The Mediterranean Insider

Paris, France

Shop local, shop unique: Paris’s one-of-a-kind retail spots

The Mediterranean • Shop • Shop local, shop unique: Paris’s one-of-a-kind retail spots

Shop till you drop at these unique Paris retail spots

Paris, the main attraction in the Île-de-France region of France, isn’t short on designer flagships or glossy concept stores, but the real thrill of shopping here lies in discovery. The real beauty lies in the tucked-away ateliers, heritage boutiques and experimental spaces that still shape the city’s creative pulse. In light-filled spaces, behind time-worn façades, designers, artisans and visionaries are reimagining how we connect with what we buy. Each arrondissement hides its own scene. A blend of tradition, rebellion and design-forward thinking that keeps Paris ahead of the curve. Here’s your inside pass to the Paris retail scene that’s rewriting what shopping local means.

Top photography courtesy of Empreintes

Merci

Since its arrival in 2009 at 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Merci has become a reference point for those who want lifestyle shopping minus the predictable razzle-dazzle. The original location occupies a former 19th-century workshop building, with soaring ceilings and a bright covered courtyard. There’s plenty of space to browse furniture, design books, fashion and homeware all under one roof. In 2025 the brand opened a second Paris address at 19 rue de Richelieu, following the same formula of fashion, home and gourmet goods, though in a slightly tighter space. The focus here is on design that balances function and aesthetic honesty. The used-book corner, the vintage Fiat parked in the courtyard and the way each display feels lived-in all contribute to its identity as a Paris essential for people who prefer depth over excess.

Merci
111 Bd Beaumarchais
Paris
France

Merci 2
19 Rue De Richelieu
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Merci

Empreintes

Located at 5 rue de Picardie in the Haut-Marais, Empreintes is all about French craftsmanship and objects that carry a maker’s mark. The store occupies a multi-floor 1930s building and houses nearly one thousand items by artisans working in ceramics, metal, textiles, glass and jewellery. On the ground and first floors you’ll find rendered tableware, lighting and accessories. Upstairs there’s a gallery and a film screening room devoted to craft. What we love most is the atmosphere, it feels like you’re stepping into a design studio rather than a shop. For the design-savvy traveller, this store is gold.

Empreintes
5 Rue de Picardie
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Empreintes

Officine Universelle Buly

Beauty shopping gets an elegant twist at Officine Universelle Buly (sometimes styled Buly 1803). Founded on the legacy of early 19th-century Parisian perfumer Jean-Vincent Bully, the revived brand brings together apothecary nostalgia with refined modernity. Revived in 2014 by Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac, the company now has several boutiques across Paris. Each store is designed like an apothecary with walnut wood counters and marble surfaces. Shelves are lined with glass jars of powders, oils and perfumes, each wrapped in antique-style packaging and labelled by hand. Our favourite part of the shopping experience here is the in-store calligraphy station, where you can personalise labels, turning a perfume or oil into a memorable gift.

Officine Universelle Buly
6 Rue Bonaparte
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of Officine Universelle Buly

À la Mère de Famille

Here’s a sweet stop that feels historic in all the right ways. Founded in 1761, À la Mère de Famille is Paris’s oldest confectioner and still the benchmark for traditional sweets. Its original shop on Rue du Faubourg Montmartre looks much as it did a century ago with its wooden counters, brass scales and boxes of pralines stacked to the ceiling. The shopfront itself is a piece of heritage, with green woodwork and vintage gold lettering. The current owners, the Dolfi family, honour recipes passed down over centuries. Everything is made in-house, from orangettes and caramels to fruit jellies and the signature chocolate bars wrapped in illustrated paper.

À la Mère de Famille
35 Rue du Faubourg
Paris
France

Photography courtesy of À la Mère de Famille

Landline

Located in the 11th arrondissement, Landline is the stylish alternative to standard home-goods stores. Founded by Caroline Morrison, it occupies a former pharmacy now lined with wooden shelving and natural light. The focus is on practical, durable objects produced in Europe. Shelves hold enamel cookware from France, workwear from Portugal, cleaning brushes from Sweden and notebooks from local papermakers. The store’s aesthetic is spare and precise, a reflection of Morrison’s background in fashion and her belief in responsible consumption. Landline offers an antidote to fast design by promoting the idea that everyday objects can be both useful and beautiful.