My daughter and I decided to go to Paris for her birthday last fall, just so we could have something to look forward to. We bought a pair of non-refundable tickets in March, and said if we could go, we’d go. Here are some of the gems we found:

Merci

This is not a secret for design afficionados, but it’s so fun that it’s worth including. Hidden in a courtyard behind 111 boulevard Beaumarchais, you can almost miss it, if it weren’t for the vintage red Fiat parked outside. Inside we swooned at the housewares upstairs, the heavy canvas butterfly chairs in just the right faded colours, the framed prints by artist Ronan Bouroullec, the wall of cups and dishes. Downstairs, we found an eclectic array of designer clothes, kitschy knits, patchwork kimonos, woolen scarves and satchel bags. It’s a very ‘Paris’ experience. Best of all, you can take home one of their (30 euro) signature canvas bags as a souvenir.

Weekend Beaumarchais Antique Market

We found this street market by accident, wandering towards the Canal-St Martin neighbourhood (it’s also right near Merci). After a trip to the Clignacourt market, which I found too high-end for real “finds”, this was a serendipitous discovery. There were stalls with antique silverware, racks of kimonos, paintings, odds and ends – not too fancy, but full of promise.

Hat Trims and Ribbons at Ultramod

We went here on a tip from the owners of Gaspard in Toronto, who travel to Paris a lot. A traditional notions shop with ribbons, flowers, and any other type of trimming you can think of. Tall, wooden drawers hide further treasures. I overheard a man say he was looking or something “very special”, and the proprietor gave him a knowing look, went to a secret drawer, and carefully placed it on the counter. Across the street is its sister shop with millinery accessories; if you ask at the cash desk, someone will open up the store for you. We bought ribbons for hats back home, and a silk flower for the dog collar of my daughter’s new stuffie, Fifi.

Kaleidoscope Colours La Samaritaine

An iconic Parisian department store for the last 150 years, La Samaritaine just held a splashy reopening several months ago after an almost 20-year renovation. The gift area at the entrance is worth a visit on its own – Sonia Delaunay-influenced scarves, colourful canvas bags, notebooks, sleek wooden umbrellas and other novelty gift items. Upstairs explore the enchanting Art Nouveau- and Art Deco-influenced space, showcasing luxury collections from around the world.

Animal Masks at Au Fou Rire

This kiosk is on rue Montmartre, a pedestrian street we walked along to get home in the evenings. We were looking for items for my daughter’s birthday party. It looks like a Halloween supply store, but along with the masks of political figures and celebrities were a large assortment of beautiful animal masks. They are plastic and inexpensive (a few euros each). We bought masks of foxes, dogs, pandas and pigs. My daughter gave them out to her friends but we’ve hung the fox mask above her bed, where it looks fabulous beside some of her paintings and string lights. I wish I had thought of these for home decor – I would have bought a whole lot more!

Tea at Cour des Vosges

We went to Place des Vosges one Sunday morning to paint, bringing our watercolours, paper, and a bottle of Evian filled with tap water to wash our brushes. Afterwards, we discovered this charming terrace across the street called Cour des Vosges. You can order tea and pastries, served in silver teapots and blue patterned china, and take in the scene from your bistro chair. Best of all, the tables are east-facing, so if you go in the morning, you’ll get full sun.

Papier Tigre

One day, walking east from the Marais towards Canal St Martin, we stumbled across a gorgeous paper and card shop called Papier Tigre. A Japanese-influenced French design house (HQ right across the street), this store is a treasure trove of creative stationery and office goods, notebooks, cards, pens, games. If you love design, you will love this shop! It’s also great for gifts to bring home. My favourite find was a blue and mint green European stapler.

An Artist's Guide to Paris

Merci﻿