In this guide · 4 sections
Paris doesn't advertise its gay shops like Berlin or Amsterdam. You won't find a whole block of leather stores and neon sex shops. But if you know where to look, a few useful spots are clustered in and around Le Marais. Think bookshops, sex shops, and gear stores.
Often, the signs are subtle. From the outside, some shops could be selling anything. You could easily walk past without realizing what they are. That's very Parisian retail: the goods are there, you're welcome, but they won't shout it at you from the street.
Les Mots a la Bouche
The most important shop here is Les Mots a la Bouche, on rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie. It's France's oldest and best-known gay bookshop, open since 1980. They stock LGBTQ+ literature, theory, biography, and fiction in French and English. Go in even if you're not buying; it's been a fixture of Paris's gay community for over four decades.
Sex shops and gear
Le Marais has several sex shops. They carry the usual: toys, restraints, underwear, poppers (legal in France), lubes, and some leather and rubber accessories. The gear shops are more fetish-focused, with harnesses, leather goods, and branded gear from European makers. Most are on rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie or rue des Archives, or within a block of them.
The shops
Opening hours
Most shops open around 11am and close by 8 or 9pm. The bookshop closes a bit earlier on Sundays. Sex shops often stay open later. Check specific hours if you're making a special trip; French retail times can vary more than you'd expect, especially around public holidays.
Back to the main guide: Gay Paris Guide.