Textile Tours
Discover the celebrated merceries of Paris, brimming with the highest quality French ribbons, yarns, threads, beads, sequins, gems and buttons. A paradise for any textile enthusiast, these boutiques are a joy to visit with shelves, drawers, jars, and display cases overflowing with sumptuous, colourful and glistening treasures.
Many of the boutiques we will visit during our walking tour have received the prestigious Enterprise du Patrimoine Vivant for their continued contribution to French culture and heritage. They are dedicated to creating the finest quality French threads, ribbons, notions and fabrics, preserving the crafts and savoir-faire that made Paris the birthplace of Haute Couture fashion long ago. Rebecca will share the fascinating stories of haberdasheries and milliners, feather-workers and embroiderers, royal customers and the working class women who made their exquisite gowns.
The Textile Tour costs €120 per person and these guided walking tours take place on Friday mornings, beginning at 10am and finishing at 1pm - leaving you with plenty of time in the afternoon to return to any, or all, of the boutiques to make purchases!
Rebecca will guide you through the bustling streets of Le Sentier, a neighbourhood steeped in history and tradition as the centre of luxury textiles and fashion in France since the 18th century. Along the way we will be greeted with warm welcomes from friendly staff who serve their discerning customers with a savoir-faire passed down through generations of the same family. Curious? Let’s find out more…
The Oldest Haberdashery in Paris
The tour begins at Ultramod, the oldest haberdashery in Paris, famed for their dazzling selection of buttons and vintage stock such as silk velvet ribbons from St. Etienne and Duchess satin woven in Lyon. As part of the tour, their exclusive millinery shop will also be opened up for you, the shutters slowly creaking to reveal the original hat shop established in 1827.
Tapestry Fit for Royalty
The Annie Bouquet boutique is a little gem but easy to miss! The tiny boutique is filled with gorgeous tapestries that are still designed and painted by hand in a cosy studio upstairs. Fantastical unicorns, colourful floral garlands and beautiful birds wait to be lovingly stitched in needlepoint. Their bespoke wool yarn is dyed at Aubusson bien sûr, celebrated by generations of French royalty since the 14th century and by UNESCO today!
La Vie en Rose
And for a taste of true Parisienne life, the tour takes us along Rue Montorgeuil, a charming cobbled street lined with cafés, restaurants, florists, bakeries, patisseries, cheesemongers, fishmongers, butchers and cobblers. A great spot for lunch!
Colour Merchants & Artisanal Ribbons
A visit to La Droguerie, where we will find out about the ancient marketplace of Paris, marvel at the rainbow skeins of colourful mohair, linen, bamboo, cotton and wool yarns and be tempted by a cornucopia of sequins, beads, and gems that are sold by the spoonful.
Mokuba follows, with exquisite Japanese ribbons in intricate lace, broderie anglaise, organza, and brocade, and an irresistible 40% discount for textile professionals.
Au Ver à Soie & The Midinettes
Winding our way back to Le Sentier, we visit to the statue of Saint Catherine, the patron Saint of Haute Couture and the Midinettes.
The highlight of the tour for many is the exclusive visit to Au Ver à Soie, a family run business that has sold the finest silken threads for 200 years. The boutique is normally open to industry professionals only but with Textile Tours of Paris you enjoy a behind-the-scenes visit to discover the history of silk from the experts. The floor to ceiling shelves are lined with carefully labelled boxes filled with lustrous silk threads.
Et Voilà! The walking tour ends just in time for lunch and there are several fantastic traditional brasseries in the neighbourhood. When you book a Textile Tour Rebecca will send you a complimentary copy of The Paris Restaurant List: A Textile Lover’s Guide to Bistros, Brasseries and Bouillons. Bon Appétit!
The Textile Tour has been the highlight of many a trip to Paris! Rebecca loves introducing this gorgeous world of colour, texture and heritage to fellow textile enthusiasts and sharing lots of fascinating stories along the way! S’il vous plaît, click the button below to read a few reviews.
