The Bell Guide to Paris
A highly curated, but ever-growing, list of recs
Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of The Bell!
I’m so sorry for skipping last week’s newsletters, it was totally unintentional. I lugged my laptop to Paris for a short trip, yet didn’t manage to open it.
But that means that this week, I get to bring you the beginnings of The Bell Guide to Paris: shopping spots that qualify as well-made, lasting style, human craftsmanship, and all the other things we promote here at The Bell.
I’ll update it regularly, and let you know when I do.
In alphabetical order:
À la Mère de Famille
The oldest Parisian chocolatier, with its original store on Rue du Faubourg Montmartre since 1761. They mostly focus on chocolate, but also offer other kinds of sweets based in almond paste or fruit jam. The shops are really a feast for the senses and they have cute, seasonal offerings and adorable illustrations on the packaging.
Alix D. Reynis
A small house of Limoges porcelain, specializing in lighting and tableware. The style is: delicate, understated glow, exquisitely Parisian. I just love a porcelain pendant lamp, and am planning a few uses for them in the old French house. Everything is designed by Ms. Reynis herself, and there’s a super cool video on the website about how their pieces get made.
P.S. Remember when I did a deep dive on the process of making porcelain? And a Heritage Series on Hungarian fine porcelain manufacturer, Herend?
Debauve & Gallais
A chocolatier that takes itself pretty seriously (and has absolutely earned it) with a super chic boutique on Rue des Saints-Pères and glamorous royal blue and gold packaging. They offer exclusively chocolate, and my favorite treats are the chocolates filled with various French liqueurs: Chartreuse, Cointreau, etc.
l’Artisan Parfumeur
A niche perfume house where you should go if you don’t want to smell like everybody else. I adore this perfumer. Most of their scents are unisex and they are all gorgeous and unique. I have two perfumes from this brand that I alternate for spring/summer and autumn/winter. I’ve decided not to link mine because buying what I have without smelling it would be a huge gamble—taste in perfume is so personal. They don’t ship to the United States from their site (but if you live in the UK or Europe you’re in luck), so I recommend ordering from Neiman Marcus which has a large selection.
Landline General Store
This boutique currently has no online shop whatsoever, so it’s a special in-person shopping experience. The owner curates homeware and tabletop, gardening tools, toys, stationery supplies, pet accessories, and limited adult and children’s apparel with an ethos of small-batch, made in Europe, lasting materials, and the highest quality—alongside gorgeous design. Your purchase supports traditional crafts and trades, and whatever you choose will be durable, timeless, and pleasurable to use.
Pierre Frey
The storied French fabric house has two locations near Rue Jacob in the 6th (the street to go to for upscale home design and decor: Schumacher, Gien, Alix D. Reynis, and more are here). The one, Pierre Frey, has all the modern fabrics. The other, Braquenié, has all the archival fabrics, as well as bespoke fabrics like Le Manach. It’s worth a browse even if you don’t have any active home redecoration projects going. The craftsmanship, especially on the hand-embroidered fabrics, is unbelievable.
Rue de Verneuil
Totes! Of all shapes and sizes and fabrics! Striped handles, solid handles — tweed, denim, canvas bodies — chic neutrals — pops of color. I own one of these from an autumn/winter collection in the most wonderful wool check. I have come close to buying a summer one at least a dozen times but always successfully remind myself how many summer bags I already own. But now that I have a baby and my only category of purse is Big Tote, maybe…?
Net-a-Porter has a good selection, and they just did a really cute collab with La Ligne.
Soeur
I have never bought anything from this brand, so I wanted to stop into a shop and check out the quality and materials before making a purchase. I love anywhere that has a permanent collection and resists the cycle of trends. The boutique I went into was a little busy and I was a little rushed, so I didn’t try anything on, but I felt the fabrics and observed the colors and cuts. I liked what I saw and will probably place an order soon!
Thierry Colson
I have only seen this beautiful brand online, so similar to Soeur, I wanted the opportunity to touch and see the quality of the clothing in person, and try some things on to see if they styles and colors suit me. It has a reputation for being super well-made. Sadly, when I passed by the single Paris boutique, it was closed (probably for lunch). But what I saw through the windows looked gorgeous.
Le Bon Marché
This is the spot to go when you don’t have much time to shop, because it’s a one-stop shop for an endless array of treasures and discoveries, from global luxury brands like Céline and Dior to small French brands neither of us have ever heard of—and everything in between. There’s also something at every price point. I’ve bought Smythson planners here a few years in a row, as well as my favorite Toteme jeans. You could happily set aside a full day on your vacation to browse here.
Also of note, when you need to refuel on breaks from shopping
Coffee at Hexagone, Dreamin Man, Café Kitsuné Palais Royal
Lunches at Saint Pearl and Boulangerie Utopie—I have a bunch of saved spots on Google which I consult when I’m in the neighborhood to find a good place to eat. Saint Pearl is a tiny sit-down café in the 7th arrondissement and Utopie in the 11th is one of the best boulangeries in all of Paris.
Have you been to any of these spots? Where should I go next time I’m in Paris, that’s on brand for The Bell? Let me know in the comments!
Talk to you Friday with this week’s recs!
xx Jane
This newsletter includes a few affiliate links. I like to shop small and don’t exclusively feature brands that are part of an affiliate program, so not all links will earn me a commission. But some will! If you plan to buy something featured in this newsletter, using my link will help support the time and love I put into writing these for you. I appreciate your support so much!
I cannot wait for a trip to Paris to put this on a cute, handwritten checklist and power through EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE