Marie Antoinette Paris, is the name of the tiny little boutique with a cheerful red façade at place Sainte Catherine in the Marais. Chéri and I discovered it a couple of years ago and were completely immersed in the charm not only of the space and décor of the store itself, but also the charm of Antonio de Figueiredo, the shop owner. I have never met anyone who loves perfumes, scents and eaux de toilette so much! His eyes sparkle when he tells you about the famous perfume worn by the lover of Sasha Guitry, or he swoons over the benefits of the mens skin care line that he sells, and he smiles and giggles while expressing his appreciation for the line of Portuguese perfumes and scented candles he has carried since he first opened. Antonio LOVES what he does.

There is such an abundance of happiness, passion and enthusiasm in the small space that it is easy to get caught up in it. We always leave with a few little lovely purchases. And it is a great address not only for gifts but for personal purchases as well. We found a lovely lavender water solution that we mist our sheets with before going to bed. A very old-fashioned-south-of-France type of thing that is great for sleep quality and is a little luxury that doesn’t cost a lot. There are gorgeous little soaps and sweet scented things to slip into your everyday life and create moments of delight. Or find rare and hard to find perfumes, that will set you apart from the Sephora shopping crowd!

A place to discover and return to often and with pleasure!