Department stores in Paris

A walk through the department stores in Paris

There are 4 department stores in Paris: the Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV), the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, the Printemps Haussmann and the Bon Marché. All these stores were created between 1838 and 1893, they are the last survivors of a certain golden age of commerce. They have managed to survive all the changes in commerce by focusing on luxury and tourism, most of their customers are tourists from all over the world who come to find a certain image of France. In these temples of commerce you can find all the big luxury brands. Since a few years the restaurant business is becoming more and more important in these department stores. The visit can also be a fantastic culinary experience. Be careful, there are always a lot of people in the aisles and the visit is exhausting.

Interest: ratingvery good (1 user)
Difficulty: difficulty
Duration: 5 h.
Departure point (Google Maps)

Le Printemps

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Le Printemps

An alley of Le Printemps

An alley of Le Printemps
You can find a little bit of everything in the department stores, but there are a lot of clothes.

The restaurants at Printemps

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The restaurants at Printemps
You can easily eat in department stores, the best products are available. The price is in line with the quality.

View of Paris from the Printemps

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View of Paris from the Printemps
By going up to the top floor you can access a small terrace with a dazzling view of Paris. Not to be missed.

Galeries Lafayette

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Galeries Lafayette
Galeries Lafayette is located right next to Printemps. Beautiful store, there is a lot of waiting to be able to go on the footbridge.

the famous dome of the Galeries Lafayette

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the famous dome of the Galeries Lafayette
This is a magnificent piece of architecture typical of Art Nouveau, the architectural style in vogue in Paris in the 1900s. The dome dates from 1912.

The alleys of Galeries Lafayette

The alleys of Galeries Lafayette
Of course, you have to try to avoid the busy periods, the aisles are quite narrow. The store receives more than 10,000 visitors a day.

The Galeries Lafayette stands

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The Galeries Lafayette stands
All the big luxury brands have their little stand to display their products.

Le Bon Marché

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Le Bon Marché
Le Bon Marché is not located next to the other department stores. It is the most pleasant of the stores, the aisles are more spacious.

Restaurant at Le Bon Marché

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Restaurant at Le Bon Marché
You can eat in the alleys of the Bon Marché.

The BHV

The BHV
The BHV is located next to the City Hall, it is the least touristy of the department stores, it is more interesting for Parisians who can find products they can't find elsewhere.

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