Galeries Lafayette in Paris, the oldest shopping mall in the city

Galeries Lafayette in Paris is a shopping mall in Paris. It is known for its luxurious, beautifully decorated interiors.

Do you also experience the sudden and completely unexpected urge occasionally to throw on some sneakers, a hat, and a backpack and set off on an adventure? An exciting journey to Kaufland, Primark, the English B&Q? Do you also find yourself tapping your foot impatiently, waiting for the line to diminish before entering, dreaming of finally being allowed to spend those coins sitting in your account?

Ah, I never expected that a trip for proverbial toilet paper, rice, or pasta could be an experience as thrilling and blood-curdling as crossing the Malaysian jungle.

But I digress. Since we’re on the topic of shopping, let me tell you today about one of my two favourite places, which house famous shopping centres. The first one is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, located in Milan. Anyone who has been there knows why, and anyone planning to go will certainly not be disappointed. But I’ll tell you about this gallery another time; today we’ll focus on the other place, and that’s the Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Old Shopping Center is one of the many attractions in Paris

How did we end up there? Well, when we were planning our trip to Paris, we knew about the Eiffel Tower (we didn’t discover America here, right?), we knew about the Louvre, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, or the Champs-Élysées. We knew about the wonderful cafés and amazing bakeries or restaurants.

However, we knew nothing about the free observation decks, from the top of which we could admire the panorama of Paris. Somehow, we stumbled upon information about Galeries Lafayette.

Galeries Lafayette, the history of the building that houses a shopping centre today

Long, long ago, beyond the forests, beyond the mountains, and beyond several rivers, lived two cousins, Theophile Bader and Alphonse Kahm. These gentlemen, well-known for their business acumen, opened a small haberdashery in 1893 on the corner of La Fayette Street and De la Chaussess-d’Antin.

Business must have been going well, I would say, very well indeed, as just three years later, the cousins bought the house at 1 La Fayette Street, and in the following years, acquired more buildings on Haussmann Boulevard. And thus, they became the owners of many buildings, which they connected, covering their roofs with a grand dome. And it is this heavenly dome that we’re talking about here. A dome that, in my opinion, is one of the 8 wonders of the world.

Today, the gallery boasts 10 floors, all with balconies. Stepping into the La Fayette gallery feels like stepping onto a theatre stage; both the dome and the ornately finished interiors take your breath away. The cacophony of lights and swirling ornaments transports us into a world known from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights. In the gallery, you will find boutiques and the most prestigious brands in the world.

You know we are fans of hats and sneakers. While strolling through the gallery, we discovered a shoe store with marvellous sneakers smiling at me from the display. Out of curiosity, and encouraged by the huge number of shoppers in the store, I decided to try them on.

Sneakers, as sneakers should be, are supposed to be comfortable above all else, comfortable and affordable. These were comfortable, but affordable? You decide. After seeing the price of 800 euros, I decided to settle for their cheaper, Chinese counterpart, and as a consolation, indulged in a coffee, worth sipping while admiring the surroundings.

Galeries Lafayette in Paris curiosities, facts, and information

• In Galeries Lafayette in Paris, you will find 63 stores, including brands such as Armani, Dior, and Stella McCartney.
• Galeries Lafayette in Paris employs 12,000 workers and boasts an annual turnover of over a billion euros, a simply unimaginable sum.
• Each floor has a safe where the daily takings are stored, to later be transferred to the underground safe, constantly monitored by store employees.
• The dome of Galeries Lafayette in Paris was constructed in 1912. The assembly and other dome-related work took 5 months.
• On the roof of the gallery, there is a terrace with a view of Paris.
• Before the outbreak of World War I, the gallery owners decided to reward any daredevil who would land an aeroplane on the gallery terrace with a sum of 25,000 francs. The winner was Jules Vedrines, who landed a Caudron G.I airplane on top of the building on January 19, 1919. However, the plane was damaged in the process. Vedrines himself died in an air crash three months later. A plaque commemorating his feet can be found on the roof.
• In 1974, it was decided to remove the stairs that were previously located just below the dome. It was deemed that they occupied too much space. During strikes in those days, protesters often chained themselves to the railings.
• While at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, don’t forget to visit the recently constructed glass walkway on the third floor. This 9-meter-long walkway allows you to get a close-up view of the interior of the dome.
• For those interested, there is an opportunity to participate in an organized tour, where you can learn many interesting facts about the history of Galeries Lafayette from a guide. Tours are conducted in French and English, and the cost is a few euros for adults and 9 euros for children.

Polish version