Shop on Champs-Elysées, Paris: What to buy and how to save money with tax-free shopping in France
The Champs-Elysées is one of the most famous streets in the world, which offers French and international visitors plenty of department stores and boutiques to shop from, ranging from luxury designer brands to more affordable high-street retailers.
So, whether you're looking to splurge on a new wardrobe or just pick up a few souvenirs, there's something for everyone on the Champs-Elysées.
As exciting as it is, a walk down France’s most famous boulevard can also be a costly one if you’re tempted to purchase so many of the goods! This is where the VAT refund app Wevat can help tourists – by allowing you to take advantage of tax-free shopping in France and saving VAT on your purchases.
Not sure about tax-free shopping? Travellers visiting France from a non-EU country (including those travelling from Great Britain) can get a tax refund on eligible goods purchased in France and enjoy up to 20% VAT back.
Now, do you feel a little more reassured, knowing that those tax savings can potentially offset any extras you happen to purchase?
Read on to learn how to shop guilt-free when visiting the Champs-Elysées by shopping tax free with Wevat’s tax refund app.
Shopping for clothes, bags and jewellery
If you're looking to splurge on some luxury goods, then you'll want to head to high-end boutiques such as Hermès and Cartier or premium brands like Massimo Dutti and Maje.
There’re also some luxury designer brands including Prada, Loewe, and Ami Paris in Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées.
Take advantage of the VAT savings on your purchases of luxury items when using the Wevat app (just ask for a ‘facture’ when shopping). Check out our blog on how to get your tax back when shopping at Galeries Lafayette.
If you're not looking to break the bank but still want to do some shopping, then you can also check out some of the more affordable fashion stores. These stores include H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, etc. You can find everything from clothes, bags to accessories at these stores. Don’t forget to ask for a facture (“invoice” in French) addressed to Wevat, then you can enjoy a tax refund equivalent to up to 13% off the price, all thanks to tax-free shopping.
Shopping for fragrance and beauty
If you’re a perfume lover, you shouldn’t miss the Guerlain House on Champs-Élysées, a perfume museum with more than 100 kinds of Guerlain perfumes!
Plus, there’s another Lancôme flagship nearby, providing a great selection of beauty products and personalised skin diagnosis.
The largest Sephora store in Paris is also on Champs-Élysées, where you’ll shop for over 200 cosmetics and skincare brands from international retailers and French locals.
Were you told that you have to spend at least €100 to get a tax refund? Not with Wevat! Even if your purchases in a single store are less than €100, you can still claim your VAT back by using Wevat. With our tax refund app, there’s no minimum spend per store – you just need to spend a total of over €100 across all your purchases during your trip in France.
Just make sure the store can give you an invoice (known as a “facture”) addressed to Wevat and the product is eligible for tax refunds.
Shopping for desserts and souvenirs
Don’t forget to visit one of the most famous dessert shops at 86 Champs-Elysées, Paris. This is the collaboration store between Pierre Hermé, the macaron maestro, and L'Occitane en Provence, where you can satisfy your sense of smell and taste at the same time!
Another dessert shop good at serving macaron on Champs-Élysées is called Ladurée, which also deserves a visit. Why not take some as gifts for your family and friends?
Don’t worry if you only purchase a small gift box or the store is not registered to offer a tax refund, with Wevat you can still get your VAT back from it as long as obtaining a purchase invoice addressed to Wevat.
But you’ll have to bite your tongue – remember not to consume it before you depart from EU to your home country, otherwise your VAT can’t be claimed!
Shopping for electronic products
Last but not least, shopping for your new electronic products can be really a good deal when you travel to France! At the electronics retail chain Fnac, you’ll find cameras, Bluetooth headsets, smartphones, and laptops at very good prices.
In addition, there is a large Apple store on Champs-Élysées, where you can buy your new iPhone by saving up to 20% VAT. Take the iPhone 14 Pro (256GB) as an example, the price in the UK Apple store is £1209. If buying in France with a tax refund, you can get one at £1104, saving £105. Check our recent blog for a step-by-step guide on saving for your new iPhone with tax-free shopping in France.
Wevat helps you to save
Hope the complete guide has offered you useful tips on visiting Champs-Elysées and saving money on your purchases when using Wevat in France. Be sure to check out our other blogs for more hints and tips to maximise your savings, or reach out to us for any further queries. So start planning your shopping trip to France today!
About Wevat
Wevat is a digital tax refund app that makes it easy for travellers to save money on their shopping in France! We are a community of people who love traveling, shopping, and saving money. Since our launch in 2019, we've helped refund travellers from 88 countries more than €18 million on their shopping.
Compared with in-store VAT refund providers, Wevat gives you up to 23% more VAT back with no minimum spending requirements on each purchase. With Wevat, you can simply snap a picture of your purchase invoices and then generate and scan your barcode when you leave France. There are no paper forms, repeated scanning, or dropping off forms required with us. Our super-friendly, multilingual customer support team will be always on hand to support you throughout your trip via our app.
We are fully regulated by both French and UK customs and tax authorities.
Download our app now to start saving money on your shopping in France!
Please download before purchase to validate shopping.