Hi Jürgen

>So where is a better place than asking in the French Café?
Indeed!

Well France is quite a big country, so where do want to look at?
Paris? I do know a bit the city and I can provide you some hints on good places.

The first one would be the shops you can found at Boulevard Beaumarchais. Its in the 3rd arrondissement which extend from Place de la République to Place de la Bastille. This boulevard is well known to French and Paris photographers and is known to all as the "Photographer Boulevard".

Every time I go visiting my family in Paris, I go to the Boulevard for a "shopping" walk are they leave nearby.

Here a "Visite Guidée" in French, listing some shops found in this boulevard:
http://www.revoirfoto.com/pr/?pg=4&c=3&lg

The ones I like for Nikon gear are:
* Cirque Photo (big shop for new gear)
http://www.lecirque.fr

* Odéon Occasions Photo (quite nice for used).
http://www.odeon-occasions.com

They are other well-known shops in Paris, like:
* La Boutique Nikon, in the 17th arrondissement, selling only Nikon gear so ideal for Nikonians suffering of severe NAS
http://www.laboutiquenikon.com

* Photo Suffren from the name of the street in 7th arrondissement
http://www.photosuffren.com

* A nice shop would be also Europ Photo Cine Son in the 10th arrondissement
http://www.prichoc.com


And speaking about French, you have very nice shops in Belgium too especially in Brussels

PCH, Photo Cine House is my favourite reseller.
http://www.pch.be
One of the best shop in Brussels. It's where I buy all my new gear.
We are Pol and I talking about it:
http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=222&topic_id=543&mesg_id=543&page=

Campion & Campion Second Hand Shop
http://www.annuaire-photo-video.be/campion.html
Where I buy all my used gear. I even prefer Campion for used gear than second hand shops listed above in Paris! Michel Campion as more than 40 years of experience in second hand. A real living encyclopaedia. Also Campion Second Hand Shop has the a repair facility for "old" gear.

And last there is Double You
http://www.doubleyoubxl.be


Hope this will be OK for a starter

Cheers,
Horus
Photography is a joy, happy shooting
My Nikonians Gallery

The Nikonians Team
Please visit & enjoy The French Café