Ok not the most expert person for shopping… but did some in my lovely Versailles and would like to update the post on shopping in Versailles with new links. Hope you enjoy it and do shop in the city while visiting it, great combination indeed me think. This is a black and white series post as pictures in the many other posts on Versailles! Shopping something I would love to do there right now!!! Let me tell you about my shopping in Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy this post as I
The question is how about shopping in Versailles? Anyway, when most come to Paris and think that a thing to do IS to go to Versailles is not right. Paris is 75, Versailles is 78. Paris is the Capital of France, and Versailles by constitution is the de facto capital of France if changes or modifications are done to the constitution. Versailles is in another province/State/Department than Paris, that is Yvelines dept 78. So, I worked in Paris but lived in Versailles, so I know the shopping from both sides. Versailles is the normal everyday town you love to live in ,yes!
We are big fan of the L’Occitane for many many years, the store in Versailles is very nice and friendly getting you nice products from Provence. 39 rue de la Paroisse. It is very near the collegiale Notre Dame Church and our former home. Open from tuesdays to fridays 10h-13h30 and 14h30-19h, Saturdays 10h-19h; Sundays 10h-13h and English is spoken. https://fr.loccitane.com/bp/Versailles-Paroisse,74,1,b02OCST059.htm
Bags ,handbags, leather, and travel accessories the ultimate is the Le Tanneur, 7 place Hoche, not far from us neither. open tuesdays to saturdays from 10h to 1çh30, Saturdays and Sundays from 10h -19h30. https://www.letanneur.com/pages/notre-maison
For gifts, souvenirs, t shirts , you come here Select Souvenir, 6 ave Gén de Gaulle, in the Les Manéges building across from RER C station rive gauche-château. Plenty to see on way in or out of Versailles. Open tuesdays to Saturdays from 10h to 19h. And you might had met my oldest son worked here!!! And no webpage!
For flowers , the lady in the house went just over Au Nom De La Rose at nearby 21 rue de la Paroisse. https://www.aunomdelarose.fr/nos-boutiques/
For wines ,other than going to the chain Nicolas, my favorite is at 50 rue de la Paroisse . Open tuesdays to fridays 9h30-13h and 15h to 20h , Saturdays 9h30 to 13h and 15h-20h ,Sundays 9h30 to 13h. https://www.nicolas.com/fr/magasins/VERSAILLES-PAROISSE/s/00008432.html
For cheeses go to Fromagerie Le Gall ,in the marché Notre Dame building named Carré à la Marée. open tuesdays to sundays 7h30 to 13h and 16h to 19h, closed Wednesday ,and sundays afternoons. English spoken. the best cheeses in town from all regions of France including the real ones from the farm to you. https://www.legall-versailles.com/
For teas from around the world and to find that rare one, the one to visit is La Route du Thé, 26 rue de Satory,on the ave Sceaux side of chateau. open tuesdays to saturdays from 10h30 to 19h, English spoken. https://larouteduthe.com/fr/nos-comptoirs
For chocolates try the real thing from a local chocolatier, Yves Thuriés Chocolatier, 37 rue de la Paroisse, near church collegiale de Notre Dame. All is made in house from 100% cocoa beans of the best regions, also try the macarons and pâtes de fruit. https://yvesthuries.com/chocolatier/versailles-B81/
Of course, have a separate post on this but could not forget, the market or marché public, my all time favorite, and regular as noted above in the cheese store is the Marché de Notre Dame and Halles Notre Dame, the difference is the Marché is open air, fruits, veggies, etc alternating with a clothing market while the Halles are covered market dating from the domaine de Clagny c1665. There in the carré Notre Dame . You get here from chateau follow straight out to your left and take ave Saint Cloud to the corner of ave de l’Europe and rue Marechal Foch, you take a left and the marché is right in front of your eyes. Marché open Tuesdays, Fridays,and Sundays from 7h30 to 14h , and the Halles open tuesdays to saturdays 7h to 19h30, some Mondays and Sundays from 7h to 14h.
If you prefer buying flowers in a market to take home, then the best is at sidewalks on ave Saint Cloud just by the underground parking Saint Cloud corner ave de l’Europe. Open Tuesdays,Fridays,Saturdays all day and Sunday mornings. There are ,also, flowers at the Marché Notre Dame see above.
For fish and seafood, of course I know, you need to have a kitchen but so what I also know many of you do when visiting so I am giving away my poissonnerie or fish market L’Espadon, Halles Notre Dame, Carré à la Marée, open as the Halles Market above. https://www.facebook.com/poissonnerie.espadon.versailles/
And of course the bakeries cannot be forgotten, several are good, but my choice for the blog will be Boulangerie (Maison) Guinon at 60 rue de la Paroisse , doing it since 1802 and still the best, go for it when in town. Open Tuesdays to Fridays 9h To 14h. https://commandeguinon.fr/#/commande-en-ligne/bons-plans/nos-produits
For coffee lovers try La Finca, 15 rue de deux Portes. At the area around the marche de Notre Dame on the chateau side as you stand in the center. Go around the Halles Notre Dame and it is there its a tiny place full of coffee grounders machines. And no webpage.
For groceries there are the Leader Price chain store at 58 rue de Chantiers (near train SNCF station) https://www.leaderprice.fr/magasin/versailles
Monoprix, 5 ave Georges Clémenceau (also a Monop by 27 Rue Carnot). https://www.monoprix.fr/monoprix-versailles-versailles-78000-s
Carrefour City is at 67 Avenue de Saint Cloud, end of Rue de la Paroisse. One convenience store we had was the sub chain
Carrefour City Versailles, You always need a quick trip to the grocery store !! webpage :
https://www.carrefour.fr/magasin/city-versailles-saint-cloud-67#infos-pratiques
Franprix, 5 rue Rameau near our Notre Dame Collegiale Church. 7h30 to 20h30 Mondays to Saturdays and 9h to 12h Sundays! https://www.franprix.fr/magasins/4151
You have bigger supermarkets outside if you have a car, but these in town are pretty good for your needs.
There are several good libraries or book stores in town , however, my favorite is Gibert & Joseph, 62 rue de la Paroisse, near Collegiale Church Notre Dame, chain also in Paris. https://www.gibert.com/stores/versailles-gibert-joseph-librairie
For photos and we always need those we headed for Photo Station, 50 rue de la Paroisse. They are franchises, and have a general webpage here: https://www.photostation.fr/
For clothing we shop sometimes at Damart as was my dear late wife Martine favorite at 43-45 rue de la Paroisse. Damart is a chain all over France. https://www.damart.fr/magasins/versailles
I shop at Burton; 11 rue Georges Clemenceau.10h to 19h30. Mens clothing! and we have one out west near my current home now. https://www.burton.fr/nos-boutiques.php
Haircuts at Jean Louis David when the family wanted as I did my own. 15 rue du maréchal Foch. Could not verify if still there but we did had at the Parly II shopping center in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt. :https://salons.jeanlouisdavid.com/fr/coiffeur/france-33/yvelines-78/le-chesnay-78158/jean-louis-david-1031
Pharmacies are many but my is at Pharmacie de la Place de Hoche, 6 Pl de Hoche. On the other side of the square nearer the palace of Versailles. https://www.pharmacieplacehoche.fr/
Several post offices too the one I use most is at La Poste ,47bis rue du Marechal Foch; between the market of Notre Dame and the train station rive droite. https://www.laposte.fr/particulier/outils/trouver-un-bureau-de-poste/bureau-detail/versailles-notre-dame/15051A
Several banks including the Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Epargne, CIC , Credit Agricole, HSBC, La Poste, LCL , Societé Générale, but I did most the BNP Paribas at 1 rue du Marechal Foch the most. https://agences-bancaires.banques-en-ligne.fr/banque-bnp-paribas-versailles-foch-24711.html
If you have problems with your laptop or computer while here like we did the moment we landed go to the pros at VART electronique will definitively help you. They are at 42 ave de Saint Cloud. Any country will do, they do them all !!! just north of the ave de l’Europe and ave saint cloud you go right to a side street call allée de l’avenue saint cloud. They have been there for ages… https://www.antenniste-versailles.fr/
if you are looking for antiques, head here first The Antiquaires de Versailles , you might save yourselves time. The site has all the info you need and good direction, see post. http://www.antiques-versailles.com/venir-nous-voir/
Plenty of nice stores some very historical all over town in inner Versailles. Some already with posts and pictures in my blog.
The marché des fleurs is open Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays from 8h to 19h and Sundays mornings. This is at corner of Ave de l’Europe and Ave de Saint Cloud. Further away you come to my favorite of all markets the Marché Notre Dame of course at the Place Notre Dame. The non food market is held Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 11h to 19h, and the food markets out on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays mornings from 7h to 14h , and inside the halles on Tuesdays to Saturdays from 7h to 19h30 and Sundays from 7h to 14h. Plenty of underground parking too. The Sun King Louis XIV gave us the Marché de Notre Dame in 1721. the actual place was given out after the Domaine de Clagny built in 1665 was demolished. It was renovated with todays halles in 1841. It is the center of the city, if you want to know us! The stories tell us the first inhabitants of the city started arriving in 1671 and so did the market!
The city of Versailles on the Notre Dame market (mine!!!) : https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/notre-dame-market.html
The city of Versailles on the Flower market (yes!! ours) : https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/flower-market.html
And right around here you have the Place du Notre Dame with plenty of shops and restaurants as well. Ahh but wait, did you know the market at Place du Notre Dame is older than the castle? And the halles that surround it are 360 years old? Located in the heart of the city around the Place du Notre Dame and two big streets crossing in a cross the square such as rue de la Paroisse, and Avenue du Maréchal Foch; then you have streets all around the halles such as rue Ducis,rue au pain, Rue de la Pourvoierie, and rue André Chenier ,all founded by king Louis XIV. The old pavilions were destroyed in 1841 and replaced by the covered halles you see today on the method Baltard.
About 20 years ago you can buy here in wholesale, where the store owners came to buy their products that eventually will sell to you in retail. They will buy their products by aisles such as fish, herbs/spices, flour,and beef and these gave the name to the covered halles you see today. There was even an animal market with cows, pigs, and chickens sold. However, even the above is newer. There was an even older market here when in November 1634, on the initiative of Martial de Loménie ,king Louis XIII ordered installed a market here, even replacing an even older market. In August 1740, there were manifestions here due to the little finding of wheat, the bakers of Paris came here to buy flour and the locals repulse them strongly. A permanent presence of the Swiss guards was needed.
At the French revolution, the market falls in disrepair by 1835 the market is purchase by the city of Versailles; no longer part of the Royal domain, the merchants are taken their businesses and poorly indemnized. Several execution were carried out here. And after going in terrible shape the city eventually rebuilt them and the new market opened September 15, 1842. There is a parking managed by Vinci Park underneath the place du Notre Dame with 700 spaces and the pedestrian access are on each square of the market with elevators/lifts or escalator. Since 2014, they have painted the square on the market with paintings or trompes-l’œil; they represent the knights of the Carrousel, reminding us of the equestrian history of the city, done by the school of mural arts or the École d’art mural de Versailles.
The market is very close to another wonderful old world shopping experience that is the Passage des antiquaires. It is a pedestrian only passage of the rue des deux portes leading to the Place du Notre Dame and to the rue Carnot, itself next to the avenue de Saint-Cloud , and a bit further the Place d’Armes, in front of the central façade of the Palace/Museum of Versailles. The passage des Antiquaires webpage: http://www.antiques-versailles.com/le-quartier/le-passage/
I have to tell with pride, this was my district. The quartier Notre Dame, in the axis of the Avenue de Paris, and takes its name from the Church of Notre Dame, the castle parish and oldest (where all princes were baptized, birth certificates and marriages) created while the construction of the city was carried out under king Louis XIV. In this wonderful neighborhood or quartier you ,also, have the theater or Théâtre Montansier opening in 1777,the city history museum of musée Lambinet, the bailiffs mansion or Hôtel du bailliage that housed during the monarchy the local tribunal courthouse ; today the nice courtyard of the neighborhood of antiquaries ,and the shopping full streets of rue de la Paroisse, rue Hoche and the rue du Maréchal Foch.
The rue du Maréchal Foch, crosses the city north south and prolonged the Avenue de l’Europe, to continue until the Place Édouard Laboulaye. This was my train station or gare de Rive-Droite-Versailles! It went to Gare Saint Lazare in Paris. Here you can find the merchants/businesses of Versailles with over 1700 you should find yours. In French, but easy me think. You go to the left hand side , you have three slots, Catégorie (category of stores you are searching such as antiquités/art), sous-catégorie (more in detail such as céramique but no need to choose this slot), and Quartier (district like Notre Dame). Versailles commerces webpage: https://www.versaillescommerces.fr/marchands/
An interesting site the Cours des Senteurs (Court of Scents) with an offer on perfums like those in the Maison des Parfums, but also, fine gourmet grocery store, Toile de Jouy with fabrics in colorful motifs from a historical and famous manufacture. The restaurant Table du 11, not yet tasted but look good; and salon de thés with sweets goodies; and from here you can access the Salle du jeu de Paume, birthplace of the founding act of the French democracy, quaint streets of the district of Saint Louis, and into the Potager du Roi vegetable garden of the king. More in the Versailles tourist office: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/garden-and-court-of-scents.html
The above and more are in the other district Saint Louis on commerces/businesses webpage: http://versaillescotesaintlouis.com/les-commerces-adherents-a-versailles-cote-saint-louis
The Versailles tourist office has more info on the several shops/businesses in town here: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/the-best-shopping-districts-in-versailles#!/page/1
Of course, this cannot be all of them, will need a series of posts. I have given you above the most important me think and links to see others. And bien sûr if have a question on any let me know. A ride to a Royal , magnificent city, that is a lot more than a castle. My VERSAILLES!! Again, hope you enjoy the post on my shopping in Versailles !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!
