Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann : Story of a Famous Parisian Shop

The company founded in Paris in December 1893 is today both an iconic monument of the capital, with a world-wide reputation and welcoming more than 100,000 visitors per day over an area of 70,000 square meters.

Opened in 1894, the modest shop was quickly a great success.

On the facade of the building, several styles demonstrating the successive enlargements of the store: Haussmann, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and the drugstore spirit of the 1960s. At the center of this unique heritage property is the neo-byzantine dome, the heart of this theater of fashion.

This guided tour will take you through the aisles of the store, cross the emblematic spaces of the place and take the staff private elevators to the panoramic terrace.

You will understand how the founders invented an architecture adapted to the needs of commerce. Borrowed from the architectural vocabulary of the sacred as well as that of the spectacle, the dome, the balconies and the monumental staircase turn the heads of visitors. Your guide will tell you the history of the majestic dome and the hidden message behind the 10 coats of arms which surmount the pillars of the great hall.

You will then use the staff elevators to access the top floor. Continue your journey through the floors, discover the ingenious system of operation of the double wall of the dome and the remains of the staircase of Louis Majorelle.

An architectural and historical visit which will make you discover more than 120 years of history of a family busine.