Do Parisians shop at outlets?

Yesterday’s Sunday NY Times (July 15) Amy Cortese in “Outlet Shopping the European Way” covered the forays of outlet shopping companies such as Value Retail Managment into the European market place - including the outskirts of Paris. If you’re Paris based, you’ve probably been to at least one of the shopping malls or villages outside the city limits.

Value Retail Management’s La Vallee Village differs from some of the other mall complexes in that it really tries to recreate a ‘village’ ambiance - plus discounts on designer merchandise. Although you’re going to find some locals visiting Vallee Village, there are other favorites among Parisians such as Velize which is located to the south of Paris). (Angelique, if you’re reading today, could you give us your impressions about Velize - and the best route to get there by car?)

Ikea, located in Roissy, is one of a mushrooming of ‘grand surface’ stores that have sprouted between Charles de Gaulle airport and the north of Paris. (Be careful if you travel by RER, according to a fellow blogger for handbag grabbers on the RER!)

If you’re wondering if it’s worthwhile to spend a day going out to La Vallee Village - Paris Cityrama offers bus tours out to Vallee Village - the question is perhaps, why did you come to Paris to shop? Going to an outlet shopping center makes sense only if you feel you’ve seen everything there is to see in Paris. Or, you don’t feel comfortable going into Parisian boutiques and dealing with the ‘attitude’. Or you can’t find a parking place in Paris - and even if you did, you don’t want to spend the money.

One of the reasons, shopping malls and outlets have become popular with locals is due to the free parking. If anyone from the Mairie of Pairs is reading this post, I’m hoping you can resolve the parking cost solution for retail shops - otherwise it’s the death knell for the Champs.

If you don’t want to go all the way to Vallee Village (which is about a 30 minute drive out of town, toward Disney World), just hop in the Metro and get off at Alesia. Rue Alesia has a number of discounted design brand shops - discounted being ‘degriffe’. Literally meaning, pulling out the claws.

By Parisgirl | Permalink

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