I’m going to France for 10 days in October and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations of tack stores to visit. I’ll primarily be in and around Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in the Côte-d’Or, but I think I’ll also be in Paris for a tiny bit of site-seeing. Suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Oh, also, are there any major shows going on during that time? If so, a day there would probably take care of all my shopping needs 
I’ll be there in September. Recommendations in Arras as well?
I googled tack shops just for fun and saw listings for three tack shops in Paris–PADD, Guibert, and Kineton. and a couple others near in the Cote-d’Or area. Judging from the pictures, I think you should sightsee in all of them.
There are two PADDs in Paris, both worth visiting. Guibert is by the Arc de Triomphe and quite fancy.
There are jumper and dressage shows in the bois de boulogne through summer. There’s usually a poster advertising them at PADD, or see below.
https://www.equitation-paris.com/nos-concours
Those shows aren’t about shopping tho so head to a tack shop for sure.
Last Thanksgiving I visited PADD with great anticipation and was a bit underwhelmed… I did have a beautiful stroll to the store from the hotel but in future I would probably skip it in favor of other sightseeing/shopping options
Thank you all!
If you want the authentic experience, go to a Decathlon and stock up on $20 breeches :yes: PADD is more like a French Dover, you probably won’t find anything there that you can’t get in the States. This place in Dijon looks enticing however: https://www.carole-valy.fr/
How about in the South of France? Will be in/around Marseille next week.
I am going to be in the south of France, Reims and Paris in September. If I drag my husband to a Tack shop on that trip, he’s going to divorce me.
Honestly, if I cannot find it at Dover, or SmartPak, or State Line, or the three local shops that are within 5 miles of my barn, never mind Wellington which is an hour away, then I really don’t need to go to France to look for it.
If you’re in Paris, going to the Hermès store is fun! It’s more of a museum like experience, unless, of course you’re in the market for $300 bright orange polo wraps or a $600 crop. I had no intention of buying anything, but had fun touching and fawning over their horse stuff! The stores themselves are quite impressive.
They actually have really nice saddle pads, bonnets and polo wraps in rich colors other than orange. I go to Paris often for work and the red set they have is quite gorgeous. The polo wraps are under $150. You will find that they have a better equestrian selection in France than they do here, with more blankets, pads, etc… They also have a saddle with a seamless seat that is really interesting. Definitely worth a stop in to admire. And if you want to give a clerk a heart attack, pick up a saddle of the stand, casually flip it over and look at the gullet. I have never seen a person move so quickly to offer assistance. It was quite entertaining, actually. I just wanted to see if they were really as narrow as my trainer claims them to be. Then I was educated on their masterful saddle fitting process. I have to admit, they made me want to order one!
longlanefarm This place is in Marseille, looks alright, it’s not in the city proper though: https://www.art-equestre.com/
In Paris, Guibert and Kineton are the most interesting, along with the Hermes store of course.
There is a Decathlon in every big city, I’m really not joking about it being the star of the show :yes: You can stock up on basics at great prices and very good quality for the price. The brand they carry (mostly Fouganza) isn’t available in the states as far as I know. Selection will vary store to store as well but it’s basically an H&M for sports. They just opened one store in San Francisco but shipping is limited so it would be worth the trip if you need something in particular.
When I started riding here I walked out of Decathlon with paddock boots, half chaps, gloves, crop, and a helmet for just shy of 100 euro. My husband looked at me and said “Whoa, I can’t believe you just bought all of that for 100 euro” and I said “Wow, I can’t believe I just bought all of this and it only cost me 100 euro!” :lol:
One thing that’s nice about the European stores is the prices are better on lots of useful items. I buy all my veredus boots there instead of here. If you’re eyeing freejump stirrups, those will definitely be cheaper. A Dyon bridle is probably half the price.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
