10 Quirky Florists To Visit In Paris

In the City of Love, no one needs an excuse to buy their sweetheart(s) a pretty bunch of flowers—or a ruggedly-handsome cactus, depending on their preference. If a bog-standard bouquet just won’t cut it for your special someone, head instead to one of these 10 quirky Parisian florists who sell rare-cut flowers, potted plants with attitude, and totally original creations.

1. Green Factory

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Green Factory is best known for its ‘Jurassic lab’ terrariums,

Shoppers definitely don’t need to be green fingered to enjoy Green Factory’s miniature-glass gardens. Each of its unique creations, made by hand at a super-trendy boutique in the Canal Saint-Martin District, is centered around a small tree. From the mini-mulberry in the €25 Jurassic Lab to the eight-year-old bonsai in the €420 Giant Lab, it is a quasi-autonomous ecosystem that requires watering only a handful of times a year. These worlds in a jar are a cool, stress-free way of greening any living or work space.

Open Wednesday to Saturday from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm, and Sunday from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm.

2. Les Succulents Cactus

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When it comes to living plants, another beginner-friendly option is the humble cactus—though think twice about picking one up at the local supermarket as it’s pretty much pre-destined for an early grave. Instead, pay a visit to Les Succulents Cactus in the Marais. Here, shoppers will find around 300 sturdy varieties, carefully sourced from breeders in the South of France and ranging in price from €5 to €1,000. Amazingly, some of the cacti are over 40 years old–still very much considered pretty young things given their life expectancy of several centuries.

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

3. IKEBANART

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Located in a renovated garage on the Canal Saint-Martin, IKEBANART is much more than a florist shop. Its specialties are the Japanese plant-art forms of Ikebana and Kokedama, but it also sells cut flowers, vegetal curios, home décor, and art displayed in its gallery space. Those captured by the magic of its handmade creations can also sign up for workshops, which last between an hour and a half and two hours and cost €49 per person.

Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm, Thursday to Saturday from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

5. DEBEAULIEU

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With a prime location on one of the most happening streets in the up-and-coming South Pigalle (SoPi) district, DEBEAULIEU is one of Paris’ most cutting-edge florists. In its mirrored shop, designed with clean lines and distinctive graphics to maximize the impact of the stunning flowers, ingenious arrangements (often incorporating the most unexpected of objects), indoor and outdoor plants, vases, and jars can be found.

Open Monday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 8:00 pm, and Sunday from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.

6. Odorantes

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Color, composition, and, let’s be honest, cash handed over all play into a good bouquet’s evaluations, but Emmanuel Sammartino and Christophe Hervé, the pair behind Odorantes, there is no more important factor than that of perfume. Each of their creations is assembled according to the specific-olfactory desires of the customer. From a trip to their store, expect a bounty of rare and sweet-smelling roses and to be leaning face first into every single one of them.

7. Bleuet Coquelicot

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Back over at the Canal Saint-Martin is the lovely Bleuet Coquelicot, a tranquil escape in this buzzing-Parisian neighborhood. Plants line the pavement and cover the shopfront while wonderful bouquets of seasonal flowers from across the regions, rare and precious species, a pond, and sometimes even a couple of butterflies can be found inside. For those who have the time, stick around for a cup of tea and to learn all about the best ways to care for new the potted pals.

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:45 pm, and Sunday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

8. Mémé dans les orties

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The wonderfully-named Mémé dans les orties is located up in the 18th Arrondissement and within sniffing distance of the Sacré-Coeur. The store’s name is a contraction of the French idiom ‘Faut pas pousser mémé dans les orties’ which translates literally as ‘You mustn’t push granny in the nettles’ but is really a polite way of saying ‘Don’t push your luck’. Thankfully, luck doesn’t enter the equation when selecting one of Valentine, a former costume designer, or Patricia’s inspired-flower arrangements.

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

9. Girls & Roses

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Unique plants at Girls & Roses │ Courtesy of Girls & Roses

Delphine and Philippa, the girls of Girls & Roses, studied at the Ecole des Fleuristes in Paris before going into business together more than six years ago. Now, they are well on their way to realizing their vision of bringing rare, unconventional, and beautiful species into the hands (and living rooms) of Paris’ flower lovers. From plants with heart-shaped leaves and gilded buds to those that survive on nothing but air, they have something in their cabinet of floral curiosities to bring a smile of amazement to anyone’s face.

10. Aquaphyte

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Adrien Bénard is another Parisian florist who has become infatuated with the art of Kokedama. ‘I fell in love with my first Kokedama in the Shibuya district of Tokyo while on a research trip,’ he writes on his website, describing the object of his affections as ‘a sphere of moss, a transcendent plant, a landscape in miniature.’ Find Bénard’s creations at the Aquaphyte boutique in Colombes, which is just a 12-minute train ride from Saint-Lazare, and at various concept stores in central Paris.

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