The Ultimate French Pharmacy Haul: CityPharma and Its Best Buys
A trip to Paris isn’t complete without a stop at a French pharmacy. The shelves are packed with serums, sunscreens, and creams that beauty fans around the world swear by.
CityPharma, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, is the undisputed capital of them all. Here’s everything travelers have learned from countless visits: what’s worth buying, what it costs, and how to make your visit run smoothly.
Where and When to Go
CityPharma is at 26 Rue du Four in the 6è. The store opens at 8:30 a.m. and is packed by 10! Locals and visitors line up outside before opening, but early arrivals walk right in. Evening hours can be quieter too.
Avoid bringing luggage. Aisles are narrow, and boxes of restocks fill the floor. If you need to store a bag, use Bounce or another luggage-drop app nearby.
Check the CityPharma website before you go. It lists most of the stock and gives you an idea of prices, which helps avoid impulse buying once you’re inside.
Bring your passport if you plan to claim the VAT refund – purchases over roughly €100 qualify, though medicines like Biafine don’t count toward that amount.
Go with a written list. Even regulars describe the store as overwhelming.
The Shopping Experience
Inside, the space is small, the pace fast, and the prices low. Staff members move constantly between shelves and registers.
Service is brisk but friendly when you’re polite and prepared. Some buyers who spend a few hundred euros mention being handed a separate bag full of mini samples from La Roche-Posay, Filorga, and Darphin at checkout.
The Products Everyone Buys
La Roche-Posay
The most popular brand in the store. The Cicaplast Baume B5 (€7 to €8 for 40 ml) and Cicaplast Serum (around €30) are bestsellers. Many shoppers prefer the European formulas to those sold in the US.
The Anthelios sun range is another must-buy. The Anthelios SPF 50 Anti-Brilliance Spray costs €13 to €15, and the SPF 30 Invisible Fluid about €12 – half the US price!
Caudalie
The Vinoperfect Radiance Serum sells for €38 with VAT versus $80 at US Sephora. The Eau de Beauté is €12 for the small bottle or €32 for the large.
The Vinotherapist Hand Cream is €8 to €9, and the Thé des Vignes Shower Gel around €5.
Sanoflore
A French-organic line that’s not easy to find abroad. The Reines Glow-Booster Mask and Global Anti-Aging Serum hover around €30 each. The Rosa Fresca Hydrating Serum and Absolu Merveilleux Eye Serum stay under €25.
Nuxe
The Rêve de Miel Honey Lip Balm is €7 to €8 (about $15 in the US). The Huile Prodigieuse dry oil comes in mini and large bottles, usually €14 to €25 depending on size.
Roger & Gallet
Known for light botanical scents. The Osmanthus and Thé Vert Eaux Parfumées cost €24 to €26, soaps under €5, and hand creams around €6. The Osmanthus is an apricot-floral fragrance that lasts most of the day.
Cattier
Clay masks in pink, green, or purple tubes are €5 to €6 and travel-friendly. Many prefer them to pricier spa brands.
René Furterer
The Triphasic Active Grow Anti-Breakage Mask sits near €35 and often sells out by evening.
Marvis
Italian toothpaste but cheaper here than in most countries. Flavors like Jasmin Mint, Sweet & Sour Rhubarb, and Amarelli Licorice cost €8 each.
La Corvette
Traditional Marseille soaps in floral scents such as Honeysuckle and Rose Petal go for €4 to €5.
UPSA vitamin range
Effervescent Vitamin C tablets and Acérola 1000 packs are €6 to €8. The Énergie Booster Maté and Digestion Citrate de Bétaïne offer a local take on travel supplements.
Beyond the Classics
Regulars point to several brands worth discovering while you’re there.
Lierac’s sun line rivals La Roche-Posay in quality but stays around €15 per tube. La Rosée is a clean, minimalist brand praised for gentle cleansers and moisturizers under €20.
Eucerin’s SPF 50 for oily skin is a solid alternative at €13. Elnett hairspray is said to work better in its European formula.
Other Pharmacies to Try
CityPharma isn’t the only option. Pharmacie des Halles near Forum des Halles offers similar prices and a calmer atmosphere.
Aprium Pharmacie Anglaise near the Champs-Élysées stays open late and carries most major brands.
Parisians mention that nearly every neighborhood pharmacy runs occasional flash sales that match CityPharma’s pricing without the crowd.
Practical Tips
Arrive early. Have your list ready. Keep your basket small. If you’re shopping with someone, one person can hold the basket in a corner while the other moves through the aisles.
If you spend over €100 and request the VAT refund, the clerk will print a détaxe form for customs stamping at the airport.
The store takes cards and cash, but lines at the card register move faster.
Stock varies through the day – sunscreens and Caudalie serums sometimes disappear by late afternoon and return the next morning.
Etiquette
Pharmacists juggle international crowds all day. A simple bonjour and merci go a long way. Many visitors underestimate how tiring it is for staff to explain every brand in English.
When you’re polite, they often take extra time to help and sometimes slip a few extra samples into your bag.
The animal-testing concern that often appears online isn’t an issue here: EU law bans animal testing on cosmetics, so everything sold in French pharmacies complies.
CityPharma’s Reputation
Efficiency and price! Regular pharmacy chains sell the same items for 30 to 50 percent more. CityPharma sells in volume, keeps margins slim, and refreshes stock constantly.
For skincare lovers, it’s a crash course in French beauty culture: dermatologist-approved products, affordable luxury, and a practical, no-nonsense approach to self-care.
For the cost of one serum back home, you can leave Paris with a suitcase full of products that locals actually use every day – and still have money left for coffee on Rue du Four.