Anyone know of a nice Leica shop in Paris? Thanks!

Anam

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

La Maison du Leica
52, boulevard Beaumarchais
75011 Paris
Tel: 01 43 55 24 36

Several smaller dealers in the same street. New prices in France are higher than in the US, second hand is lower for lenses but not for bodies.

-- Roger (roger@photo.net), April 25, 2002.

I found that prices of LEica in France are a lot higher than they are in UK, both new and used.

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), April 25, 2002.

The M7 is 2849$ while the M6 goes for 2600$. You can have the VAT back if you don't belong to the E.U. Grey market is almost non-existent here in France. The address above is a good place for Leicas. Get yourself "Paris Photo", a small and an interesting journal on international photography. It's in french and english. Have a good trip.

-- H. Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), April 25, 2002.

Thanks - do you know if you can get the VAT discount, as a US citizen?

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), April 25, 2002.

Yes, VAT (19,6%) will be returned to you at the airport when you leave. Also, nobody pays list price in France (unless you buy it from FNAC, the worst seller); just ask nicely and you get 10% off, if you are realy nice you can get 15% off. It's standard practice.

-- Roger (roger@photo.net), April 25, 2002.

I highly recommend Maison du Leica, Blvd Beaumarchais in Paris. The prices quoted above don't take into account discounts that you can get by negotiating. Last Fall I picked up a new Noctilux for almost $300 less than the US grey market price.

-- Mitch Alland (malland@mac.com), April 25, 2002.

Roger, does your post insinuate that if you are a very nice person you can purchase a new M7 for $2,849 less 15% less 19.6% VAT for a total of $1,947.00? I am heading that way, if your figures are correct an M7 would be very tempting.

-- Richard (wpcdallas@aol.com), April 25, 2002.

Richard,

Yes, it's standard practice but, right now, it applies to everything BUT the M7, despite the fact that they are widely available here.

The problem is that M6TTL stocks are pretty high and not moving at all, so you will have to wait two or three months before it starts to apply to the M7. By then, M7 prices are expected to drop to M6TTL levels.

-- Roger (roger@photo.net), April 25, 2002.

Roger,
I've been buying Leica products for some years now but have never heard of this practice. Anyway it's nice to know this and I hope it applies to other cities than Paris only. Salut.

-- H. Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), April 25, 2002.

Richard,
I seriously doubt if you can get an M7 for $1,947 in 6 months or even in a year or two.
1947$ is just 14000 francs and I would seriously challenge Roger on this.
Cheers.

-- H. Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), April 25, 2002.

Thanks everyone, I will drop by Maison Leica on Saturday.

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), April 25, 2002.

Mr. Gurung

US$1916 is the current street price for the M6TTL at blv Beaumarchais. We should add to it 19,6% for the sales tax (TVA).

If you are paying more than that, I seriously encourage you to negociate your next acquisitions.

All Leica dealers are saying(least to me) that the M7 price will drop to M6TTL level as soon as the old stock has gone.

If you want to check the current discounted price including sales tax, please read this page: http://www.lemoyenformat.fr/Neuf/PTFT.htm

-- Roger (roger@photo.net), April 25, 2002.

Just to clarify, the above mentioned price is equivalent of the Public List Price minus 10%.

-- Roger (roger@photo.net), April 25, 2002.

Well the link says 2279 $ for those living in the France or the E.U. (with the VAT). This sale's on this site since the M7's been around.
When the M7 goes down to $1916, I'll surely take the TGV to Paris. Anyway thanks for the info.
Bonsoir

-- H. Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), April 25, 2002.

Watch out: you never get full VAT credit. I am french and currently leave in the US, so I get VAT credit for all major purchases I do in France. Most of the time you will get anywhere between 12% and 14% back, rarely more. Shops policy. You should call them in advance to double check with them how much you will recover. Besides, given the front price of Leica equipment in France, I am not sure it is worth buying it over there, even if you get 10% discount and, say, 15% VAT back. Plus I don't think you get the same warranty as in the US. My guess is you can buy it in the US and break even with the purchase of the plane ticket (and get the passport warranty) for the same price as in France.

-- Marc A. Pilgrem (mpilgrem@hotmail.com), April 25, 2002.

I don't understand the last posting because, when the shop fills out the VAT refund voucher, the amount of VAT to be refunded is shown on the form. Don't let this deter you from buying at Maison du Leice where, Jean-Marc I think is his name is very helpful. The only real problem is that the VAT counter at CDG Airport is often very crowded, often unpleasantly so; therefore, you have to leave yourself a lot of time to get the VAT voucher stamped at the airport. However, if you're traveling to another EC country, then you get the VAT voucher stamped in the last EC country before going back to the States. Heathrow in London in much more convenient and faster for doing this.

-- Mitch Alland (malland@mac.com), April 26, 2002.