The 100 best shops in Paris – Concept stores

Bags adorn the walls, trinkets sit atop small wooden shelves, and lamps are dotted around the room – French Touche is a shop where one could happily rummage for hours.

Paris has concept stores in spades. The city seems to specialise in boutiques that smell of scented candles, where you go to buy glitzy jewellery and sparkly scarves. SoWeAre is very much in this vein: this is where the young and trendy come to stock up on pretty scarves, kooky mugs.

The idea of a commerical centre might not appeal to fans of concept boutiques, but don’t speak too soon – Centre Commerical in the Rue de Marseille (alongside APC, Maje and Claudie Pierlot) will thrill fans of quality fashion.

The new French Trotters flagship store occupies no less that 200 chic square metres, just down from the road from the old boutique at 116 Rue Vieille du Temple. It brings together all facets of the store that was originally created in 2005 by Carole and Clarent Dehlouz.

You might not know what you're looking for when you walk in to Pop Market, but you always walk out with armfuls of goodies. Small animal figurines for a nephew, some beautiful stationery for yourself, badges to pin on a jacket or a bright decoration for the living room.

As its name suggests, La Fausse Boutique (The False Boutique) is an unusual spot – half-office, half-retail store. Expect a diverse, moderately priced range of eccentric gifts and novelties: stickers, jewellery, silkscreen t-shirts as well as shoes, bags, bow ties, tea, origami and even cedar-scented men’s laundry freshener.

Founded in 2011, this multi-brand boutique injects a hint of underground culture into the tourist district of Saint-Michel. Sisters Kimo and Diana took over the former music and bookshop 'Silly Melody', which had been run by Kimo and her father.

The renowned and much-imitated one-stop concept and lifestyle store features a highly eclectic selection of must-have accessories, fashion, sneakers, books, media, shiny new gadgets, and hair and beauty brands själ, Kiehl's and uslu airlines, all in a swanky new space.

The principle of Afwosh (After Work Shop) is simple: offer pretty trinkets to suit all budgets – from monstre à doigt rings (€2.50) to leather carry bags (€228) and Pac-man shaped speakers (€28.50 each). Launched four years ago by Chloe and Emilie, this shop in the Rue d'Hauteville has earned itself a fine reputation.

There are two reasons to walk down passage Josset in the 12th: it’s quaint and off the beaten track; and it’s home to Les Fleurs, a girly boutique extraordinaire that drips with funky jewellery, bags, rococo mirrors and all sorts of gizmos and gadgets for little and grown up girls alike.