We are retired and are travelling South through Burgundy to Provence be car. We are on a budget, and since we can only take a small suitcase each on the plane, I wonder if there are thrift stores in France to buy additional clothes depending on the weather, maybe an electric teapot, cups, etc.. We could then donate it back when we leave. Thanks for your advice.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19100 posts
I haven't spent that much time in France, and not since a long time ago, but I imagine there are thrift stores. I know there are thrift stores in German. They are run by the Red Cross (Rotes Kreuz) there.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
I'm not 100% sure, but I believe Oxfam operates these kinds of stores in France. I know they do in Belgium, at least.
Posted by
Paris
9628 posts
Emmaus is the name of the place in France. There are stores all over the country. I don't know how often you would find something like an electric teapot, but maybe.
If you can read French, you can search on this page for the type of store selling just clothes, or clothes and other items.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
The kind of shop the OP is asking about is, I think, a "friperie". Mostly clothes, though, as far as their window displays indicate. I imagine if she googles "friperie" for any town or city she will be in, some locations will come up.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
Merci!! I have shopped in British thrift stores, but this information will expand my horizons.
Posted by
Paris
9628 posts
Yes, a friperie would be a good option for clothes.
As far as Oxfam, the only Oxfam shops I can think of here are bookshops.
Edit: Correction: Oxfam has a friperie in Lille and the boutique in Strasbourg sells clothes as well as small deco objects and accessories. But I don't think your plans take you to either of those cities. (The two stores in Paris are both bookstores, which are the ones I'm familiar with.)
https://www.oxfamfrance.org/magasins/nos-adresses
Oxfam France compte 5 Magasins : une Friperie à Lille ; trois Bouquineries, une à Lille, et deux à Paris dans les 14è et 11è arrondissements ; une Boutique proposant livres, CD, DVD, vêtements, accessoires et petits objets de déco, à Strasbourg.
Posted by
Chicago
8075 posts
And you can go to Tati where things are as cheap as thrift stores often and get new stuff. We have done this several times when we didn't have the right clothes for the weather. And we have also found that toys there are cheaper than at flea markets for new nice stuff when we were stocking up the apartment for a visiting grandchild. There is a big Tati store right at the line 2 Barbe Rocherchouart metro stop.