Paris has as special pace this time of year! The store will be crowded and people will be busy, busy!  But we’ll be the only tourists in town!  And we’ll visit some favorite Parisian shopping venues most Americans don’t know about!  The days will be grey, damp and chilly, but not cold!!   You haven’t had hot chocolate until you’ve had FRENCH hot chocolate! The lines are out the door!   This trip includes several sights if this is your first visit to the city of Light, some optional free time, and plenty of shopping---with an emphasis on finding the best deals!   If you’re not a shopper, don’t worry!  I can hook you up with whatever cultural, spa, or culinary experience you might like!   You will be pampered in luxury on the club level of the 5-star Le Grand Hotel—the palace that Napoleon III built for his Empress Eugenie!  It is right across from the breathtaking gilded Opera House and one block from the grand department stores!  Dinner plans can be made according to the wishes and budget of the group!

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DAY ONE   Thursday, Dec. 4

We depart for our transatlantic journey to France.  US Airways is the preferred carrier, but we can work with any airline.   We overnight on the plane.  Please make your own travel arrangements.  If you would like help purchasing an upgradeable ticket, I am happy to advise!   

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DAY TWO   Friday Dec. 5  

We arrive in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in the morning and will take a bus that stops a short block away from our splendid hotel in Paris. We will stay at the lovely 5-star Intercontinental Hotel on the very posh right bank.   It is also just around the corner from the gourmet foodie boutiques of Paris.   And that’s where we’ll have lunch in either Fauchon or Hédiard, overlooking the Place de la Madeleine!    We will then head out!   I suggest we not rest until bedtime!  We can explore “our neighborhood.”

Le Grand Hotel	You'll Sleep Well
Place Vendôme	Monet's "Waterlillies"

We are 5 minutes from Place Vendôme with the glittering jewelry boutiques and fabulous fragrance houses.  The original Chanel boutique where Coco Chanel lived is right  behind the Ritz!   Montale, Annick Goutal,  and Goyard are also here!   We’ll then visit the Palais Royale with an upscale consignment shop and the ultra exclusive Serge Lutens fragrance house.  For a bit of culture, we can  end up at Place de la Concorde. We’ll pop into the newly re-opened Orangerie museum where Monet’s Water Lilies hang!  We will probably eat a light supper at our club and retire early! 

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DAY THREE   Saturday, Dec. 6

We’ll awaken as early as we can.  This is the day people may have a hard time getting up. 

 

Suzan Browsing at Dior	Only the French Can Make These
Cathedral at Nôtre Dame

We begin today walking down the Champs Elysées! We’ll start at the Arc de Triomphe and walk down the HUGE boulevard!   Fabulous shopping here includes Guerlain, the flagship Louis Vuitton boutique, the Ladurée pastry shops for great home gifts, and the glittering boutiques of Avenue Montaigne…If it’s European couture, it’s here!  We’ll also go over to the charming and quaint Left Bank. For those who haven’t walked through Notre Dame, this is a good time to do that. We can meander through the small streets.  We can walk by the house where Picasso lived and painted “Guernica.”  I also know a perfect café area for people watching!   For those who are interested, we could visit the city’s best consignment shop with a huge selection of very well priced designer clothes and accessories! 

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DAY FOUR   Sunday, Dec. 7  

I suggest we visit a street flea market. It closes at noon.  This is the perfect place to pick up a small souvenir…who knows what antique treasure you might find!   The department stores will be open today and this is a great time to go!   I will get you 10% discount cards!      Today is NOT a good museum day. The first Sunday of the month they are  free and the crowds are impossible.  An alternative is a 20-minute train ride out of Paris to a true outdoor outlet shopping village.  Brands include Longchamp, Lalique, Christian LaCroix, Anne Fontaine, and MANY more!  I mention this as an option.  

Treasure Hunting at Flea Market	Oldest Cabaret in Montmartre
Van Gogh Lived Here

A cultural alternative to shopping is the Montmartre area and the Basilica of Sacré Coeur overlooking the city.  We’ll visit the artists’ square, the Moulin Rouge and the street where Van Gogh lived!   We can also find an organ concert for those so inclined!

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DAY FIVE   Monday, Dec. 8  

We have several choices!   A nice thing to do this morning is take a brief tour inside the splendid Opera Garnier right across from our hotel. It is truly opulent and one of the loveliest opera houses of the world!    Another shopping option for today is rue Faubourg St. Honoré with the Hermès mother shop.   I also suggest a simple grocery store for fabulous inexpensive gifts like chocolate and mustard!   I leave this day mostly open for personal choices.  

Breathtaking Opera House	Inside the Opera
Hermês	Le Cordon Bleu

If you’ve had enough shopping,  I might suggest a spa treatment, a cooking class at the Cordon Bleu, walking through Notre Dame, I can arrange a wine tasting or you could explore the charming left bank!   The Louvre is open today, but the Musée d’Orsay and the Chateau de Versailles are not.  For opera lovers, “Fidelio” is performed tonight at the gorgeous Opera House. (In German) 

 
The Louvre Courtyard

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DAY SIX   Tuesday, Dec. 9   

Alas, we must depart today. After breakfast at the hotel, we will return by private chauffeur to the Charles de Gaulle airport for our flight home.  I will help you through the detaxe process to get your tax refunds.  We arrive home in the evening.