Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 • Paris, France
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Dear Parler Paris Reader,
One of the things you will discover when furnishing a Paris apartment or other home in France is that the cost of linens by comparison to American sheets and towels is about double. They haven't yet had the shopping pleasure of such stores as "Bed, Bath and Beyond" or "Linens and Things" where you can purchase a duvet cover for as little as $29.99 or bath towels starting at $5 each in a zillion different colors.
At the BHV, their own house brand duvet cover for a double bed starts at 49€ (about $70) and their bath towels start at 17,50€ (about $25). Ikea offers linens at a bargain, but then that requires a trip to the suburbs and a way of getting all the heavy packages home which may be an expensive taxi ride.
So, if you're making a move here or setting up a home, you have a few money-saving solutions, including shipping the linens (just be careful that anything you ship won't get hung up in customs with duty to pay on your shipment!) or packing an extra suitcase filled with your favorite bargains (I can't tell you how many times I've tossed in a set of sheets or two before heading back to Paris!). (Keep in mind that bedding sizes vary. Be sure to check the American sizes in inches against the European sizes in centimeters. Here's a great site for reference: international-bedding-size-conversion-guide)
Personally, I chose to do none of the above to replenish the stock of linens for the rental apartments, Le Provençal and Le Saint-Tropez. Instead, I made a trip to one of my favorite spots in Paris -- the Marché Saint-Pierre at the foot of Montmartre where linens are at moderately bargain prices, but where the shopping is total eye-candy!
A costume-designer friend who knows every shop in the "quartier" agreed to join me for the little excursion after a typically French lunch at Le Ronsard Café (13 Place Saint-Pierre, 75018 Paris). From the café, there is a drop-dead perfect view of Sacre-Coeur and while the food is not something you'd 'write home about,' it provides a good taste and a full belly for a spree among the fabrics, trimmings and linens.
If you're in the market for fabrics for dressmaking or draperies along with all the "mercerie" (haberdashery) one could possibly dream of, these few streets surrounding the main store is sure to have everything you would need, plus a lot more. The Marché Saint-Pierre calls itself "an institution" with over 60 years of central presence in the world of textiles. And while that may be a bit of an overstatement, there is no doubt that an afternoon there will stir your creative juices.
Within less than an hour, I managed to purchase duvet covers and pillow cases in many different colors to match the respective decors plus a new bedspread amassing four bags weighing too much to carry home on my own. Thank goodness for Paris taxis for door-to-door service!
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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P.P.S. It's the year of the rabbit! Don't miss the Chinese New Year in Paris beginning tomorrow with lots of special events. For more information, visit http://www.paris.fr/
P.P.P.S. Don't forget our next Parler Paris Après Midi meeting is Tuesday, February 8, 2011 and every second tuesday of the month, 3 p.m. To 5 p.m. (Closed august)...then read about our new program beginning in March! For more information, visitparlerparis/apresmidi.html
