Heaven Is A Little Shop In Paris

I started searching halfway during our holiday in Europe. In the google search bar, I typed “vintage shops Paris France”. I just wanted to see my options. I’d already vowed not to purchase anything from my favorite stores (Zara, H&M, Topshop) because I didn’t need anything. Plus, this was one of the first flights were my bag was not overweight at all (not even the usual two or three pounds that they let me get by with). No. This was completely under the 50 pound limit and I refused to be told it was overweight when we departed from Charles de Gaulle airport.

But, here I was. I frantically searched through the Google results. Many blog posts, just like the one you are reading now, appeared on the lists. Previous travelers came to France with the same intentions as I. They wanted to peruse Parisian vintage shops, seeing what treasure they may find . In a city home to the flagship stores for brands like Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel, there is no doubt that the vintage shops have great collections of these designers and even more. I was eager to see those collections. How could I say no to cheap(er) Chanel, Balmain, Christian Dior, Burberry?

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I browse some more postings I found on Google. Viola! The first store I decided to visit had been mentioned on several other blog posts. I’d read some reviews and decided it seemed worth a trip to the Left Bank. Les 3 Marches de Catherine B., a small shop nestled in the St.-Germain-Des-Pres district of Paris, is run by Catherine, a collector who sells part of her Chanel and Hermes treasures. It was further away than my apartment, so I reminded myself to visit before I left Paris.

(Image via http://www.girlsguidetoparis.com)

Then I forgot until Friday. While visiting the school which I am studying French at for the summer, I remembered to visit Catherine’s store. I was already on the Left Bank for school and realized the store wasn’t too far of a walk from where I was located. A few more blog posts and reviews were quickly read to remind myself of the store’s opening hours when I read that the store was available to visit by appointment only. As I scrambled to email the owner asking to visit the shop before I left the following Tuesday, I attempted to keep up with the tour of the school. After blindly nodding in agreement with the other people on the tour and haphazardly gazing at the buildings that were part of the school, I noticed a prompt reply from Catherine stating I could come the next day to visit. It was that easy! All the wondrous things I’d heard about Les 3 Marches made me terribly eager to visit the shop right then and there. I was sad I had to wait a day! In the meantime, I decided to check out some of the other vintage shops Paris had to offer.

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What I found at Les 3 Marches was unimaginable. I walked into the first shop of the two shop store which was mostly filled with jewelry, scarves, and handbags. Other accessories adorned the store. Catherine specializes in vintage Hermes and Chanel, so the store was almost like being in the backrooms of Chanel and Hermes’ stores. As I stood stunned for a minute, overwhelmed by the store’s collection, I noticed how it smelled like Chanel No. 5 was being pumped out by little spray bottles all over the room. (It probably was.) Though a small space, Catherine’s store was decorated in the most beautiful way. I almost felt afraid to touch anything because it seemed like it shouldn’t be disturbed. It was like a museum! Some items were for sale, but other were there for decoration. She decorates the stores with her private collection alongside the collection for sale. There was a Chanel bike and Chanel bag to hold golf cubs! Why excuse being fashionable when exercising? Never settle for less.

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I went next door to the “part two” of Catherine’s stores, which was primarily clothes, shoes, and a few handbags. I found it much easier to shop in this store. It was much bigger, so I didn’t feel like I had to do a complete 360 degrees to assess what was in the store. The first store overwhelmed me because there was so much in such a small space that I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to see what was all there! The second shop was also completely closed off to the public. This is where the reservation was needed. It was just me, my boyfriend, and Catherine’s husband. No reservation meant you didn’t get in.

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Boy, SO much cool stuff. I was extremely interested in the tweed and boucle suits, the iconic fabric that always represented Chanel best to me. I’ve always had a weak spot with the suits; they are the classic Chanel I have always loved,  but I decided that if I was going to purchase an item that I would find more enjoyment in clothing I can wear more often. Though fabulous in many ways, the thick material on the suit would be hard to pull off in New Orleans weather. So, I decided to keep browsing in the store. I had almost decided it was a lost cause until I reached a small rack in the back of the store with an eclectic blend of clothes. Leather, fur, plastic items hung on the rack, but it was a brightly colored button up dress that caught me eye. It was a blue, printed canvas dress that won me over. Les 3 Marches did not fail me.

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Coming off the high that was Les 3 Marches, I realized that it was imperative I visit more vintage shops. While walking in the Marais to home, my boyfriend and I stopped in Come on Eileen, a small vintage shop but filled to the brim. Literally. Stuff was hanging off the ceiling, lining the floors, and covering the basement. They had a great, though overpriced, collection. It was a little bit too hectic for me to truly search and see what they had. I liked the one Hermes loafer shoe I found, but the price was a tad bit outrageous. So, my search continued on, though my time was running out. In a city as big as Paris, I knew I couldn’t visit every shop. I just had to visit the best.

Two days before I left Paris, I decided to visit Vintage Valois Paris, another vintage shop located in the Madeleine area. My first visit to Vintage Valois resulted in disappointment, as I had arrived right after they had closed for the day. It was certainly a bummer, but I promised to come back the next day.

 

(Image via https://marketplace.reebonz.com/en/valois-vintage-paris)

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The following day, I came with time to spare. The downstairs shop is a vast collection with pieces from several designers, like Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Chanel, Dior, and Burberry. Chantal, the owner, was one of the kindest women I have met in Paris. She directed me to what I was seeking after aimlessly pushing hangers and seeing what was there. I was curious to sift through their Chanel collection, as I had read online that they had one comparable (if not better, said the reviews) to Les 3 Marches. She then directed me to visit the shop upstairs, as it was a larger room and had more clothing. In an apartment room turned showroom, I found a clothing hanging from the floor to the ceiling of several designers. The collection for Chanel was three racks alone. I spent about 45 minutes perusing the Chanel collection. Had I looked through everything, I would have been there for an hour or two more, at least. Their collection was absolutely amazing and I about lost my mind. Emilie, Chantal’s daughter, was upstairs with her boyfriend (I believe he works on the store’s webpage, which I’ll post the link to) and helped me discover what I was looking for: Chanel dresses. She gave me the option to try on everything I liked, even selecting a few outfits she thought were a good fit for my body frame and interest.

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I made it out alive, though I think my heart stopped after being in a room full of beautiful, artistically crafted, and handmade clothing. I snagged two gorgeous dresses from the store which Chantal packed in black dust bags adorned with the store’s logo. I think the dust bags excited me more than the dresses. Emilie even gave me the white camellia seen on Chanel bags after I pointed them out in the store. It was a most heavenly experience.

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Paris is definitely one of the best cities to go vintage shopping in IF you’re looking for discounted, beautiful, well-taken care of designer clothing. Just to put it into perspective, a new Chanel boy bag purse runs for about $4,000 at a Chanel boutique, but that same price could get you a purse/shoes, purse/jewelry, clothes/shoes, clothes/purse combination (and not just one from each) from any of these vintage shops. The quality of the vintage clothing is impeccable. Thanks Paris for causing me to fall in love with your city and inhabitants even more.

If you’re looking for Heaven, here’s your address(es).

 

Les 3 Marches de Catherine B
1 Rue Guisarde
Paris 75006
France
T: + 33(0)1 43 54 74 18
e: contact@catherine-b.com

Valois Vintage
8 Rue des Saussaies
Paris 75008
France

Tel: +33 (0)1 49 24 97 64
E: contact@valoisvintage-paris.com

 

Well, what are you waiting for? Heaven is within reach!

Xoxo,

Olivia