Marie-Anne Cantin

 12 rue du Champ de Mars Paris 75007

Madame Cantin supplies many restaurants from her lovely fromagerie near the Eiffel Tower, where cheeses are aged in several caves below the shop. Try the creamy Roquefort.

Ra

 14 rue de la Corderie Paris 3rd Métro: Temple

A fabulous concept boutique Paris’s Haut Marais where clothes are displayed on a curtained mini-stage, jewelry is in a stylized coffin and the mannequins seem ready to speak, as if right off a Jean Cocteau movie set. Some of the shop’s limited-edition pieces are closest in spirit to theatrical costumes, but there are plenty of outstanding everyday pieces, along with some fairly wacky headgear, handmade leather goods, a small vintage collection and a bookstore.

Printemps

 64 blvd Haussmann Paris 75009

With three buildings—Mode, Beauté/Maison and Homme—Printemps offers 27 floors of high-end fashion and home decor, including an entire floor of luxury accessories and a huge selection of beauty products and rare perfumes. As well as a 10 percent discount for individual foreign shoppers (register at the Welcome Service, ground floor, Mode building), Printemps also offers a unique concierge service, at a fee for French clients but free for foreign passport holders. Almost anything within reason can be arranged, from a chauffeured car to visit Versailles to a table at a top restaurant or tickets to the Paris Opéra.

Bibliothèque Nationale

 5 rue de Vivienne Paris 75002, Métro: Bourse and 11 quai François-Mauriac, 75013 Paris, Métro: Quai de la Gare

The French national library, offering regular temporary art and history exhibits, now divided between the 19th-century Richelieu site and the new glass towers of the Mitterrand site. Both locations closed Sun am and Mon.

Didier Aaron

 152 Boulevard Haussmann, 75008 Paris

A gallery founded by Jeanne Aaron in 1923 and now run by third-genenration expert Hervé Aaron, one of the city’s top dealers in museum-quality 17th- to 19th-century paintings, furniture, and objets d’art.

Musée du Luxembourg

 19 rue de Vaugirard Paris 75006 Métro: Odéon

A small museum in the Luxembourg Gardens, now used only for temporary exhibits.

Moynat

 348 rue Saint Honoré Paris 1st Métro: Tuileries

Luxury behemoth LVMH acquired the venerable luggage company Moynat last year with the intention of revamping the once-iconic travel trunk-maker founded in 1849. The new designer has incorporated some of the original flourishes, from the subtle curves of the women’s handbags to elegant brass T-locks on men’s briefcases and false bottoms for hiding sensitive documents. Prices are commensurate with the high quality: totes start at about $900, custom luggage can easily exceed $20,000.

Colette

 213 rue Saint Honoré Paris 75001

The first concept boutique in Paris, still cooler-than-thou, offering an eclectic selection of books, jewelry, trinkets, gadgets, cosmetics, scented candles, designer accessories and clothing for men and women.

Wowo

 5 rue Froissart Paris 75003

Quirky, retro-style clothes for kids and infants by American-born, long-time Parisienne Elisabeth Relin. Great bold graphic tee shirts with motifs ranging from snapping crocodiles to electric guitars.

Frédéric Malle

 37 rue de Grenelle, 7th; 21 rue du Mont Thabor, 1st; 140 ave Victor Hugo, 16th;

Three shops offering a selection of 17 special edition perfumes created by 9 renowned “noses”. Customers can test a whiff of the fragrances vaporized in tall glass cylinders, or a unique olfactory machine at the Victor Hugo address.

L’Artisan Parfumeur

 2 rue de l’Amiral de Coligny Paris 75001

Founded in Paris in 1976, an independent perfumer whose fragrances are now sold worldwide. Good small gift items too.