Whenever we visit a new country on holiday, we are always looking for things that we can bring back as souvenirs that would best commemorate our time overseas.
For some people visiting Paris, it’s the special models of designer bags from Louis Vuitton, CHANEL and Dior that you can’t get elsewhere. For others, it’s that iconic Shakespeare and Company tote or the keepsakes from famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.
But, if TikTok has taught me anything, it is that there are a lot more hidden gems to discover in Paris, and boy were they right.
Merci
If there is one thing that is Parisian to a tee, it is Merci. This apparel-houseware-cafe shop is hard to categorise but you can think of it like a French Urban Outfitters, with various knick knacks to find under one roof.
Merci has only got 2 stores in Paris and the one I visited was their original flagship store where its shop front was tucked away inside, through a building that acted as a facade.
One of the most iconic things you’ll find here is their Merci tote bags — a known staple of the brand and a popular item most people pick up with a variety of designs and materials to choose from. Some of the designs you’ll see includes a plain tote with a tufted logo, a denim tote with a velvet logo, and even a special Hello Kitty x Merci tote, for fans of the famous Japanese cat.
In addition to this, Merci also collaborates with interesting brands for limited-edition drops. Their most recent drops I found in store included the team up with famous high-end supermarket Erewhon for women, and the Merci x Carhatt WIP collection for men.
Merci is located at 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris, and 19 rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris.
Officine Universelle Buly 1803
After coming across model Nara Smith’s video where she went shopping in Paris with Grammy-award winning singer Raye, I just knew it was a store that I couldn’t pass up visiting.
You know you’ve arrived at Officine Universelle Buly 1803 when you see a store front that looks surprisingly vintage compared to its urban counterparts. Each store in Paris is unique to its location, borrowing details from the local environment while maintaining the spirit of a French pharmacy in the 19th century.
The store I visited was at Le Haut-Marais, which was the same location where The Rudier Foundry, a place where sculptors came to work, had established itself a few centuries ago.
While Officine Universelle Buly 1803 does have a variety of items you can browse, the store is best known for selling customisable perfumes, including scented body lotions and soaps, as well as lip balms and combs that you can personalise through engraving.
I had initially visited the store with the intent to get myself a personalised comb as well as a lip balm, but during my visit, I was told that the lip balm was currently sold out across Paris. Not wanting to return to Singapore empty-handed, I reluctantly gave up my pursuit of the lip balm and ended up getting the comb (which was still gorgeous and totally worth the €61 I spent).
You can find the location of Officine Universelle Buly 1803 stores in Paris here.
Mélodies Graphiques
Quaint and whimsical, this paper specialist is the perfect place to find unique notebooks, bookmarks and even wax for wax seals.
Located near the River Seine (a few minutes’ walk from Marais), the Mélodies Graphiques take up two shop fronts — one dedicated to the craft of writing and the other offering all things related to paper.
I visited the shop on a weekday afternoon and was blown away by the beautiful selection of stationery, especially the handcrafted leather bound notebooks that came in a variety of colours. These were unlike the moleskine journals we see in Singapore, as they had an old-school journal look and was secured with a leather band.
If you’re into calligraphy, the shop also stocks a wide variety of inks alongside the fountain pens, as well as practice books for the writing art!
My favourite items to look at were the bookmarks that were handcrafted using maple wood; a unique gift to get for yourself or as a souvenir for a loved one.
