Le Bon Marché

If you only do one department store in Paris, make it this grande dame on the Left Bank. It may be the city’s oldest department store—it was founded in 1848—but don’t be fooled by the 19th-century exterior (in the Rue de Babylone entrance, note the mosaics of goods once sold here). Following its acquisition by the French luxury-goods conglomerate LVMH in 1984, it’s evolved into one of the most exclusive stores in Europe. The company has shrewdly edited down its once encyclopedic fashion inventory to the chicest must-have brands.

The ground-floor beauty department is a true temple to vanity and the menswear department should not be missed. La Grande Épicerie, Le Bon Marché’s sprawling food hall, is just across the street from the main store.