Galeries Lafayette is not just for shopping. You also go there to enjoy breathtaking beauty and luxury. Its several buildings make it a must in Paris, not only for its shop windows, with 1,200 stores of all the brands you can imagine, but also for its glass dome and terrace, with unique views of the French capital.
- History of the Lafayette building, a store next to the Paris Opera
- Highlights: the dome and the free rooftop terrace with views of the Eiffel Tower
- Galeries Lafayette’s sections: three buildings in one
- Which stores and brands can be found at Galeries Lafayette: 1,200 stores
- Opening hours, how to get there and tips when visiting
History of the Lafayette building, a store next to the Paris Opera
Few can imagine when visiting the department store that Lafayette was created in 1883 in a small 70-m2 store opened by two cousins, Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn.
It was a privileged location and the owners arranged the store so that you had to go through different sections. Soon, the store was full of goods and people and in 1896 the owners purchased the entire building in which it was located, and then took over several more blocks on Boulevard Haussmann.
Bader was responsible for the first renovations because he wanted to create a luxury bazaar and in 1912 Lafayette was already sporting a spectacular design with a monumental staircase, inspired by the Opera, and the 43-metre-high dome that is a symbol of the department store.
His main innovation was to create his own brand that democratised haute couture with pieces that were only made for Galeries Lafayette and which copied the great designs. The store thus expanded its clientèle to those with lower income.
It overcame the crisis of 1929 and the Nazi occupation and modernised after World War II, innovating both in architecture and commercial strategies with, for example, the inauguration in 1951 of the highest escalator in Europe.
In the 1960s, young designers launched their famous ready-to-wear lines and each season Galeries Lafayette would showcase those talents with their designs in its windows. Sonia Rykiel, Daniel Hechter, Pierre Cardin, Cacharel and Yves Saint-Laurent, among others, were featured in its windows.
Highlights: the dome and the free rooftop terrace with views of the Eiffel Tower
Galeries Lafayette is one of the most visited places in Paris thanks to its architecture and design. In fact, a guided tour outside opening hours takes place every weekend to reveal the secrets of this iconic store, including the famous Art Nouveau dome erected in 1912.
The dome’s stained glass windows designed by master craftsman Jacques Gruber are one of the department store’s main attractions, along with the grand staircase and the gilded ironwork of the balconies fashioned by Louis Majorelle.
You can access it through the third floor and going along a 9-metre glass walkway suspended in mid-air so that you enjoy more of the central part of the dome, with an incredible view of the department store.
You need to make a reservation to cross the Glasswalk. Every Friday, the time slots for the following week are released.
Another of Lafayette’s most visited places is its terrace overlooking the Garnier Opera, the Eiffel Tower and even the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The best thing is that it is free of charge.
Galeries Lafayette’s sections: three buildings in one
This historic site is not a single structure but is divided into three different buildings along the boulevard: the iconic Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, plus Galeries Lafayette Homme and Galeries Lafayette La Maison & Gourmet.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is where you can see the fashion boutiques of major brands and the famous dome, an icon of Art Nouveau, in a unique building full of details such as the Louis Majorelle balustrades that decorate its seven floors.
Connected by a glass walkway is Galeries Lafayette Homme which is dedicated entirely to men, giving access to four floors and more than 500 brands.
La Maison & Gourmet, opposite the department store, is dedicated to home and gastronomy, with a delicatessen market, a wine cellar, a gourmet shop and some restaurants that form a food court.
Lafayette’s latest addition is the Wellness Galerie, which has opened in the basement of the main building and has 3,000 square metres dedicated to wellness.
Which stores and brands can be found at Galeries Lafayette: 1,200 stores
The answer to which brands are at Lafayette is easy: all of them. With more than 1,200 stores and 3,500 domestic and international brands spread across several buildings, you are likely to find everything you want.
Dior, Balenciaga, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Prada are displayed in the shop windows together with other more affordable brands such as H&M, Nike and Levi’s.
If you walk through the various sections, you will find Galeries Lafayette’s own collections plus childrensware, bookshops and even budding designers who make their way to the place that drives the fashion revolution.
Yves Saint Laurent combines with Closed, Isabel Marant or Chiara Ferragni, among others.
The beauty section includes exquisite brands such as K‑Beauty, Ouai, Lancôme, Nars, Shiseido, Estée Lauder, Crème de la Mer and La Prairie.
The shop windows of the jewellery and watch sections include Cartier, Rolex, Omega, De Beers, Bulgari, Swarovski, Mauboussin, Longines, Buccellati and Roger Dubuis.
Opening hours, how to get there and tips when visiting
Galeries Lafayette is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., except on Sundays, when it opens later at 11 a.m.
It is one of the most visited places in Paris, so it is easy to get to Boulevard Haussmann on foot from the centre or by public transport with nearby stops on lines 3, 7, 8, 9 and 12. You can also use the commuter train, RER, and several buses that run along that street.
Remember that the department store is usually emptier in the early hours of the morning, so it is easier to visit it without too many people, and that you have to make a reservation to walk along the glass walkway near the dome.
