Visiting the best department stores in Paris is a must when traveling to the French capital. Even if it’s to window shop, you’ll find inspiration, history, and beautiful architecture in each of the major department stores, or Le Grand Magasins, in Paris. For many tourists around the world, visiting the major department stores in Paris are just as important as visiting the Eiffel Towerthe Louvre, and Arc de Triomphe.

Below is your guide to the five major department stores in Paris and what to expect from each of them.

 

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1. Galeries Lafayette

Address: 40 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France | map
Metro: Chaussée d’Antin — La Fayette; Lines 7 & 9

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With its large dome and spectacular architecture, Galeries Lafayette welcomes more than 50,000 visitors daily for a unique Parisian shopping experience. This iconic Paris department store that dates back to 1912 is impressive outside as it is inside. Galeries Lafayette is 70,000 square meters and takes a large block of the famous Boulevard Haussmann, it is one of the biggest department stores in the world. Inside, you’ll be in awe with its Art Nouveau style and majestic crown, the glass dome of steel 43 meters high.

Galeries Lafayette is sure to provide a fantastic shopping experience. You will have high-end fashion, homewares, and lifestyle brands inside the department store. In addition to the shops devoted to designer clothes for men and women, large sections are dedicated to cosmetics, electronics, jewelry, and more. In addition, a separate building in this department store, called Lafayette Maison et Gourmet, houses the best restaurants and food stores with delicious international flavors.

 

Highlights from Galeries Lafayette:

Shopping

You’ll find some of the high-end luxury brands at Galeries Lafayette: Armani, Balenciaga, Burberry, Bulgari, Calvin Klein, Céline, Chanel, Christian Dior, Chloé, Givenchy, Hermès, Isabel Marant, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, Prada.

Women’s Fashion

Accessories, Clothing, Lingerie, Shoes, Beauty, Fragrance, Skincare

Men’s

Clothing, Shoe Department, Accessories, Beauty, Fragrance, Skincare

Children’s

Clothing, Leisure, Toys, Books, Childcare

Wellness Galeries Lafayette

The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann Wellness Gallery is the perfect place to cultivate your inner and outer well-being and find a physiological, energetic, and emotional balance. The department store launched its 3000 square meter space this year dedicated to the holistic care of sport and relaxation, manual therapies, and well-being.

Services

Some of the services offered at Galeries Lafayette: include alterations, personal shopping, delivery of purchases (including international), dry cleaning, jewelry and timepieces workshop, shoe repair, valet parking, and more.

Guided Heritage Tour

The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann offers a guided tour of this historic and symbolic place on two Saturdays a month. This tour offered outside opening hours for an intimate and exclusive discovery of the Department Store. The meeting will take you on a journey through the early 19th century across a unique art nouveau-style architecture highlighting an exceptional Savoir Faire and strolling through its shelves, stained glass dome, and backstage.

Cooking Classes

Galeries Lafayette is one of the few Parisian department stores offering workshops to its students to master French culinary savoir-faire. Students will learn iconic French recipes, from savory dishes to sweet treats, alongside some of Paris’ most accomplished chefs.

Restaurants

Galeries Lafayette is more than just a place of history, fashion, and gastronomy. This Paris department store offers a variety of cuisines such as traditional French dishes, Asian, and fine dining.

 

2. Le Bon Marché

Address: 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, France | map
Metro: Sèvres – Babylone; Lines 10, 12

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Le Bon Marché is the oldest department store in the world, if not the first department store in the world. Located in the 6th arrondissement, this famous department store founded in 1838 has undergone significant renovations throughout its history. The place now offers a wide selection of high-end products in fashion, food, and household items.

There is no doubt that Le Bon Marché is one of the most spectacular places to shop in Paris. Extended by Gustave Eiffel, it brings together many points of sale and spaces surmounted by glass roofs and Art Deco escalators. Be sure to cross the street to visit La Grande Épicerie de Paris, the culinary branch of the department store.

This Parisian department store is situated in the Invalides district, a stone’s throw from the iconic Eiffel Tower. This district is also home to the Musée d’Orsay, Notre Dame, Napoleon’s tomb, the Parliament, and the headquarters of UNESCO. This district is also home to some of the best restaurants in Paris and weekend markets, where families, diplomats, and politicians mingle with tourists who come to admire this picturesque neighborhood.

A few highlights from Le Bon Marché:

  • One of the best Parisian department stores to find teas, cookies, jams, chocolate, etc., if you want to bring a bit of Paris home with you.
  • Many top-notch selections of French and international brands in prêt-à-porter such as Louis Vuitton, Céline, Chloé, etc.
  • The food and wine selection at La Grande Epicerie is fantastic, with fresh produce, meat, baked goods, and an extensive range of dry and canned goods. If you like food shopping as I do, you can easily spend a lot of time wandering around the aisles.

 

3. BHV Le Marais

Address: 52 Rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris, France | map
Metro: Hôtel de Ville; Lines 1, 11

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BHV Le Marais is one of the busiest department stores in Paris, where shoppers can find more than 900 popular brands. BHV Le Marais was founded near the Hotel de Ville at the center of Paris in the 1850s. According to legend, BHV was called the Bazar in Hotel Ville and was founded at a fascinating time. In 1852 Xavier Ruel moved into Paris with his wife and started to sell goods in a store labeled “Bazar Parlay.” In an 1855 legend, Ruel saved Emperor Napoleon’s Wife when their horse became scared near the store. She gave him money for the store that eventually became BHV.

BHV Homme is also the only one of Paris’ four major department stores open daily. It is directly across the Hotel de Ville metro stop and is within a five-minute walk from the Centre Pompidou and other historic city sites. BHV Le Marais also has its metro station, which leads to the basement entrance of the hardware department. The department store is full of bricolage, of course.

Still, you can find gorgeous old-fashioned pieces of domestic equipment, like wooden-backed scrubbing brushes and clothes pegs, which our mother used to make into mini princesses with bits of leftover fabric, lace, and ribbon.

BHV Highlights:

  • Check out the rooftop bar of BHV, Le Perchoir. Perched on the most unusual roof of the Marais, with a magnificent view of Paris, Le Perchoir welcomes you with its exceptional cocktails and snacks!

 

4. Printemps Haussmann

Address: 64 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France | map
Metro: Havre – Caumartin; Lines 3, 9

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Au Printemps is a stunning department store in Paris, adorned in Art Nouveau architecture, that offers designer clothing, cosmetics, and accessories for men and women. The exterior is well decorated with pleasant little music. The interior is vast and well-organized, and the people there are amicable and always ready to help. I recommend it to anyone who goes there to explore every floor. It features six restaurants and its famous rooftop terrace boasting unbeatable panoramic views across Paris.

Le Printemps highlights:

  • Le Déli-cieux.On the 9th floor of this fabulous store is a well-kept secret. It’s a delicious upscale Hamburger place with a 360-degree view of Paris.
  • Seven floors, all well laid out and spotless with some great bargains.