CD shops in Paris

[mathias broucek]

Haven't been to Paris for a while but have a work trip coming up.

Any recommendations apart from the following wonderful shop near the Luxembourg gardens?

http://www.chaumiereonline.com/Chaumiere-Musique-Classique/Page-English.aspx

[Nick Armstrong]

That looks a nice place, never been there - noted!

When I used to live there, I often haunted the leading second-hand CD place: Jussieu-Musique, on the eastern edge of the Latin quarter, just south of the Ile St Louis, between Place Monge and the Jardin des Plantes. There are four or five separate establishments, one specialising in classical and opera (at least, last time I went, a few years ago). I picked up some tremendous deleted baroque opera sets there for excitingly low prices.

http://www.jussieumusic.com/

It seems to be going strong judging by the two little customer reviews on this page: http://www.qype.fr/place/100069-Jussieu-Music-Paris

[Angle]

There is a very good Harmonia Mundi shop at 20 Rue de Rivoli

FNAC, in the depths of Les Halles, has a wide range of CDs many of which I have not seen over here. Much better than HMV anyway.

[Eudaimonia]

If you like contemporary music and are near the Pompidou Centre, you might swing by the shop at IRCAM:

http://www.ircam.fr/billetterie.html?&L=1

...and don't forget the concerts, too!

http://www.ircam.fr/saison.html?&L=1

Here's a shop specializing in opera:

PAPAGENO

http://www.papageno.fr/

1, rue de Marivaux
75002 Paris - France
Métro: Richelieu Drouot
Mar-sam 13h30-19h00
Tel: (33)1 42 96 56 54

[vinteuil]

When I used to live there, I often haunted the leading second-hand CD place: Jussieu-Musique, on the eastern edge of the Latin quarter, just south of the Ile St Louis, between Place Monge and the Jardin des Plantes. There are four or five separate establishments, one specialising in classical and opera (at least, last time I went, a few years ago). I picked up some tremendous deleted baroque opera sets there for excitingly low prices.

Like Caliban, I have happy memories of Jussieu Musique; sadly it is no more.

The Chaumiere shop can certainly be good - I am pleased to see that the Jussieu website, while explaining that they themselves no longer exist, re-directs clients to their former rival in rue Vaugirard.

["Les magasins JUSSIEU MUSIC sont fermés depuis fin 2008... Et pourtant vous nous lisez (?). JUSSIEU MUSIC est peut etre mort (la faute au marché, au téléchargement, à la gestion des magasins, etc...), mais le site demeure, pour mémoire et pour continuer de trouver quelques perles... Pas d'argent sur ce site, nous ne ferons que vous rediriger vers un excellent vendeur sur PRICEMINISTER... Pour le Classique, notre concurrent de toujours LA CHAUMIERE, à Paris, continue de faire vivre la flamme. "]



My usual hunting ground was the FNAC next to Opera-Bastille, but I have a feeling that that too is no more (?) - but there are many other FNACs - the one near ave des Ternes used to have an excellent classical section, also the one on Boulvd des Italiens...

happy hunting!

[Nick Armstrong]

Like Caliban, I have happy memories of Jussieu Musique; sadly it is no more.

The Chaumiere shop can certainly be good - I am pleased to see that the Jussieu website, while explaining that they themselves no longer exist, re-directs clients to their former rival in rue Vaugirard.

["Les magasins JUSSIEU MUSIC sont fermés depuis fin 2008... Et pourtant vous nous lisez (?). JUSSIEU MUSIC est peut etre mort (la faute au marché, au téléchargement, à la gestion des magasins, etc...), mais le site demeure, pour mémoire et pour continuer de trouver quelques perles... Pas d'argent sur ce site, nous ne ferons que vous rediriger vers un excellent vendeur sur PRICEMINISTER... Pour le Classique, notre concurrent de toujours LA CHAUMIERE, à Paris, continue de faire vivre la flamme. "]

where did you find that vinteuil?! I can't see anything on the site to suggest they don't exist any more!

[vinteuil]

where did you find that vinteuil?! I can't see anything on the site to suggest they don't exist any more!

Calibman - if you go to the Jussieu site, press on 'classique', then on the left hand bar press 'nous'....

[Nick Armstrong]

Calibman - if you go to the Jussieu site, press on 'classique', then on the left hand bar press 'nous'....

Oh Lord yes! Not the greatest site in the world - I hadn't even seen those tabs on the left, still less read the tiny wording

Another one bites the dust

But then, again despite many trips of late, I haven't been there for a few years. If other punters were the same, no wonder it's closed

[Alain Maréchal]

I used to shop at La Dame Blanche next door to St.Etienne-du-Mont in the Rue de la Montagne. Is it still there?
For currentlyavailable CDs most large branches of fnac have extensive stock.

[Don Petter]

where did you find that vinteuil?! I can't see anything on the site to suggest they don't exist any more!

Jussieu had gone when we were here a year ago. We were in Chaumiere yesterday - still a vast stock, though no real bargains.

You can turn up the odd interesting item in the various branches of O'CD (Check in Pages Jaunes for your nearest one!).

If it wasn't for the Pound/Euro, life would be great here - as it is, it's still pretty good!


PS the Opera Bastille FNAC had also disappeared by this time last year. I think Dame Blanche, near the Pantheon, is still going, though their prices are always pretty high unless you find something you really want. (Haven't been there this trip yet.)

[mathias broucek]

Thanks all for the advice

Like Don I was in Chaumiere yesterday. It's not incredibly cheap but the stock is interesting and there were a few bargains. My hihglight was securing some difficult-to-find live Carlos Kleiber and Eugen Jochum.

BTW there's still a Virgin Megastore in Paris (underneath the Louvre) but neither than nor fnac in Les Halles persuaded me to open my wallet,

[Don Petter]

In my haste yesterday I forgot to mention two other places:

Paralleles, at 47 Rue Saint-Honore (only 5 minutes walk from the Les Halles FNAC), which has been there a number of years, has a good selection of second-hand CDs, including a bargain section near the floor. Also, opposite, in a rather narrow building, may be had the best pizzas I have found in Paris!

[See my correction in #19. The shop in question is not Paralleles, but Librarie Gilda at 36 Rue des Bourdonnais, nearby]

Then there is Gibert Joseph, on the Boul' Mich', (only 5 minutes walk from Chaumiere) which has a better selection of new classical CDs than any of the FNACs, together with a vast number of high quality second-hand items, which, interestingly, are often mixed in with the new in the racks, though there are usually cratefuls to look through on the floor as well. Be prepared for a long session!

[Nick Armstrong]

Some very useful data here - esp those last two entries. I've been past the Gibert Joseph shops countless times but never investigated

Good website too http://www.gibertjoseph.com/cd/musique-classique.html

[Don Petter]

The Gibert Joseph you need is what I think of as the main one. Facing South from the Seine it is the last one on the right, just a little way before you would turn right to go up a side street to Chaumiere.

[vinteuil]

The Gibert Joseph you need is what I think of as the main one. Facing south from the Seine it is the last one on the right, just a little way before you would turn right to go up a side street to Chaumiere.

ie, between rue de l' École-de-Médicine and rue Racine...