Galeries Lafayette – Paris, France

Ilsa: But what about us?  Rick: We’ll always have Paris ~ Casablanca

Mr. B and I recently traveled from Paris to Normandy, France on a very special journey.  There will be several more posts and articles about this trip, but first, I want to share some photographs from what has been called the most luxurious retail store in the world, Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Exterior of Galeries Lafayette (Photo courtesy of the internet)

Paris has always been at the forefront of iconic fashion with famous designers from Coco Chanel to Karl Lagerfeld calling the City of Lights their home.  One of the best known high fashion shopping districts in the world, Avenue Montaigne, is a beautiful tree-lined street in the 8th arrondisement of Paris, not far from the hotel where we stayed on the Champs-Elysees.  Of course, I took a stroll down that street one afternoon and did a bit of window shopping.  After all, when in Paris…

Main entrance to the store

As someone who has always loved fashion almost as much as excellent food, wines, and travel, I am inspired by the artistry and talent that goes into designing clothes and accessories just as much as I appreciate the ability of chefs to create tantalizing flavors for the palate and beauty on the plate with their presentations.  An artist is an artist, no matter which path they’ve chosen to share their creativity and while in Paris I delighted in the brilliance of fashion and design as much as I enjoyed the French food and wines.

A shopper’s delight

Walking into Galeries Lafayette on the Boulevard Haussmann was truly breathtaking.  The open design with balconies overlooking the grand hall, combined with the midday light streaming through the stained glass windows in the coupole, was nothing short of spectacular.  Even if you aren’t interested in fashion or shopping, the architecture of this building is awe inspiring.  In fact, it is the second most visited tourist attraction in Paris with the Eiffel Tower being the first.

Looking down at the Grand Hall