Alight from the metro station of St. Sulpice and proceed directly to the little Café de la Mairie on the Place St-Sulpice, for a bit of refreshment. Sit for a moment and get your bearings. Take note. You are now in Heaven.

If this happens to be early Summer and the chestnut trees are in bloom, you might be wondering why it is that you don’t live here. The 1844 Fountain of the Four Bishops (Fontaine de Quatres-Eveques) dominates the square. The Bishops Fenelon, Massillon, Bossuet and Flechier lived during the time of Louis XIV.

One of the most beloved churches in Paris, the Eglise St-Sulpice commands the East side of the square. It is only a little smaller than Notre Dame and contains murals by Eugene Delacroix and a very precious historic pipe organ. The organ was rebuilt by Aristede Cavaile-Coll in 1862. He used as many parts as he could, from the original organ, built in 1781 by the master organ builder, Clicquot.

It is one of the three existing “100 stop” organs in Europe.

Now that you are ready to explore, here’s the plan. Draw a big circle around the Place St-Sulpice bordered by the following: Jardin du Luxembourg on the South, the metro station Sevres Babylone on the West, St Germain-des-Pres on the North, and metro station Odeon, on the East. Within these boundaries, many delights are to be found.

On the Rue du Cherche Midi, buy butter cookies at the boulangerie, Poilane.

Find reasonably priced boutiques along Rue de Rennes. Rue Bonaparte is noticeably historic and Rue des Cannettes has some of the best pizza (!) in Paris.

Rue de Buci is a market street lined with food vendors and outdoor cafes.

I come to this neighborhood carrying a purse with ample space for the day’s great finds.

Place St. Sulpice
6th Arrondisement
Metro: St. Sulpice

Paris is a shopper’s paradise. Whatever your budget or style, expect to be tempted by treasures wherever you go. Fact is, Paris is obsessed with providing us with beautiful objects of every nature, from food to shoes and beyond. To walk is basically to shop, as each neighborhood displays its wares in irresistible fashion. Streets are lined with sweet boutiques. What was designed to be a brisk walk, becomes a slow prowl through the lovely shops. When you least expect it, you find yourself standing in front of the shoe store of your dreams, or a window display of really funky jewelry that has your name written all over it. It just happens, nothing you can do, except keep on walking.

So, the question, “Is it easy to shop in Paris?” has a definitive answer, which is also a question.

“Is it easy to find water in a lake?” There are many unique shopping destinations, certain to please and even more certain to challenge your budget.