25 Places for Unique (Non-Touristy) Tote Bags in Paris – Community Sourced
If you want to bring home a tote bag that actually feels Parisian, skip the racks of mass-produced Eiffel Tower prints. The city is full of places that sell designs you won’t find at home, from grocery chains to tiny boutiques.
Here’s a detailed guide to where to look and what you might find – brought to you by our France traveler community!
1. Grocery Stores and Everyday Shops
Monoprix is at the top of many tote-hunters’ lists. Their reusable grocery bags come in all sorts of styles: striped cloth, sturdy handled versions, and nylon foldable ones that pack into a tiny envelope. They cost a few euros and are the kind of thing Parisians actually use.
Super U and Aldi also sell store-branded totes, with the Aldi kiwi design being a favorite for its quirky look.
2. Department Stores
Le Bon Marché and its food hall La Grande Épicerie have their own branded bags, often in heavier canvas. Samaritaine stocks logo totes with a more graphic style.
Galeries Lafayette sells cotton totes in subtle colors with low-key branding. The top floor is also a good place to look for other French-made designs.
3. Museum Gift Shops
Paris museum shops put real thought into their tote designs. The Rodin Museum offers bold, design-forward prints. Petit Palais once sold a bag patterned after a Worth couture gown. Palais Garnier stocks smaller, elegant totes.
You might even come across a gothic-themed design at the Catacombs or natural motifs at the Natural History Museum. Many exhibitions release limited-edition designs, so stock can change quickly.
4. Bookstores and Literary Shops
Shakespeare & Company is known for its black-and-white canvas tote, a fixture in Paris and abroad. Galignani Books sells a more understated option.
These bags are often spotted on the arms of locals who value a literary connection over a tourist logo.
5. Fashion and Lifestyle Boutiques
Merci in Le Marais sells sturdy cotton totes in rotating colorways, including the popular khaki with gold lettering.
Simrane in Saint-Germain-des-Prés produces totes in hand-printed fabrics that match their bedding and table linens. Maison Plisson offers large, heavy canvas bags designed for market shopping.
Brigittetanaka’s selection leans artistic, while Sezane includes a complimentary seasonal tote with clothing purchases. Hervé Chapelier is another Parisian favorite for tote bags.
6. Food and Drink Shops
Some shops give totes as part of a purchase. Cave Vino Sapiens on rue Saint-Dominique (7e) includes a branded canvas tote if you buy wine.
Picard’s insulated picnic totes are made for carrying frozen food but work just as well for beach or park outings.
Tapisserie, a pastry shop from the owners of Septime on Rue de Charone (11e), occasionally sells pastry-themed totes alongside their baked goods.
7. Specialty and Curiosity Stores
Deyrolle, the famous taxidermy and curiosity shop, sells quirky printed totes featuring animals and botanical illustrations.
Longchamp’s Le Pliage foldable bags are a French design icon – spend more than you would on a grocery tote, but you get something that folds down to clutch size and lasts for years.
Some shoppers also spot unusual designs in smaller housewares shops in the 6th arrondissement.
8. Street Vendors and Stalls
The green bouquiniste stalls along the Seine sometimes carry inexpensive canvas bags, often printed with Paris artwork or retro advertising. They’re also a source for vintage postcards and art prints, which make good gifts alongside a tote.
Closing Notes: Extra Souvenirs That Pack Well
Alongside a tote, many travelers stock up on items that are unmistakably French. Sea salt from Le Saunier de Camargue comes in a cork-topped jar.
Bouillon cubes and Monoprix-brand chocolate bars are small, inexpensive gifts. Pre-packaged madeleines from brands like Maison Colibri travel well.
Postcards from letterpress.fr at Sainte-Chapelle or Belle Époque reprints from the Louvre are worth framing.
Check out this post for a comprehensive list of the most popular souvenir ideas among Paris travelers.
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Cover photo: Merci Paris