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Founded in 1852, Le Bon Marché is about as Parisian as department stores come - although most locals prefer calling this a "very large boutique". Owned by LVMH and originally designed by Gustav Eiffel's team, this little emporium (some claim, the oldest in the world) might not be as huge as its competitors on the right bank, but the selection is still amazing and carefully chosen by its buyers. And the one benefit it has over Printemps and Galeries Lafayette? It's never too busy and very few tourists actually venture to the store, which makes shopping here so much more relaxing.
(image: wikimedia)The main area on the ground floor is home to the men's department, various accessories - from designer shop-in-shops (such as LV of course) to the latest luxury handbags, scarves and jewelry - and a large cosmetics section. Go one floor up and you'll find a wide array of both hip and chic French and international designer labels such as Azzedine Alaia, Maison Martin Margiela or Dries van Noten to name a few. Don't leave this floor without checking out the shoe department - whether you're into Chanel or Repetto, you're bound to find something here.
Heading over the walkway on the same floor will bring you to the next building, where you can find the more edgy and streetwise diffusion and local French lines, such as Etoile by Isabel Marant or Vaness Bruno Athé. There's also a trendy cafe here, if you need to take a break. This building also houses the amazing La Grand Epicerie on the ground floor, which with it's incredible selection of gourmet foods deserves a post of its own.
Of course if fashion isn't all you're looking for, taking a look at the homeware and design section is worthwhile as well. As with all high-end stores, Le Bon Marché also offers a personal shopping service, valet parking and a concierge although the normal service it provides is already way above average. If there's only one department store I could visit in Paris, I would pick this one.
Address: 24 rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Wed: 10:00-19:30, Thu: 10:00-21:00, Fri: 10:00-20:00, Sat: 9:30-20:00
Le Bon Marché Homepage & Online Shop
I prefer Le Bon Marché to Printemps or Lafayette! Although it's nice that you can get a 10% off card as a tourist plus the VAT refund for non-EU residents at Printemps or Lafayette.
ReplyDeleteSame here! I think anyone who has time should give all of them a try, but if I had a choice, Le Bon Marché would be my first pick.
ReplyDelete