In Paris, the more vintage one thing is, the better. The city is all about nostalgia! There's something about appreciating the olden days that's quite Parisian. You'll see it with how a lot of people appreciate art too. And not just the art you see in the museums and whatnot. But the art that you see at home, at work, or one everyday life. Here in Paris, there's something called a 'vintage print,' images and illustrations from past decades and centuries. They have a certain charm to them and here are some places where you can find one.
Bank of Image
First up, there's Bank of Image, or 'Le Banque de L'image.' As you can probably tell, this isn't your ordinary French bank where you store your money. This place is all about the beautiful, beguiling, and exciting prints. From movie posters to stamps, you'll find it all here. And one of the best parts is their selection is a healthy mix of the old and new. The latter of which are particularly eye-catching! Think postcards and posters of the works of Manet and Matisse. They're great for sending to your loved ones back home; mailing them vintage-style too!
Elbe
Interested in putting up a Picasso in your place? How about a movie poster all the way from the 1930s? These are the types of vintage prints you'd expect in Elbe in the Saint-Germain-des-Près district. Doubling as both an image library and a print shop, here is where you'll find countless vintage selections, all in high quality! The colors are so bright, the strokes are so clear, and they're all in mint condition that you'll likely doubt their authenticity. But don't worry! This store has been around since 1976 and most, if not all of their prints are 100% original!
Enograph
It's safe to say that Enograph is unlike any other on this list! How so? Well, their prints are, in a way, targeted to a particular audience. Though they still have the artistic vintage posters, a lot of their prints are more so academic than the former. the type you'll see in
Paris schools instead of in a coffee shop and the like. For instance, you'll find a print all about the flower and its many parts instead of just beautiful illustrations of one. Or the different kinds of animals that are mammals and such. Notably, Enograph also has great prints for
AirFrance and
NASA too!
Ile Aux Images
Striking! There's arguably no other word you can use to accurately describe the images in Ile Aux Images! From the beautiful watercolors to the more striking oil painted-prints, the prints from this shop are truly striking! A good many of them are vintage, but a lot are also original too. So if you want a good mix of both, why not? Ultimately, what you're getting from here are quality prints, some of which even deserve to be displayed in
Paris's best museums! Though you're living room or desk are good enough places for them as well!
L'Objet Qui Parle
More than just vintage prints, you can find and but all sorts of retro stuff and old knick-knacks in L'Objet Qui Parle. The place is actually an antique store, one of the finest in Paris. Think bags and purses from old
French fashion houses. Or tors and trinkets that your grandparents probably played with when they were little. And, of course, high-quality vintage prints. The ones here are 100% authentic. From the crazy drawings of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to the fashion illustrations of René Gruau, you'll definitely find what you're looking for here!
Marché de la Création
You didn't think that this list won't include an open-air market right? These places are actually some of the best to find a vintage print, arguably even more so than in actual shops! And while there are so many markets in Paris that deserve to be on this list, one is enough! And that's Marché de la Création! Situated in the
Montparnasse area, a stone's throw away from the famous
Montparnasse Tower, vintage prints are a dime a dozen here. A good many of them are secondhand too which means, while the quality can sometimes be questionable, the authenticity surely isn't!
Here in Paris, if you don't have at least one vintage print to show off, then you can't really call yourself a Parisian! But don't worry! There are a ton of shops that you can find some! High-quality, authentic, and, of course, beautiful, they're definitely worth checking out!
Any of the beautiful vintage prints you buy from these amazing shops will look wonderful in your
luxury apartment in Paris. They're often the best way to add some character and flair to your home!
