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I am going to france in November and have heard that you can find some great deals on gear, especially La Sportiva. Is this true? Any shops that one would recommend? I will be in Paris for 5 to 7 days then maybe Ecrins National Parc or in Chamonix for a few days. I will also be going to Italy, but I am still unsure of where I will be staying or visiting. Any recommendations on shops and equipment would be great. Thanks

There's an Au Vieux Campeur in both Paris (quartier latin) and Chamonix neighbourhood (Sallanches), which I find a great shop. You can find info and their catalogue/prices on their website www.auvieuxcampeur.fr . I don't know about any deals on La Sportiva (in february I paid about 270 euros for my Nepal Extremes, great shoes btw). I also don't know about any other shops in France, but, you'll find plenty in the Chamonix area and they all seem to have 'special prices'... good thing to shop around and compare, because things aren't always what they seem...

Good luck
K

I agree with Koen, "Le Vieux Campeur" is definitely the best Mountain shop (in Paris and... in France).
In Paris they have several shops close to each other, each specialised in a specific activity.

They don't have special deals on some brands, however from time to time in each shop, they have 30 to 50% off on some products.
The best is to snoop around for lower prices.

Cheerio.

Snell Sports in Cham.

No kidding Charles - Snell has everything plus a very knowledgeable staff.