Paris Shops and Cafe Stops for Jewelry Designers

If you are a professional jewelry designer, have your own jewelry business or simply love fashion jewelry - this Paris shopping guide is for you. In my career as a designer of fashion jewelry, it is part of my job to shop Paris for trends.

The first time I had the chance to go to Paris to shop for jewelry trends I did my research like every good traveler should. The hard part was that every shopper's guide, book, map or magazine was not strictly focused on finding the best jewelry in Paris.

If I was on vacation and had a week to meander around, no problem, but with only 2 and ½ days, all alone in a brand new city- it was difficult to figure out how to make the most of the time I had.

I spent that first trip making all the mistakes. I walked everywhere since taxis can add up fast! I found out that Paris is a very easy city to walk. You can hit all the great sites in one big loop.

I learned how to get all over the city on the metro. I would still suggest using the subways if you are a jewelry shopper only. You can definitely get to every key area of Paris swiftly; just carry a big slouchy tote to stash your treasures in.

If you are shopping for, and purchasing handbag samples, its actually more efficient to hire a driver with a van to take you around so you can stash your samples with him and keep on the move.--- but we're talking' jewelry here- so wear your comfy shoes and get your metro pass!

The best way to attack Paris jewelry shopping is to plan which sections of the city you will do per day. I generally begin with the areas further from my hotel, and leave the closest one to my last day so I can walk it.

I usually stay near place Vendome at a small boutique hotel called the renaissance Paris Vendome hotel, 4 rue du Mont thabor.

I like to get a room on the top floor where there are windows that open onto a tiny balcony. Just enough to sit out on and sip some wine- catching the evening breeze.

Please, get yourself a really clear map of Paris to bring with you. As you find the shops you like, or that I list, mark the map and the streets you walked. Believe me, the next time you go back you will be so pleased you did!

As in every city, stores open and close, so you can get confused. I usually outline the area I want to shop in red- so that when I get to streets on the edges I know to make a turn.

These are the four key areas I always shop for great jewelry.

Le Marias, st. Germaine des pres, palais royale, and rue st. honore.

here's a tip: take your camera with you to snap the windows, but also snap pictures of the street signs- this really helped me to remember which shops were where, and they look great if you use them in a photo collage or power point presentation.

Let's begin in le Marias.

Some of the key streets to shop are rue vieille du temple, rue francs bourgeois, and the place des Vosges.

Much of the great jewelry I have found here has been in the apparel boutiques- so spend a day here to really meander into every nook and cranny- you won't be able to help yourself anyway.

jewelry shops in le Marias:

joy, 38 roi-de-sicile

annick b, 12 rue rambuteau-for sterling

metal pointus, rue francs bourgeois

miravidi, costume jewels, rue st. Paul

café stops in le Marias:
pm café, 20 rue du platre- near hotel de Ville

café Hugo, 22 place des Vosges

in st. Germaine des pres, walk rue du cherche midi, rue de Rennes, rue Bonaparte, rue de four, rue st. suplice, and rue des sts. Peres, rue dragon, blv. St. Germaine.

Be sure to head down rue de Sevres to le bon Marché-a fabulous department store for accessories. Sometimes I take a taxi straight to le bon Marché in the morning and walk from there into the st. Germaine area.

Jewelry shops in st.germain:
fabrice- for fun, funky, and vintage jewelery. 33 & 54 rue Bonaparte.

reminiscence:
56 rue Bonaparte

Joseph:
147 boulevard st.germain

café stops in st. Germaine:
bar du marche-75 rue de seine

fish la boissonnerie- 69 rue de seine-not at all touristy-and recommended to me by the owner of question de peaux- a great little handbag boutique. 28 rue de buci.

Just next to the Louvre is the palais royal. This was a tricky area for me to figure out the first time because I did not realize that many of the boutiques surround the inner garden of the palais. So be sure to go through the gates into the garden and walk along the galleries.

At the far end of the garden you will walk through, and up a flight of steps to the rue des petits champs. Take a look along rue Vivienne, rue notres dame des victories, place des Vosges, rue Etienne Marcel, and rue du Louvre.

jewelry and accessory shops in palais royal:
gallerie Vivienne, 4 rue des petits champs

café stop:
café marly, 93 rue rivoli-it at the Louvre- facing the pyramid, inside or out its amazing to think you are sipping wine right where bloody battles were fought in the time of napoleon and Josephine!

Finally, you must of course do the rue st.honore where all the top designers have shops.

Make sure to stop in at Colette- a very hip, always crowded fashion hot spot. located at the corner of rue cambon and rue st. honore.-231 rue st. honore

jewelry shops:
Françoise Montague-costume jewelry- in a small courtyard off rue st. honore- 231 rue st. honore

gas- fun, eclectic jewelry-44 rue Etienne Marcel

café stop:
-hotel costes - of course- please don't miss this- its such a great place to eat, with a whimsical inner garden courtyard and very hip crowd--- Johnny depp met his wife here!
231 rue st. Honore.

Visit place Vendome where you can see Cartier on rue de la paix. It's only a short walk from here to the area called l'opera where you can go to all the big department stores.

Galleries Lafayette, Lafayette maison and printemps.-many of the French lines are shown here like metal pointus, scooter, and Babylon.

jewelry shops:
accessorize- in passage du harve, just around the corner from printemps

etam, cite de la femme
73 rue de rivoli- Pont neuf
-great teen fashion

its usually best to plan for 3 days of shopping, this way you have the time to do it at a Parisian, not a 'new Yorker' pace.
Enjoy the city and the lovely people of Paris.

Make sure to walk along the seine and cross the bridges taking pictures along the way. No matter what season you are there it is always beautiful.

You will be sure to find the best jewelry inspiration for your line, brand, or personal purchases.

Enjoy your shopping and be sure to let me in on any new shops or cafes that you discover. Find me at www.annerush.com on my blog, the savvy designer.