Just in time for summertime shindigs in the sun or picnics by moonglow, it’ll hold tight nine bottles of your favorite beverages. (By the way, this prize was purchased at Galeries Lafayette at a whopping 30 percent discount. Sometimes, Cheapos, a hot deal can be found at the “grand magasins”! Just sayin’.)

Why Périgot?

Because we’re picky! Be swayed. Its sweet “ménage à trois” of color, function, and design will sweep you off your feet. Périgot is the official supplier of feather dusters and other cleaning implements to the Palais de l’ Elysées (the president’s residence) on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré!

What better way to celebrate than Francophile (and Django fan) Woody Allen’s recent announcement that France’s first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will indeed have a role in his upcoming film “Midnight in Paris.” As my grandmother Helen J. Wentz would quip, “We’ve all got baggage. It’s how we carry it that matters.”

To win this “Bottle Bag,” just correctly answer the cinema-related question below. The winner will be chosen at random from the correct answers submitted.

Pop Quiz!

Woody Allen included two Django Reinhardt numbers in his film “Stardust Memories.” What were they?

Leave your answers in the comments box below by the stroke of midnight EST Friday, April 30th. Don’t forget to include your email address! Become a Eurocheapo Facebook fan for an extra entry. Bonne chance!

A mural of Reinhardt. Photo by Theodora Brack.

Insider Tip: Square Django Reinhardt (still off the grid!)

Earlier this year, the mayor of Paris honored Reinhardt by renaming the square at rue René Binet and Porte de Clignancourt (Metro Porte de Clignancourt) for him. Reinhardt lived there with his family shortly after World War One, when they moved to Paris from Belgium. Each weekend, the site is home to a gathering of stalls and booths that form an “offsite” market along the approach to the famous Clignancourt Flea Market.

To reach the main flea market (Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen – Porte de Clignancourt) walk beyond Square Django Reinhardt and head underneath the big underpass just down the street.

At 122 rue de Rossiers a block or two into the real market, you’ll find La Chope des Puces, with live music, a spirited bar, and an impressive Django Reinhardt shrine surrounding the big performance space in the rear. Guitar aficionados will find many a wonderful instrument to drool over!

Je te verrai dans mes rêves, Cheapos!

The post Paris Quiz: Celebrating Django Reinhardt with a Perigot bag giveaway appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Related: 25 Free things to do and see in Paris

Here are a few Theadorable insider tips, surefire to make your tour of my favorite “grand magasin” a breeze. Why, it’s in the bag!

A sweeping view of the “produits de beauté”

Access

Make your entrance at the junction of rue Mogador and boulevard Haussmann. For stamina’s sake, pack a candy bar. You’ll find complimentary water and restrooms on every floor. (Tip: You can avoid the crowd by shopping on weekday mornings.)

Level 0—Welcome Area and Accessories

Here you’ll find a welcome desk, stocked with store maps. This is also where you’ll find out about all the special promotions. Don’t be daunted by the throngs of people. Like a Mont Blanc climb, the mob will dissipate with altitude as you head up. Keep both your wits and your bag in grip.

YSL under the dome

Stay focused and fast track it to the cosmetics and perfume area, located in the middle of the store. As you make your way, ogle the handbags, scarves, and hats to your heart’s desire, but don’t touch. Once a silk Kenzo scarf makes its soft and silky contact, you’ll never go Cheapo again. Yes, I have been there.

Level 0, Part II—Scents and Sensibility under the dome

Once you’ve reached the intricate maze of “produits de beauté,”  take time to smell the (sometimes synthetic bottled) roses, while gazing up at the stained glass “coupole” (domed ceiling). Installed in 1912, this Belle Epoch beauty with its Byzantine twist has never failed to bring me to tears or goose bumps. But if you’re like me, you’ll soon wipe your tears and then try out the new scents and colors by French classics like Guerlain, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Clarins. Free primping just got easier. (Tip: Watch out for uneven flooring and extension-cord coverings.)

Shoes along the stairs

Level Minus 1 (basement)—Shoes

Hold on to your hat, Cinderella! Make a detour downstairs to the brand-spanking-new and oh-so-tempting shoe zone, shining with 12,000 designer shoes and LED lighting. It’s the world’s largest shoe selection! Take the marble stairwell nestled in between the Gucci and Prada showrooms at ground level. On your way down, get an eyeful of the shoes exhibited in their little glass boxes. Lose your mind or just your glasses? Lost and found is also located on this level.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s swanky digs

Level 1—Designer Fashion

Now, on to the first floor above ground level. Jump off the escalator, and take a quick spin through the fantastic, high-ticketed (but well-worth a window-lick) showroom of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Also lean over the Art Nouveau balconies for a rather spectacular aerial view of the perfume and cosmetic booths below. The logos were installed specifically for this bird’s-eye view. You’ll find plush seating, complimentary water and a €1 coffee machine by the escalator.

Level 2—Contemporary Fashion

Here you find additional seating, more free water, a Coca-Cola Light machine, and Parisian closet staples like Kookai, Naf Naf, and Zara. The view keeps getting better with each floor.

A leg up under the dome

Level 3—Seductive Fashion

Yes, Cheapos, you are in France, so this is what the lingerie and hosiery is officially called, and yes, it possesses the alluring goods to back up the name! Don’t forget to take yet another peek of the action below.

Level 4—Life’s a Beach

Happily, the crowd starts to thin out here on the bathing suit level, so take advantage of the empty seating, more complimentary water, and the photo booth. Did I say photo booth? Yes! Why not? On this level, you’ll finally earn your first view of the exterior peak of the dome.

Level 5—Toy Store

Hello Kitty, goodbye heart! Uh oh. Need I say more?

Level 6—Eiffel Towers, brides, and books—oh, my

Break time under the dome

Here you’ll find the city’s largest souvenir shop (who’d-a-thunk-it?), bridal gowns, and one of my favorite bookstores in Paris. Plus: wide designer tables, lanky stools, and red stylish lamps lining the large windows, with views to a kill (apologies to Duran Duran). Kick off your heels, troll the arts section, and grab a book and stool. Your back and feet will thank you!

Level 7—Vogue under the big top

Galeries Lafayette also offers free fashion shows, lit by a disco ball. They’re usually held during the spring and fall seasons. You can reserve a ticket merely by writing welcome@galerieslayfayette.com and asking for one. (Tip: arrive early to get a front row seat worthy of Anna Wintour.)

A view of the Eiffel Tower

Level 8—Up on the roof

This is my favorite city-gazing hot spot. Arrayed for your panoramic pleasure, you’ll find the Tour Eiffel, the Opéra Garnier, and Sacré Coeur. So commandeer a ledge and recharge your spirit, soul, and soles with to-the-horizon boulevards and buildings of Haussmannian architecture, dramatic cloud formations, sunsets, and non-stop people-watching!

Cheapos, repeat after me, “Non, je ne regrette rien!”

Want to know about other places to shop? Read about our 10 favorite shopping districts in Paris and tips to save big on shopping in Paris.

The post Favorite Place in Paris: The Rooftop at the Galeries Lafayette appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.