Gun Shops in Paris - France

[Pop Watts]

I know some of you guys seem to be very well travelled, so would like to ask if anyone knows of or has visited any gun shops in Paris.

That is Paris France not on of the Paris' in the US.

Thanks,

Pop.

[stew71]

Nope. Sorry Pop. The only gun shop I can recall seeing outside of the US and Canada was in Innsbruck, Austria back in the 90's.

[Bill in Oregon]

Pop, I have a PM in to a friend in France on another forum. Will forward his response!

[Bruce Scott]

G'day Pop,

Google armurerie Paris - that will throw some up.

You will probably be interested in the arms displays at the Musée de l'Armée too. http://www.bigcityvacation.com/paris/mu ... museum.php

[2ndovc]

There's a military surplus shop in the Bastille district. I was surprised buy the number of firearms they had.
Don't know the exact address but Google the Harley Davidson shops in Paris. If I remember correctly it wasn't more that a few blocks from the HD shop.

I know people love to bash the French and especially the Parisians but we had a wonderful time there and I can't wait to go back.



jb

[Bill in Oregon]

From my friend in Ramboullet:

posted 14 March 2013 05:27
In Paris or elsewhere? Is it just to look around at inventory, any special interests?

I've never been to Dorleac & Dorleac, but they're in Perpignon down south. Custom gunmakers don't have much in their shops anyway, just a few ongoing projects generally. Verney- Carron and Chapuis are in or around St. Etienne, also more to the south of France.

In Paris, Holland & Holland closed shop a couple of years ago, as did Kettner. In fact most of the really nice stores in Paris have gone out of business. I think all that's left is Courty & Fils (near the old Opera) and I supppose Eric Briano in Montrouge, a Paris suburb. The fact is, there isn't much left in Paris if high end rifle eye candy is the goal.

Depending on the dates of his visit, he might want to go to the biggest hunting show in France, which will be in Mantes-La-Jolie about an hour west of Paris which takes place 5, 6 7 and 8 April (if I remember correctly). He could see and handle more better rifles there than in any gunshop in France, since all the good stuff will be there.

Hope this helps.

[Old Time Hunter]

Saw one in St. Appolinaire over in the Rhone province.

jb, you might have enjoyed Paris as a tourist, but when you have to work there...not so much. At least for me.

[Gobblerforge]

Paris is a wonderful city but, dangit, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a freakin Frenchman. They're everywhere.
Gobbler

[MrMurphy]

Didn't run in to any shops in Paris, though I've been to a few in Italy.

I highly recommend visiting Les Invalides, even if you're not a history buff.

There are weapons in the displays there you won't see anywhere else in the world in a few cases, prototypes from the 1800s, etc.

People forget that France was the leader in arms development in many cases for centuries.

I've seen nearly everything at some point at least in books, and I still found a few new things there.

Napoleon's buried there too. The museum was originally a hospital for his troops (thus the name) and is one of the best military museums i've visited (of many).

[Old Time Hunter]

People forget that France was the leader in arms development in many cases for centuries.

Maybe not centuries, but there were a few isolated instances...like the Gras vs. the Dreyse Needle Gun of the Prussians. The 8mm Lebel...first smokeless, high velocity, small caliber. But then, for all their innovations that might have been positive they gave us the Chauchat of WWI...or worse...a Citroen.

For all their advances in technology their military tactics and strategy since the days of Napoleon have been very suspect. Lots of French military weapons out there that have been once dropped and never fired.

[Bill in Oregon]

We copied a lot of their artillery.

[Old Time Hunter]

We copied a lot of their artillery.

Are you talking about the artillery designed by Benjamin B. Hotchkiss? The founder of Hotchkiss Manufacturing in France?

The same guy who worked as a gunsmith for Colt and Winchester. He was from Watertown, Mass. Moved to France after the Civil War as arms manufacturing dried up here. He was not French...but his wife was.

[6pt-sika]

I found a place in the south of France close to the border with Spain I wouldn't mind hunting but thats about the extent of my intrest in the country .

[sore shoulder]

We had a member here once who had a gun store in France.

[KiwiKev]

Here is a link for an interesting read.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... rance.html

[Pop Watts]

Thanks for the responses, I am following up now with some more research on the leads you guys have given me.

Good call on the museum at Les Invalides - I have visited it before and it has the best collection of firearms I have ever seen.

I have the address of the Gun / Surplus shop in Bastille (near the Harley shops) and have contacted them via e-mail today.

That hunting show is the next thing I will work on - what a great tip that was.

My wife and I have made a few trips to France and spent weeks at a time in Paris and I have to say that the French have always treated us well and been very helpful. If any of you, my American Brothers, are being hassled by a Frenchman, or a French Woman for that matter, just do what I do and tell them you are an Australian!!!!!! Works for me.

Thanks again for the responses, will send a few posts from Paris in April.

Pop.

[Ji in Hawaii]

If you can visit the Chapuis shop you'll see some pretty nicely made custom rifles & shotguns. My dream wild boar rifle is a Chapuis UGEX SxS in 9.3x74R.

[2571]

"Musée de l'Armée"

Really worth a visit.