Paris is known to be a city of high fashion. Just walk down any street and a parisien or parisienne will be decked out in bold scarves and skinny jeans, looking ready for a night out or a day at the Musée de l’Orangerie. Appropriately, on the very boulevard that dons his name in the 9e arrondissement of Paris, is one of the city’s prime examples of style and opulence: the Galeries Lafayette. This enormous mall was founded in 1894 and features a dizzying art nouveau cupola and floors upon floors of fashion. The glass and steel dome reminds you of the classic old-world elegance that peppers all of France’s buildings. It was designed by architect Georges Chedanne and his student, Ferdinand Chanut. Together, they built a Mecca for shopping for the everyday chic-seeker to the luxury jetsetter.
It’s hard to imagine Paris without the artistic touch of Georges-Eugène Haussmann. Better known as Baron Haussmann, this prefect of the Seine department of Paris was chosen by Napoleon III to do a massive public works overhaul of Paris in the mid-1800s. It resulted in grand boulevards, wide open spaces, and the glistening architecture that we immediately recognize as Paris: the historic and the modern.
The flagship store displays 70,000 square meters of retail space displaying over 3,500 global brands. They have a wide selection of tax-free goods, currency exchange office, beauty and wellness products, and even a personal shopper to help you find that something special. (It’s not hard, when everything at this superstore is something to be remembered.) The 3 main buildings house 25 restaurants, too, so you’ll enjoy spending the whole day lounging, shopping, and eating.
Around the holidays, there’s a beautiful window display to give you a sneak peak of the wonder that lies within. Plus, there are free fashion shows for visitors. The building is open every day from 9:30am to 8:30pm and on Sundays from 11am to 7pm. Even if you’re not in Paris, you can find Galeries Lafayette all over the world. Check them out in Berlin, Beijing, Milan, and more!
40 boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris
Tel.. +33 (0) 1 42 82 34 56
[email protected]
http://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/
