Frommer's Review
Opened in 1896, with a lobby capped by an early-1900s stained-glass cupola classified as a historic monument, Galeries Lafayette is Europe's largest department store. If you have time for only one department store, make it this one. This store could provision a small city with everything from perfume to fashion. It is even more user-friendly than Au Printemps, and in fashion it places more emphasis on upcoming designers. It also concentrates on an upscale roster of everything you need to furnish and maintain a home; thousands of racks of clothing for men, women, and children; and a staggering array of cosmetics, makeup products, and perfumes. Menswear is concentrated in a section called Galfa; also in the complex is Lafayette Gourmet, one of the fanciest grocery stores in Paris, selling culinary exotica at prices usually lower than those at Fauchon, Lafayette Sports, Galeries Lafayette Mariage (for wedding accessories), and two other general-merchandise stores, both known simply as "GL." The floor above street level has a concentration of high-end, semi-independent boutiques, including Cartier, Vuitton, and Prada Sport. A fashion show is held at least once daily, usually in the Salon Opéra. At the street-level Welcome Desk, a multilingual staff will tell you where to find various items in the store, where to get a taxi back to your hotel, and so on. Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Saturday 9:30am to 6:45pm; Thursday 9:30am to 9pm.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
