The weak dollar may have put the kibosh on your summer trip to Paris, but that’s no reason to skip a season’s worth of Gallic style. Shopping in New York for French brands can give a sense of direction to an afternoon (or day) of browsing and, inevitably, buying. But cross-cultural exchange can take on many looks, from French-perfumed Uptown polish to Left Bank-SoHo chic.

RELATED: French Shopping Guide.

While some French brands have locations both north and south of 14th Street, the downtown versions tend to be smaller and easier to shop, whereas the Midtown flagships are as vast and trafficked as MoMA. And while the mutli-label stores in both areas carry the heavy hitters and newcomers alike, there’s a big difference between Bergdorf Goodman and Kirna Zabête.

For those headed downtown, shopping French means starting at an icon: Chanel. From its location at the corner of Wooster and Spring streets, a shopper need only walk a few blocks in any direction to see some of the best from the Paris runways. On a recent visit, a few pieces from the fall 2008 collections had landed, and the runway show played on a large screen, but the surprise was a discrete area neatly lined with a few items on sale. A thoroughly pleasant salesperson made me feel unabashed about browsing the sale rack, and agreed that sometimes you can hit the jackpot — as I did in short order with a pair of platform sandals.

Just up from Chanel on Wooster Street is Costume National, an edgy Italian brand that shows in Paris, and Barbara Bui, a French label that is all about powerful femininity. Ms. Bui’s slim-cut pants and fur capelets shown on the runway were still to arrive at the shop, but her signature balance between elegance and extremity was in full evidence. (And the sale rack here was also nothing to sneeze at.)

One street over is the SoHo outpost of Louis Vuitton, which has exposed brick and salespeople who smile. When asked about a cream sheath dress, a salesperson chatted with as much enthusiasm as a sommelier talking about wine. The design was based on a dress in the fall-winter 2008 collection, but it was made with lighter fabric and fewer embellishments for the pre-fall group. And, she added, Kate Moss was recently photographed in the dress.

The buoyant mood continues down Greene Street, which is lined with the eclecticism of Agnès B, the simplicity of Anne Fontaine, and the giddy-with-fashion atmosphere at Kirna Zabête, a multi-label boutique that is loaded with French brands including Lanvin, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci, Giambattista Valli, and Rick Owens. At the southern end of this enclave, there are luxury handbags of all sizes to be scooped up at Longchamp. Just a short walk south is Opening Ceremony, where you can find the inventive label Lutz, which is so sharp and sexy it’s hard to believe that it’s not made in New York.

Though the stereotype is that the smaller, eclectic shops downtown carry a wider variety of labels and take more risks than the fashion-forward department stores uptown, there is a vibrant mix in both areas. The major department stores stock more brands from the top of the fashion spectrum — Valentino, Givenchy, John Paul Gaultier — but they also give space to interesting Parisian brands at prices that cause slightly less heart failure. Bergdorf Goodman carries the alluring Rue du Mail and a wide selection of Chloe. Andrew Gn is well represented by his finely tailored pieces made in delicate materials and intricate detail. Henri Bendel has a number of pieces by Anne Valérie Hash — whose clothes have a dreamy, creative feel — as well as striking numbers from Alexander McQueen. Barneys New York has a dizzying array of designers, including the only stash of Sophia Kokosalaki I’ve found in town. But these shops have such a distinctly New York feel that the nationality of the brands is overwhelmed by the retail environment. What’s more, the canyons of space devoted to Diane von Furstenburg and Marc Jacobs — uptown and downtown — suggest that the supply of American sportswear dwarfs everything else.

So where is the heart of Paris in New York? Though 57th Street is home to Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent, the staffs at these flagships seem poised for gawkers and tourists willing to buy only branded key chains.

There is a much stronger French vibe to be found while walking up Madison Avenue, starting at Celine near 61st Street. There’s a subdued mood here that contrasts with the aggressive, sport-couture designed by Ivana Omazic. The quiet, though, lends itself to talking: When I asked about a fabric, a saleswoman gave a welcome lesson in double-face wool — and I had to leave before I blew the rent on a sheath dress.

Continuing up the avenue, I encountered a similar respect for quality, and a sense of pride along the way. At Hermès, the only place where I heard a word of French spoken, I had a long conversation about fragrances and was advised to let the scent stay on for a day before making a decision. At Roger Vivier, a savvy saleswoman chatted not only about the luxurious shoes and accessories, but the African art and decor of the shop.

In Sonia Rykiel, I asked an employee if the lower-priced line, Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, was in the shop; Henri Bendel carries a few pieces, and I wanted to see more. Not at all dismissive, she expressed regret that they had only one sweater, and said that there’s been so much interest that she hoped more would arrive. She encouraged me to look around anyway and, as at Chanel, there was no evident snobbery when I went straight to the sale rack that boasted a 60% reduction. At Yves Saint Laurent, a handsome salesman and I discussed how frequently the images from the fall-winter 2008 show — which featured models in jet-black bowl cuts — have shown up in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and most other fashion magazines. And how YSL bags are now ubiquitous. Across the street, the chipper Brazilian clerk at Chloé casually told me everything about the types of leather in the shoes and handbags.

Maybe they’re all turning on the charm in fear of the economy, but by many accounts, fall sales were strong and showed little sign of slowing down. Which might make a certain amount of sense: Until the dollar rebounds, New York is the place to buy French fashion.