Buying cigars France/ Europe

[loose_axle]

Just curious if anyone on here knows where a good place to pick up Cubans is over in France/ Europe? 

I'm keen to try pick up some QDO 52s as I like the other lineups in the brand and toro's are a favourite size. A mate of mine is flying into Paris next month, spending a few days there and then will be going to spend a fortnight in Holland and a couple of days in Germany and Austria before heading to Italy. 

He said he's willing to hit up any cigar store I can recommend to try find them so does anyone have an idea where would be worthwhile for him to try? (I've already said to him there's a drought and even the better stores probs won't have them but he told me he likes a challenge)

[Yigal]

I just got back from a trip to Italy. I went to many Tabachi shops where they sold cigars. Zero inventory. I was lucky to find a Casa del Habano in Milan that had ok inventory with limited choices. I didn’t see any QDO’s there, but you can try. Good luck!

Luca Borla - Casa del Habano
Via Anfossi, 28 - 20135 Milano
Tel.: +39 02 59900973

[Tdm_86]

Stock over here in The Netherlands is practically non existent, he could try the LCDH’s. But I’m afraid that, as far as full boxes go, there’s not much beyond ‘lesser cigars’. Haven’t seen QDO in over a year, not even as singles. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Europe is a big place.  I'd pop in all the famous places like JJ Fox, Dunhill, Portmann, Hajenus, Gerard's...

[loose_axle]

Thanks all for the replies and I'll let him know. If worst comes to worst I've got him picking up some non cubans I like but you can't get here at all. 

[Vuelta-Perilla]

Not easy at all to reply, since the market is now quite the same all over the world : it evolve very quickly. I mean, for example, last week some shops in France get some boxes of Montecristo A, those were sold in a flashlight time. Another example is there can be a batch of Qdo delivered in shops all over the country, but no one can know in advance when there will be some more, and where they will be avaiable. It needs a bit of luck so, but finding some Qdo actually in France is not impossible. Can have better chances to find in some little towns than big cities sometimes...

[Çnote]

1. Awesome friend 

2. Unfortunately I'd defer to Google Maps. I had a buddy run thru Germany a couple of months ago and he found nothing of note for sale. He scooped up a double handful of various singles, but virtually no boxes. I heard the same from a chum in France, his usual sources rarely call with stock updates and never with what he prefers, and he's a influential guy with 20 years of history at his vendors; was accustomed to twice a month automatic shipments, now he hits me up for NC. If he can parlay, I'm sure he'll find something of interest, but I wouldn't count on a shopping list to be fufilled. I might even go so far as to call ahead and have packages paid for and delivered to his hotel etc, esp if it's a nice hotel. Good luck!

[bergstrom]

I had great luck in Switzerland at LCDH Zurich last summer, but that was last summer… aside from JJ fox and Davidoff of London shops were pretty barren across the board. I just called ahead and asked shops if they had what I was looking for and still made out pretty decent all things considering. 

[gustavehenne]

I've been in Switzerland last week and the stores are well stocked. Try the main vendors out in Geneva or Nyon. 

[loose_axle]

Thanks to all again for the Reponses. I'll check if he's going to Switzerland otherwise I'll see who I can dial in the places he's going. 

@Çnote he's a ripper mate but in all fairness he's never paid for a cigar so far in his life whilst he's been mates with me so there's a lot in it for him  

[LordAnubis]

I still have dreams of “la cave” or something it was in Charles de Gaul airport. It was like a cigar shop where every single box was opened. I was opening and looking at boxes and every single one of them was PSP and then some. I asked how they could have such good cigars and they said they inspect everything and make sure the good stuff is on the shelf hence all open boxes. It was so good. Doubt they have anything on shelves now. 

[BrightonCorgi]

53 minutes ago, LordAnubis said:

I still have dreams of “la cave” or something it was in Charles de Gaul airport. It was like a cigar shop where every single box was opened. I was opening and looking at boxes and every single one of them was PSP and then some. I asked how they could have such good cigars and they said they inspect everything and make sure the good stuff is on the shelf hence all open boxes. It was so good. Doubt they have anything on shelves now. 

I have the most epic box of Lanceros from that Duty Free.

[Çnote]

8 hours ago, loose_axle said:

Thanks to all again for the Reponses. I'll check if he's going to Switzerland otherwise I'll see who I can dial in the places he's going. 

@Çnote he's a ripper mate but in all fairness he's never paid for a cigar so far in his life whilst he's been mates with me so there's a lot in it for him  

Switzerland may be your best shot if you use the 'send to hotel' plan. I've done this with success, albeit with very nice hotels and preCovid. The Swiss know how to take care of a client.

[bates40]

A La Civet has a great supply but one has to dig through the shelves without a lot of customer service. 

Le Lotus is the opposite, small selection but great service. 

 

[yadegari6]

Geneva duty free. Trinidad and smaller cohibas are stacking up in every shop I visited in Germany/Switzerland/France. The supply overall has improved since I visited in September but some shops are still pretty much completely empty aside from Trinidad 

[Rhinoww]

On 5/1/2023 at 9:19 AM, LordAnubis said:

I still have dreams of “la cave” or something it was in Charles de Gaul airport. It was like a cigar shop where every single box was opened. I was opening and looking at boxes and every single one of them was PSP and then some. I asked how they could have such good cigars and they said they inspect everything and make sure the good stuff is on the shelf hence all open boxes. It was so good. Doubt they have anything on shelves now. 

I have five hours for a connection there in a week. I’ll see what I can find …

[X-Man]

Buddy of mine will be in Switzerland for family summer vacation at the end of this month and spend a week in Geneva and Zurich. I want to ask him for a favor to help pick up some cigars. Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated. 

[shokao]

I'm going to Porto, Lisbon and Paris in September. Lots of Paris recommendations here and I was wondering if you guys can give me directions or tips about Porto and Lisbon.

[BrightonCorgi]

1 hour ago, X-Man said:

Buddy of mine will be in Switzerland for family summer vacation at the end of this month and spend a week in Geneva and Zurich. I want to ask him for a favor to help pick up some cigars. Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated. 

Not cigar related, but definitely worth stopping in for shopping while in Zurich.  A must visit any time I am there.  A real treat and experience.

https://osswald.ch/

 

[X-Man]

11 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Not cigar related, but definitely worth stopping in for shopping while in Zurich.  A must visit any time I am there.  A real treat and experience.

https://osswald.ch/

Thanks for sharing. This should make his wife happy and hope that will give him more time for cigar shopping.

[BrightonCorgi]

11 hours ago, X-Man said:

Thanks for sharing. This should make his wife happy and hope that will give him more time for cigar shopping.

LCDH and another cigar shop (that's better) are right near by.

[X-Man]

Friend came back from Switzerland and he swept up what was left on the shelves.

[MossybackR]

What’s with the cellophane?

[subport]

On 7/14/2023 at 11:34 AM, shokao said:

I'm going to Porto, Lisbon and Paris in September. Lots of Paris recommendations here and I was wondering if you guys can give me directions or tips about Porto and Lisbon.

Hi. Both has LCDH, don´t have info regarding stock... will be in Lisbon in October, so you will tell me by then haha