Eileen Ines
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Destination guide · Paris

Viral French Brands, Way Cheaper in France

What I paid in Paris vs. the US price

French brands are sold as luxury in the US. In France they're just everyday stuff, and you pay local prices. Here's every brand from my two Paris videos, what I paid, and the US price next to it.

Eileen looking at the Eiffel Tower lit up at dusk from the Seine
3 viral brands that are way cheaper in France, part 19Watch the video ↗

Watch the other videos

~$150
saved on 3 holy-grail items
~$720
saved on one Moncler jacket
5
brands, 2 videos
20%
tax you can get back

🇫🇷 How the savings work

  1. Why it's cheaper

    No international markup, and you can get the French sales tax (20%) back as a visitor. January adds the winter sales, which is when I bought my Soeur sweater.

  2. Get the tax refund

    Ask for the refund form (détaxe) at the till and bring your passport. Stores have a minimum spend per day, so keep it on one receipt. Scan the form at the airport kiosk before you check your bag. You get back a bit less than 20% after fees, so my prices are marked "after refund".

    Minimum spend and refund rates change, so confirm both with the store before you pay.

✨ The brands, ranked by how much you save

  1. 01
    The Moncler boutique, with jackets on racks under carved gold panels and a staircase

    Photo: Moncler

    Moncler

    The jacketBiggest savings

    About $720 off one jacket

    Moncler jackets started as uniforms for factory workers in the mountains. They were the warmest coats on earth, so Italian teenagers made them a status symbol in the 80s. I found mine at Galeries Lafayette.

    In Paris, after refund

    ~$1,380

    In the US

    $2,100+

    You save

    ~$720

    The US price is over $2,100.

    Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Paris
  2. 02
    Inside a Sézane store, white shelves of handbags and homeware above a brass-trimmed display table

    Photo: Sézane

    Sézane

    The cardiganOver $60 saved

    Emile cardigan: $190 in New York, $129 in Paris

    Sézane started as an online-only brand and went viral for its cardigans. I own a lot of Sézane but I'm not their biggest fan, because some of the knits are itchy. If you like it, buy it in France.

    In Paris, after refund

    $129

    In New York, with tax

    $190

    You save

    $61

    New York price is $175 before tax, about $190 with tax. Paris price is €130, about $129 after the tax refund.

    Sézane Paris store
  3. 03
    A Soeur store with neutral coats and tops on a rail next to a tall wooden mirror

    Photo: Soeur

    Soeur

    The sweaterLocals' pick

    Nearly half off the US price

    I find it better quality and cooler than Sézane, and it's what locals are wearing right now. Two sisters founded it to steal the menswear look. I got this sweater on sale at Galeries Lafayette for €127, $121 after the refund.

    In Paris, on sale

    $121

    In the US

    $212

    You save

    $91

    €127 on sale, $121 after the tax refund. The same sweater is $212 in the US.

    This was on sale. Outside the sales the gap is smaller.

    Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Paris
  4. 04
    The white Caudalie boutique with its purple sign and spa visible through the window

    Photo: Caudalie

    Caudalie

    SkincareFree cleanser

    Vinoperfect serum for about half price

    In France Caudalie is sold in pharmacies, right next to the medicine. It started at a Bordeaux vineyard, when the founders met a pharmacy professor who studied grape extracts. The cult product is the Vinoperfect serum, which uses viniferine from grapevine sap instead of vitamin C. In lab tests it was 62 times more effective. I paid about $48 and got a free cleanser.

    In Paris

    ~$48

    At Sephora, with tax

    ~$90

    You save

    ~$42

    About $90 after tax at Sephora in the US. About $48 in Paris, plus a free cleanser.

    Caudalie boutique or any French pharmacy
  5. 05
    The green Diptyque boutique on a Haussmann-style street

    Photo: Diptyque

    Diptyque

    The candleAirport buy

    The Hermès of home fragrance, for $56

    People call it the Hermès of home fragrance. Karl Lagerfeld's bodyguard said Karl bought hundreds of their candles a month, and legend has it he used Baies to scent the Chanel boutiques. I got the Baies candle at Paris airport duty-free for €50, about $56.

    Paris airport, duty-free

    $56

    In the US, with tax

    $98

    You save

    $42

    €50 at the airport is about $56. In the US the candle is about $98 with tax.

    Paris airport duty-free

📍 Where to shop

  1. Galeries Lafayette

    The most popular department store in Paris. Soeur and Moncler are both here.

    40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris

  2. Caudalie boutique or a pharmacy

    Caudalie has its own stores in Paris, and the French also buy it at the pharmacy. Either works.

  3. Paris airport

    Buy your Diptyque here, after security.

The takeaway

I saved almost $150 on Caudalie, Sézane and Diptyque. The Moncler jacket alone saves about $720.

Send this to whoever's going to Paris next 🥐

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A guide by @eileen.ines