It sounds like your trip is getting off to a wonderful, and memorable, start!

Hugs!

The traditional way to buy perfume in France was to buy it in a “Parfumerie” a special shop which sells only perfume.

The traditional way was quite a monopoly during decade. Of course major perfume houses have their own shops but it is impossible for a supermarket to sell perfumes. (the solution was to create Supermarket for Perfume … sephora for exemple)

We have no real Drugstore in France, each items is often sold in different stores which have their own reglementation.

Drugs and medecine can only be sold in a “Pharmacie” and french peopple like the notion of “small shops with only one kind of thing inside”.
Supermarket and Pharmacy have their own cosmetics but it is really reduced in size. (even if medium price brand like Roger Gallet prefer to be sold in “Health Care” shop than in classic Parfumerie)

In the chinese quarter of Paris you can begin to find what an american calls a Drugstore.
And you can find “Perfume” that I never see elsewhere ..
These kind of shops at very low price can be found now in most popular quarter of Paris. But you have to understand that it is not part of French culture.

I am quite sure that most of french peopple regreat medieval guilds where only one regulated profession has the right to sell one kind of items.

And the word “Parfum” in French, means often something buyed in a “Parfumerie” (except for perfumista who understand that it is an extract).
If I buy an “Eau de toilette” in a super market … i will never call it a “Parfum”. I will say “Darling I have bought a “Cologne” or an “Eau de toilette”.
But if I buy “Shalimar Light” in eau de toilette concentration most french peopple will call it a “Parfum” and certainly not an “Eau de toilette” .. that’s strange I know because for most of you between a Parfum and an Eau de Toilette it is only a question of concentration … for us it is first a question of quality.

It’s just a shame we must endure such brutal flights to get back and forth. It’s 10 hours from my home to Paris, and I must say I was completely homicidal by the time I collected my baggage. No human should have to fly crammed into coach for 10 hours. Someday, just once, I would love to experience travel in first class.

I hope you get to do some sniffin’ and highly recommend Patricia de Nicolai. The staff were very friendly and patient with my broken French, and they have very reasonably priced perfumes.
Au revoir for now!