Paris Bike Shops?

[davep]

After almost a week of museums and galleries we've got a sitter for the kid and its time to wander around some bike shops. But I have a list of about 75 shops here in Paris and need some advice about which ones ones are worth it. Not interested in stuff I can find at home, so historic, traditional shops are high on the list, as is anything else unique to France. Thanks in advance.

[dbrk]

The finest shop still in business is Alex Singer, which has been run by Ernest Csuka now for more than 30 years.
53, Rue Victor Hugo
92300 Levallois
which is techically not in Paris but you can take the Metro and walk just a few blocks.
This same area is where Rene Herse also used to be, though that is now sadly gone.

Rando-Cycles is fun if you are interested in randonneuring bikes. Rando-Cycles 9 rue Fernand Fourreau
75012 PARIS Métro Porte de Vincennes tél : 01 43 41 18 10
Paul Dolomes is the owner and he speaks perfect English.

dbrk

[davep]

dbrk,

Thanks for the info. I had wanted to visit Alex Singer, but from the address thought he was not near Paris. My friend and I ended up going to both Rando Cycles and Alex Singer. Rando Cycles was closed due one of the owners being at a bike show, but the other owner (who I assumed to be Paul Dolomes as he spoke excellent, almost native, English) saw us looking at the windows and came out and spoke to us for quite a while. The bikes in the windows were beautiful and included singles, tandems, a triple and recumbents. All built at Rando Cycles.

At Alex Singer, Ernest Csuka was also at the bike show, but his secretaire was extemely pleasant and gracious. We looked and drooled at the bikes on display, and got a tour of the workshop. It sure doesn't take a lot of space to build a bike. We saw a bike all boxed up and ready to ship to Japan, and saw your name on a very short list of American customers. I wanted to buy a hat and water bottle as a souvenir, but she would not take my money and gave them to me, and to my friend. All in all the best stop in Paris.