In 2018, Paris was the third most visited city in the world, behind Bangkok and London. This is an impressive figure, achieved thanks to the city’s cultural richness. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Montmartre remain as popular as ever, but they are not the city’s only strengths. Shopping in Paris appears to be a growing attraction.
In addition to tourism, shopping has become one of the major attractions in Paris for foreign visitors in recent years, as 53% of them shop during their stay, compared to 26% of French visitors. Shopping in Paris has become just as popular as visiting the City of Lights. Even better, 15% cite this activity as the main reason for their trip, while nearly 34% would not make the trip if they could not indulge in shopping. Some would even come to France solely to shop in Paris, as tourists from the Middle East spend 74% of their time in the capital shopping, and Japanese tourists spend around 61%!
Although it has been overlooked for a long time, shopping is one of the key drivers of our capital’s vitality. Besides, isn’t Paris the «capital of shopping and fashion»? In any case, the city has everything it needs to thrive.
Shopping in Paris: a very special and unique experience to offer:
In Paris, this trend should not be taken lightly. Through the redevelopment of commercial spaces and support for new businesses, the capital has achieved an exceptional commercial density, with no fewer than 61,000 businesses (more than in London) and high concentrations around tourist sites, thereby creating a culture-shopping network that functions as a virtuous cycle. This combination of sightseeing and shopping in Paris or Versailles is also the key to the popularity of certain spots, such as the dedicated outlet mall One Nation Paris.
More than its density, it is the diversity of what’s on offer that makes the Paris and Versailles areas prime shopping destinations. At the top of the list of sought-after products are, of course, gourmet foods, fashion items, and the “à la française» lifestyle. Comtesse du Barry, Lindt, Maison Foude, even Haribo, and fashion labels like Claudie Pierlot, The Kooples, Sandro, and Zadig & Voltaire—these are the brands Asian tourists generally love. From outlet malls to shops in train stations and airports, and small stalls run by creative artisans, there’s plenty to choose from. This diversity also attracts 92% tourists—a European record—despite stores in central Paris being closed on Sundays. But One Nation Paris Outlet is open seven days a week, even on Sundays!
Good news for this commercial sector, as revealed by the General Manager of the Paris Convention and Visitors Office, is that «the tourists who spend the most are also those whose numbers have grown the most in recent years.« Thus, Russians, Chinese, Brazilians, and visitors from the Middle East don’t hold back on spending, especially at outlet malls. On average, a tourist from these countries spends 1,700 euros at a shopping mall in Paris! Another telling statistic: the number of Chinese visitors to the capital tripled between 2013 and 2015. This underscores the importance of shopping for Asians; most of them are allocating an increasingly large portion of their budget to this activity (34 % for Chinese), often despite significant expenses on hotels or shared apartments.
Despite these promising trends, a few months feel a bit lackluster in the City of Lights—much like the winter month of January. Caught between the post-Christmas period and the domestic sales season, it struggles to attract tourists. At least for now—for the past eight years, the Paris Tourist Office has been promoting the Paris Winter Sales abroad. This initiative is beginning to bear fruit and fill hotels, thanks to our neighbors from Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK—who are the most likely to spend a few days shopping during the sales. Above all, One Nation Paris Outlet offers discounts ranging from 30 to 70 % off all year round. Nevertheless, customers from more distant countries—who are more likely to spend a lot—are also being targeted. «French romanticism, which is highly sought after, is viewed through the lens of gift-giving, especially in Asia. And what could be a more beautiful gift than a handbag bought in Paris?” says Christian Mantei, President of Atout France. At Trussardi, for example, for a stylish and unique handbag? In addition, Paris has launched a new edition of its Paris Shopping Book, a guide to trendy boutiques and shopping itineraries. If you’re convinced to visit Paris or Versailles, try the dedicated shuttle from the Eiffel Tower or the Palace of Versailles to get to One Nation Paris, and make your shopping in Paris easier.
Shopping in Paris for Parisians?
Finally, to emphasize the warm welcome extended to tourists, the Paris Tourist Office has launched the “Do you speak tourist?” initiative, aimed at helping shop owners improve their basic knowledge of certain languages—and, in particular, refresh their understanding of certain etiquette rules to better welcome tourists. In short, to make a stay in Paris unforgettable for tourists, nothing beats the smiles, warm welcome, and helpful advice from the staff at the One Nation Paris outlet mall!
