La Samaritaine
the restored Art Nouveau atrium with its peacock fresco and Frantz Jourdain ironwork staircase
La Samaritaine is a historic department store in Paris, recently reopened after extensive renovations. It's a luxury shopping destination with a beautiful Art Deco and Art Nouveau design, offering a curated selection of high-end fashion, beauty, and home goods. It's not just a place to shop, but also an architectural landmark worth visiting for its stunning interiors and views of the city.
In Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris. Easy to fold into a morning or a longer afternoon; there's usually something else worth a stop within a few minutes' walk.
La Samaritaine is a landmark Paris department store (originally opened 1870) that reopened in June 2021 after a 16-year closure and a roughly €750 million LVMH-led renovation. The restoration preserved its celebrated Art Nouveau and Art Deco interiors—including Frantz Jourdain's ironwork and the peacock fresco—while adding a rippling glass façade on Rue de Rivoli by Japanese firm SANAA. It now houses around 600 brands and what's billed as Europe's largest beauty department in the basement, alongside dining venues and a DFS luxury hall. Reviews are strongly positive, praising the architecture and atmosphere as much as the shopping, with many visitors treating it as a sightseeing destination in its own right.