VIBE

Prepare to spot a veritable who’s who of high profile designers as you sweep down the grandiose Avenue Montaigne, one of the world’s ritiziest shopping strips. World-class couturiers like Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Versace, and Cavalli are among the labels housed in the avenue’s elegant mansions. Narrow Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, which shoots off from Avenue Matignon at the the north end of Avenue Montaigne, may lack the former’s distinguished architecture but still offers the same class of upscale retail (including flagships of Lanvin and Hermès and an outpost of tea merchants Mariage Frères).

USE A PURCHASE FROM HERE FOR

High-end gifts; designer wear

WHY WE LIKE IT

When we really want to get into the “Parisian chic” zone, we dress up in sleek designer casuals (think Chanel ballet flats, Hermès scarf, and a simple blouse or sweater) and spend the afternoon rubbing shoulders with well-heeled Parisians and tourists as we hop between Avenue Montaigne’s and Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré’s boutiques.

GOOD TO KNOW

Avenue Montaigne intersects with Avenue George V and Avenue des Champs-Élysées to create the “golden triangle” of luxury retail in Paris.

CLOSEST COMPS

Avenue George V (Paris)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to Paris