For a shopaholic like myself, a visit to Paris is never complete without a shopping spree or two. But you really don’t have to spend a fortune in order to get something memorable to commemorate your trip, there’s always La Vallee Village to help you get the most bang for your euros. What’s La Vallee Village, you ask? Well, it’s a designer outlet mall, located a quick jaunt away from Central Paris, and just a skip and a hop from Disneyland Paris, and last June, I had the pleasure of shopping there!
GETTING THERE
From Disneyland
Since we were staying at Disneyland, getting to La Vallee Village was a breeze! Direct shuttles are available from each Disneyland hotel, you just need to request one at the concierge desk. However, on our trip, we opted to take the RER instead. We got off at Val d’Europe/Serris Montévrain station, before walking through Les Terrasses shopping mall that carries all the usual suspects from H&M to Zara, as well as a few European brands that have yet to make their way to North America. Entrance to La Vallee Village awaited just outside Les Terrasses – super quick and easy.
From Central Paris
RER is a great option if you want to visit from Central Paris (destination station Val d’Europe/Serris Montévrain). The trip will take around 40 minutes, depending on where you board. But if you want to ride in style and comfort, then La Vallee Village Shopping Express is your best bet! This daily bus departs from Central Paris (near Louvre) and takes around 30 minutes. If you plan on buying a lot of things, I would highly recommend this shuttle. We took it at the end of our shopping day and loved everything about it. And the best part is, it’ll only cost you EUR22 both ways. Can’t beat that!
And finally, if you prefer the luxury of riding solo, then Chauffeur Drive might be for you. I am not exactly sure how much that service costs, but you can definitely inquire here.
DESIGNERS
For all the brand obsessives out there, La Vallee Village has a seriously great selection of designers on offer – from Armani, to Burberry, to Celine, to Valentino – if you’re looking for designer deals, this is your place. The day I was visiting, I saw great deals on Celine leather totes, Carven dresses, Kenzo leather jackets, and Marni necklaces. They even had Valentino rockstud flats in fun colours, but limited sizes. After spending what felt like an eternity deciding between a dozen cool Marni necklaces, I finally settled on just one (even though I wanted them all), while my friend picked up a travel bag from Longchamp for a steal! To refuel, we stopped by Natalie’s Cafe for some delicious lunch, before heading out again to do some more shopping.
If you’re wondering whether the deals are worth the trek, in my experience they were, but it really depends. As with other outlet malls, selection can fluctuate, and depending on the month/week/day, you can either leave with bags of loot, or with only a couple of things. Prices of certain goods aren’t necessarily cheaper for North American shoppers (don’t go expecting to buy Ralph Lauren wares for less than in the US), but a lot of European brands are. Just like with my much-adored Florence outlets, La Vallee Village is now part of my must-visit spots in Europe…and I can’t wait to come back!
More after the jump!
