Thursday 7 February 2013

Faire du leche les vitrines


Bonpoint, rue de Tournon, Paris
courtesy of manon 21

I love faire du leche les vitrines or window shopping.  Living in the heart of Le Morvan, we have a limited choice of shops and the weekly market.  The stall overflowing with nylon tabard aprons in a frenzy of colours and patterns is not for me, although every farmers wife in the region must own one.

Bonpoint courtesy of manon 21


Snow outside and cold winter days are turning my thoughts to spring. Today I am wearing thermal underwear, warm jogging bottoms, two jumpers and two pairs of socks to keep warm.  I am longing to wear colourful, summer clothes and flip flops every day again.
 
For beautiful boutiques like Bonpoint featured in the photos and gorgeous magasins or stores we need to go further afield.  My usual faire du courses, shopping trips are to my local towns Autun and Nevers for food and DIY. 
I know Monsieur Bricolage very well! 

When fievre acheteuse or shopping fever strikes then only Paris, the designer outlet at Troyes or the giant charity treasure trove Emmaus will do



The really "grand" Parisian department stores are temples to a bygone age of shopping decadance.  

My friend Nicole's grandfather was looking for work in the 1900's and walked 346km to Paris to help build Galeries Lafayette, see photo above.  A grand magasin, a department store, situated on boulevard Haussmann in the 19th arroundissement it has 10 floors with a glass and steel dome and Art Nouveau staircases.  It is known for its stunning windows, especially at Christmas time.

After years of working in retail, the allure of shopping has lost its' lustre for me.  But...just occasionally.. on a cold, grey day like today I would love to be "licking" the windows and peeping in to see what gorgeousness lies within.

What are your favourite places to faire du leche les vitrines?



 

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