop like Manufacture Plaques Emaillées stands in sharp contrast to the mass-merchandise in most department stores. Established in 1908 when the Art Nouveau craze swept Paris, they have done a respectable business promoting turn-of-the-20th-century Parisian charm ever since. Their specialty is the custom manufacture of cast-iron plaques, enameled and baked, commemorating virtually any event, person (including yourself), or piece of real estate that appeals to you. Charles and Denis, the longtime owners, offer a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors for the finished product. The most endearing, in our opinion, are the street signs, "style ville de Paris," that can bear the name of your home, your child, the street you live on (or would like to live on), or the fictitious boulevard of your choice: "Avenue John Wayne, Las Vegas," for example. Colors run the spectrum of the rainbow, although Charles warns in advance that gilding or silver-plating is not an option. Expect to pay from around 120€ for a street-sign-size plaque, and much more for plaques that can measure up to about 2m (6 1/2 ft.) wide, suitable perhaps for a storefront. It will take 3 to 4 weeks for your plaque to be manufactured, after which it can be shipped. Shipping can be expensive, and in our opinion (because of the cast-iron nature of what's in the package), complicated. Much smaller plaques, some ready-made, are also available. It's located at 18 bd. des Filles-du-Calvaire, 11e (tel. 01-47-00-50-95; Métro: St-Sébastien). Credit cards are not accepted.