Paris Shopping Tour: Discount Couture

I was very disappointed with the scope of this tour. I had been expecting to be led to the nirvana of haute couture discount shopping - this being Paris after all. Instead we were shown to the sort of second hand stores I find all over back home and the selection was pretty much middle tier and pedestrian. I found a Diane Von Furstenberg blouse I had given away in 2007. Why others have found this tour satisfying is a mystery? Sure the guides are probably all great to chitchat with not easy to find natives that do this in Paris but I came for the shopping. While the merchandise was described as returns and next to new, the scuffed soles and pilled sweaters indicated otherwise. The area we traversed was very hemmed in - all around the Bonne Marche only. This reminds me - we were promised a discount coupon each to the Bonne Marche and a map of the area highlighting the shops if we wanted to return. None of these things materialized. Our guide was a charming gal - very intelligent and easy to get along with. But I resented her pushing worn out merchandise for me to try on as if I didn't know how to dress myself. Trust me - I know how to shop. One store did fit the bill as it had a few dusty Chanel bags and loads of Hermes scarves and I felt compelled to buy a scarf just to feel like the money invested in the tour had been worth it. Americans have become very savvy about resale shopping and this market has been exploding stateside. In Paris, I truly expected to have an in at Les 3 Marches de Catherine B and have my head spinning at the sight of mounds of Birkins and Chanel chains. DIdn't happen. I saw much more of that at Les Puces - which was my other tour and was much more successful! So - an expensive tour with not much more to offer than walking around a few blocks and stopping at stores that we wouldn't otherwise or at those we could find ourselves...no thank you!

I hesitate to even give this tour a star. The guide took us to one couture shop, then spent the majority of the rest of the time guiding us through the Au Bon Marche , which is essentially a large department store. I complained to viator and got a nasty response from the tour company. They were defensive and blamed the tour being something other than what it should on us. It was disappointing Viator took no responsibility for hiring this tour company.

I enjoyed this tour! Sandra took us to a less crowded department store and much safer! Loved the experience; however, I wish we had gone to less consignment stores. She had amazing ideas for gifts to bring home too!