La boutique sans argent

The idea of a moneyless ‘shop’ sounds like the stuff of dreams, but that’s the exact concept behind La Boutique Sans Argent in the 12th arrondissement. Opened in June 2015, it offers a wide stock of donated items (clothes, shoes, books, crockery, DVDs, magazines, linen), all priced at zero cents. The principle is simple: customers are asked to take only the objects they think they really need, and to donate those they no longer require (and which could also be of proper use to others in future). For obvious reasons, most of the stock changes every day, meaning many people come back regularly to make sure they’re not missing out on any of the good stuff. The staff are welcoming, and you can order a tea or coffee while you browse (for refreshments, they operate on a pay-what-you-want system). Strange but true.