The Hot Spot Tourists Should Avoid Shopping At While In Paris

Long the subject of Hollywood romanticism and glorification, Paris is synonymous with many things: Romance, art, fashion, food, and, obviously, shopping. It's home to fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton. There is some wonderful shopping to be had, and you can certainly spend a pretty penny (or euro) if you're not careful. However, there is one hot spot in Paris that could empty your wallet before you've had a chance to purchase a croissant. That spot is the Champs-Élysées, a street that 7 million tourists visit each year.

Just under 1.2 miles long, the Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in the world, running from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1668, it's the spot where the famous Tour de France bicycle race ends, and the site of the fabulous Bastille Day military parade every July 14. It's also the third most expensive retail location in the world after 5th Avenue in New York City and Causeway Bay in Hong Kong. While there are a few affordable stores there, like Zara, Nike, and Sephora, for the most part, you might as well turn your wallet or purse over and shake it out the second you set foot on the street. That doesn't mean it's not worth a visit, of course. 

There are many myths about Paris, from unfriendly locals to the complicated Metro, but one that is actually true is the expensive stores — at least here. It's a mark of prestige to have a store on the Champs-Élysées, and it's absolutely worth the trip to window shop. It's also easy to get to. On the Paris Metro Line 1, alight at the Charles de Gaulle – Étoile station near the Arc de Triomphe, or the Concord station near the Place de la Concorde. (Start at Concord to get a dramatic view of the Arc at sunset.) If you visit during the Bastille parade or when it's decorated for the holidays, you'll be with a crowd, so keep your eyes open to avoid pickpockets. 

Head up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, whether you're shopping or not, for a memorable view of the entire street from the top. It's a little over $17 per person to go up, though you can get in free under 18 (or under 26 if you're a member of the European Union). Walking down this famous street is not to be missed for the people-watching alone, but if you want to score some Paris fashion, it's worth looking elsewhere. Outlets like La Vallée Village have lower prices for the last season, or you can look for consignment stores like J'y Troque near the Tuileries Gardens for deals on your fancier items. 

Shops aren't the only thing to do on the Champs-Élysées. You can hit nightclubs like Planches or Raspoutine or gamble at the ultra-posh Paris Ulysses Club; however, if you don't carry your money around in bags with dollar or euro signs on them, why not have a snack or just a glass of wine at one of the cafés along the street? What a place to try out some French words and phrases. Then you can eat at nearby (within a block or two) inexpensive spots like Prêt a Manger, which you'll find all over the world, The Freedom Pub, with prices between $5 and $18, or Rice Trotters Colisée with prices between $9 and $16. 

Don't fall for the lure of the famous Fouquet's restaurant if you're watching your money. If you can afford it, great, but you should know what it's like before going in. Fouquet's opened in 1889 at the corner of the Champs-Élysées and Avenue Georges V, and features the famous red awning you see in the picture above. It's lovely, but for an idea of the prices (which you can also see on their menu), a burrata salad, which is cheese and tomatoes, is around $38 at the time of this writing. Main courses range between $32 and $160. It's only got 3.5 stars on Yelp, so maybe let this one go and take a selfie outside instead.