Shaving stores in Paris?

[oakeshott]

Without a doubt you should pick up as many bottles of Eau d'Emeraude for aftershave as you can. If you don't like it, I'll buy it off you so you're not out of a penny. The thread I learned about it from is here:

badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/183760-Eau-d-Émeraude

And I posted on it here:

badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/301665-Eau-d-Emeraude-Emerald-Water-Review

This is phenomenal stuff. There is a place right in central paris where you can buy it. Afterwards, have coffee in the same place where Hemingway and Satre went. The address is:

68 bis avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75014; tel 01 43 35 15 76

[Rushman2112]

Definatley have yor friend score you some Martin de Candre from the shaving shop Planete Raisor. I had a coworker, who I had PIF'd a couple of vintage DE razors to, stop there on his recent trip to Paris.

His wife thought he was nuts seeking our a shave shop on their vacation, but he picked up a couple of jars of MdC there. I rec'd on of those jars and love it.

A great oppt to score a premier soap

Your friend can broke it to his wife by telling her it's not that far from Planete Rasoir to Boulevard Haussman, and Printemps and Galleries Lafeyette. He can also get a wide range of stuff in Printemps, in the men's store basement if PR falls into the too-hard basket.

[Axebreaker]

Leresche Razors, I have a Leresche knockoff of a Gillette Old (they failed to defend the patent in french court) and It's one of my favs. They are usually like 20 euro or less for good examples too- mine was 10$ in the states!
They are mostly open comb, so I wouldn't ask if that's not your taste.

[will44]

In Paris, Planete Rasoir is the best shop to go even if it is quite expensive. The Martin De Candre soap (scented or unscented version) is the first thing to have, I absolutely love it!

Your friends should easily find the 2 available DE razor blades in France: Gillette Bleue Extra (a cardboard box of 10 blades at 2 euros, very good) and the Wilkinson Economie. I will advise you also to get the Monsavon soap, it is not the best soap at all but it costs nothing, around 1,50 euros, so you can try it.
There are also the Aqua Velva aftershave (which is different from the US version) and the Brut aftershave line in different scents (3 or 4, don't remember exactly). Regarding the shaving creams, all you will get is industrial items like Palmolive and Williams. Like the Monsavon soap, they are not the best ones but you can give it a try. All these items (except the Martin de candre soap) can be found in every supermarkets in France.

The shaving soaps Provence Sante and Institut Karite are very hard to find in France. Maybe, they will be available in Planete Rasoir. Both are very good soaps.

[retturn2blades]

Funny thing about France, you can often buy their stuff cheaper in the states. Plus, unless things have changed, you have to go through the goofy French bureaucrats to get your VAT tax refunded at the airport...which is one of the worst airports in Europe, IMO.

[dreaded_rust]

glad I saw this. I'm going to Paris next April. cant wait

[will44]

Well, I give you a +1 with what you said retturn2blades.

An item is old 100 bucks in the US and generally 100 euros in France (which makes 125 $), and it goes worse sometimes (for example 60 $ in the US and 100 euros in France. I never understood that.

Regarding the airport Charles De Gaulle-Roissy, it is unfortunately not the best in Europe. Firstly, it is simply ugly, there is no colors on the walls and they are desperately all grey. They could at least paint them in white or another color, that's not difficult. Secondly, I know that Charles De Gaulles is one the biggest airport in Europe but it is sometimes difficult to find your way. The signs are not clear at all even to find the toilets. They will try to change that the next years but they have a lot of work to do for sure. The Heathrow London airport and others French airport are by far better.

Nevermind, you will still be able to find some stuff in France that you can't get in the US so try them.

[sparco]

L'Occitane CADE shaving cream. Great scent-

[Blackbeard's Delight]

Wow, looks like a lot of options. I think the best bet is the regular store stuff... my buddy will more likely be able to convince his SWMBO to go to a grocery store vs a specialty shaving supply company. You know, you go to the 'city of love' with a woman and she gets all kinds of expectations...... Personally I'd have that twinkle in my eye if I just walked out of a shop with a bag full of shaving loot!

They leave thursday, so I will definitely forward him a mini shopping list of suggestions! Thanks to all for the input!

[El-a-Menthol]

For soap I have in my administration (I honestly keep track of high praised shaving soft- and hard-ware):

Martin de Candre
Provence Sante
Institut Karité
L'occitane Cade
Lothantique Le Collectionneur
Savon du Midi

I think they call shaving soap "savon a barbe" there.

[Omp]

Got a few days in France next month and I feel the need to make some purchases (of stuff I don't really need)
Aside from MdC, which I already own and love, the soaps I see mentioned most often here are:
Monsavon
Institut Karite
Pre de Provence
Savon du Midi
Provence Sante
Is there anything else I should keep an eye out for? Any tips on what types of outlets I will find these in? (dept. stores, pharmacies, suprmarkets?)

[daverasi]

Hi there,

I have family visiting Paris in about a week. Of course I am hoping for some MdC and am thinking of asking them to pick some frags up that may be hard to find in the states. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

[Paris]

On my visits I would go to Old England but I have heard they closed. Just about all the frags you see in Paris are sold in the US. I found that various men's shops have their own scent make up for them and they are sold only at that particular store. These scents can be interesting. There are some large stores owned by various brands that sometimes have scents that have not yet shipped to the US.

[BillC]

I don't know Paris, but there are scents I like that are hard to find in the states that I've had to source from the EU. Off the top of my head Mochoir de Monsieur, Habit Rouge EdP, several Knizes

[john parker]

From looking at Basenotes, I get the impression that Chanel has a line of "exclusives" that can generally only be purchased in France (read Paris). I would also suspect that there is also a greater range of Guerlains available there, like the Habit Rouge EdP BillC mentioned. There are three outlets for MdC listed in Paris that you can find by going to the MdC internet site.

[daverasi]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I've passed along the MdC locations so hopefully I'll have some new soaps in a few weeks.

The frags are a bit more difficult. I suppose what I'm looking for is a frag that can only be found in Paris. For example I think Serge Lutens sells only particular frags in Paris so if someone has a suggestion of a Lutens or other Paris exclusive frag that would be interesting.

Of course I think I'm going to have to return to Paris and do my own sniffing one of these days my family members already think I'm nuts for having them get me the MdC...I can only imagine the response I'd get if I have them a list of frags to purchase!

[StylinLA]

The Guerlain boutique is probably a must. Would probably have the widest range of the male Guerlains anywhere on earth. The many variations of a Habit Rouge (EdC, EdP, EdT) plus L'Instant Pour Homme Extreme.

Chanel probably another to hit. I believe they would carry the vaunted original version of Chanel Pour Monsieur (I'm not a fan of it, but it's loved by many and very tough to find.)

And who knows what may lurk in the Creed boutique in Paris?

[Valerius]

Why not pop into a supermarket and buy some Monsavon soap? You'll find them at prices around EUR 1.50. Enjoy your stay in Paris!

[mboschm]

You could go to Planète Rasoir. As far as I've heard, it's expensive but really good (and they've got MdC).

http://www.planete-rasoir.com

[Greyzer]

Another thing to get from Paris is Eau d'Emeraude. A great aftershave lotion made by French nuns.
Available in Paris at: l'Aide au Travail des Cloîtres, 68 bis avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75014; tel 01 43 35 15 76