Le Bon Marché VAT refund: how to claim your tax refund in Paris
Eligible non-EU residents can easily claim a VAT refund on purchases made at Le Bon Marché in Paris. While the department store offers its own tax refund service, you can also use Zapptax for a more flexible process.
Request the correct invoice when you shop, add your invoices to the app and combine them with purchases from other French stores. Zapptax then manages your tax-free form digitally, although Customs validation remains mandatory when you leave the EU.
Shopping beyond Le Bon Marché? Compare the best department stores in Paris and plan your tax-free shopping trip.
Le Bon Marché VAT refund: what you need to know
- Eligibility: you must live outside the EU, be at least 16 years old and stay in France for less than six months.
- Invoice: to use Zapptax, request an invoice with the required Zapptax billing details when you make your purchase.
- Flexible threshold: invoices from Le Bon Marché can be combined with purchases from other French stores.
- Customs validation: your tax-free form must still be validated at Customs when you leave the EU. If France is your final departure point, this will usually be done through the PABLO kiosk.
Can you get a VAT refund at Le Bon Marché?
Yes. Eligible non-EU residents can claim a VAT refund on purchases made at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche in Paris.
The department store currently advertises a 12% tax refund and requires at least €100.01 of purchases in the same store. The refund must be requested on the day of purchase or within the following two calendar days. Travelers using the store's own service need to take their original passport and receipts to the Tax Refund Area on the 3rd floor.
To qualify for tax-free shopping in France, you must generally be at least 16 years old, normally live outside the European Union and be visiting France for less than six months. The goods must be exported in your personal luggage before the end of the third month following the month of purchase.
So, the traditional Le Bon Marché VAT refund is perfectly possible.
However, there is one limitation worth considering: the store's refund procedure is tied to your purchases at Le Bon Marché. If the department store is only one stop on a much bigger Paris shopping trip, using Zapptax can give you considerably more flexibility.
How to claim a VAT refund at Le Bon Marché with Zapptax?
Instead of asking the department store to generate its own tax-free form, you can use Zapptax as your VAT refund operator.
The main difference? You need to request the right VAT invoice when you shop.
Here is how the Le Bon Marché VAT refund process works with Zapptax.
Step 1: Create your Zapptax account
Download the Zapptax app and complete your profile.
If this is your first tax-free shopping procedure, our VAT refund France 2026 guide explains the full process.
Step 2: Ask for a VAT invoice at Le Bon Marché
Before paying, ask for an invoice issued to Zapptax's name and billing address.
Step 3: Upload your invoice
Take a clear picture of the full invoice and upload it to your trip in the Zapptax app.
Step 4: Get your tax-free form
Once your eligible purchases in France reach €100,01 in total, Zapptax can generate your tax-free form.
Purchases from different stores can be combined to reach this threshold.
Step 5: Validate your form when leaving the EU
Customs validation is mandatory.
If France is your final EU exit point, scan your form at a PABLO kiosk. If you leave the EU from another country, follow the local Customs procedure and keep your purchases accessible in case they need to be inspected.
Step 6: Receive your VAT refund
Once your form has been validated, Zapptax processes your refund using your selected payment method.
If your form was manually stamped by Customs, upload a photo of the stamped document in the app.
Why use Zapptax for your Le Bon Marché VAT refund?
The traditional Le Bon Marché VAT refund can be convenient if most of your shopping takes place under one roof. But Le Bon Marché is rarely the only shop on a Paris itinerary.
You may buy a bag there today, perfume near Saint-Germain tomorrow and another designer item across Avenue Montaigne later in your trip. With a store-by-store refund system, those purchases are treated separately. Zapptax is designed to consolidate eligible purchases made in the same country.
With Zapptax, you can:
- combine purchases from different retailer,
- dd eligible purchases made on different days during your trip in France,
- manage your invoices and tax-free documents directly from your phone,
- avoid using Le Bon Marché's tax refund desk for purchases you process through Zapptax,
- include online purchases, provided the invoicing, delivery and export requirements are respected,
- access a progressive refund rate, meaning the percentage of VAT refunded increases with your total eligible spend.
You can get back up to 90% of the VAT paid, depending on your total eligible spend. For purchases subject to France’s standard 20% VAT rate, that can represent up to 15% of the VAT-included purchase price.
Use our VAT refund France calculator to estimate how much you could receive.
Le Bon Marché tax refund vs Zapptax
If you are deciding between the traditional Le Bon Marché VAT refund and Zapptax, here is the simplest way to compare the two.
| Criteria | Le Bon Marché tax refund service | Zapptax |
|---|---|---|
| Purchases included | Purchases made in the same Le Bon Marché store | Purchases from different retailers in France |
| Combining purchases | Purchases made within the last 3 calendar days | Purchases made at different stores and on different dates during your trip |
| Minimum spend | €100.01 at Le Bon Marché | €100,01 across all your purchases in France |
| Process | Visit the in-store Tax Refund Area | Manage the VAT refund through the app |
| Passport / identity | Original passport required at the Tax Refund Area | Passport uploaded in the app, proof of non-EU residence may also be required |
| Online purchases | Only in-store purchases | Online purchases also qualify by using Zapptax’s billing details |
| Refund | 12% advertised by Le Bon Marché | Up to 15% of the VAT-included purchase price |
If you are making a single purchase and prefer Le Bon Marché to handle the tax-free paperwork, its in-store service can be a convenient option.
But if you are shopping across Paris, Zapptax gives you more flexibility.
Shopping at another iconic Paris department store? Discover how to claim your Galeries Lafayette VAT refund.
Can you get a Le Bon Marché VAT refund on online purchases?
Yes, online purchases can qualify with Zapptax. The order must be delivered to an address in France, for example, your hotel, Airbnb, a family member’s address, a pickup point or via Click & Collect.
When you place the order, enter the Zapptax billing details at checkout so they appear on the invoice.
Once you receive the invoice, upload it to your trip in the Zapptax app. You must then personally take the goods with you when you leave the EU and complete the required Customs validation.
If you plan to shop online, check our VAT refunds on online shopping guide before ordering so you use the correct billing details from the start.
What should you do before leaving the EU?
Whichever method you choose for your Le Bon Marché VAT refund, Customs validation is the step you cannot skip.
If you are leaving the European Union directly from France, go to the PABLO/Customs area before checking in luggage containing your tax-free purchases. Scan the barcode on your French tax-free form at the PABLO kiosk. If you receive successful electronic validation, the export is confirmed.
Keep your passport, travel documents and purchases accessible. Customs can ask to inspect the goods.
Flying home from Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome or another EU city after your trip to France? Your final EU exit point matters. If you leave the Union through another Member State, you need to print your tax-free form and have it manually stamped by Customs there.
How much can you get back on a Le Bon Marché purchase?
France's standard VAT rate is 20% on many fashion and luxury goods, but this does not mean you get 20% of the retail price back.
For example, a €1,200 purchase includes €200 of VAT.
With Le Bon Marché's advertised 12% refund, you would receive:
€1,200 × 12% = €144
With Zapptax, €1,200 of eligible purchases currently falls into the 80%-of-VAT tier:
€200 × 80% = €160
That is €16 more in this example.
For higher spending, Zapptax can refund up to 15% of the VAT-included purchase price on goods subject to 20% VAT, depending on your total eligible spend.
FAQ
Can I use Zapptax even though Le Bon Marché has its own tax refund service?
Yes. You can choose to use Zapptax instead of Le Bon Marché’s own tax refund service, but you cannot claim two VAT refunds for the same purchase. Zapptax is especially useful if you want to combine Le Bon Marché purchases with purchases from other French stores.
What if I forgot to request a Zapptax invoice at Le Bon Marché?
In France, a standard receipt is not enough to claim a VAT refund with Zapptax. Contact Le Bon Marché as soon as possible to ask whether a compliant invoice can still be issued, but keep in mind that this is not always possible. The safest option is to request the correct invoice at the time of purchase.
Can I claim a VAT refund on purchases from La Grande Épicerie?
Yes, you can claim a VAT refund on eligible La Grande Épicerie purchases with Zapptax. The goods must be new, unused, intended for personal use and taken with you when you leave the EU. This means food or other consumable products must not be consumed during your stay. You will need to request a separate invoice from La Grande Épicerie, billed to Zapptax, and upload it to the app. Invoices from La Grande Épicerie and Le Bon Marché can then be combined with your other eligible purchases in France.
Can I use Zapptax if I have an EU passport but live outside the EU?
Yes. VAT refund eligibility is based mainly on your usual place of residence, not your nationality. If you have an EU passport but live outside the EU, you may need to provide additional proof of your non-EU residence.
Can I validate my tax-free form outside France?
Yes. Your tax-free form must be validated at your final point of exit from the European Union. If you leave the EU from another country, follow the local Customs procedure there and, when required, bring a printed version of your tax-free form.
When will I receive my VAT refund?
In general, VAT refunds are received within a few weeks after Customs validation. The exact timing can vary depending on the selected payment method and processing time.
