Monuments in Paris: Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette is one of the great department stores in Paris.  Whether you are a shopper or not, visiting Galeries Lafayette is worthwhile.  The flagship building, completed in 1912, is a monumental work of art.

Galeries Lafayette is so popular that several different companies offer guided tours.  We decided to create our own self-guided tour.  We hope you enjoy it.  

Some history first.  Galeries Lafayette was founded in 1895 by cousins Théophile Bader and Alphonse Khan from Alsace.  It grew quickly from a small fashion store into a large department store, un grand magasin.  

According to GaleriesLafayette.com, "The flagship Galeries Lafayette store [pictured below] was unveiled in all its glory at its inauguration in October 1912. Théophile Bader dreamed of creating a “luxury bazaar” where the sheer abundance and luxury of the merchandise on offer would wow the crowds!"

"Ferdinand Chanut [the building's architect] called upon great artists from the École de Nancy to decorate this magnificent building in the style of Paris Art Nouveau. The banister of the magnificent staircase, inspired by the Paris Opera House, was designed by Louis Majorelle, who is also credited with the ironwork featured on the balconies. The dome, rising to a height of 43 metres, soon became the iconic symbol of Galeries Lafayette. Master glass-maker Jacques Gruber was responsible for designing the Neo-Byzantine style stained glass windows."

Over the past century, the building has been renovated.  Fortunately, many of the features from 1912 have been preserved.  

Let's begin the tour.  We entered the store through one of the main entrances and walked to the center of the building, which is a large open rotunda with the glass dome 140 feet above.  We marveled at the view.  

Then, we went to the third level to visit the observation deck that extends toward the center of the rotunda and provides a great view.  Here are some photos of your friendly tour guides Marie-Chantal and Jean-Claude.

While standing on the observation deck, we made the mistake of looking down.  The floor is glass and we could see the ground floor of the building far below.

After overcoming a bit of vertigo, we looked around the rotunda at the beautiful Art Nouveau decoration.

Next, we ventured up to the building's rooftop terrace where we discovered another observation deck, without a glass floor, thankfully.  The rooftop terrace, which has been in use since 1912, provides panoramic views of Paris.  We could see the nearby Opera House (Palais Garnier) and many other monuments, including the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  

While visiting the terrace, we looked at the outside of the dome over the rotunda.  The dome is undergoing restoration. 

One hundred years ago, in 1919, something extraordinary happened on the rooftop terrace.  Then, the terrace measured about 90 feet long and 40 feet wide.  A fearless French pilot, Jules Védrines, landed a plane (Caudron G.3) on the roof and survived a dangerous landing that both damaged the plane and injured the pilot.  

The stunt was one of many special events sponsored by Galeries Lafayette to entertain its clientele.  The pilot received a 25,000 franc prize.  Sadly, the pilot and his mechanic died in a plane crash 3 months later.  

  

From the roof, we went to the first floor where we discovered a remnant of the 1912 grand staircase, l'escalier d'honneur.  The staircase was removed in 1974 but, thankfully, parts of it were preserved.  

Below are vintage photos of the staircase.

Near the staircase, two original elevators have also been preserved.  Jean-Claude pressed the button, but no elevator car arrived.  

Also on the first floor is a more recent addition to the Galeries Lafayette.  In 2001, a contemporary art gallery was created, the Galerie des Galeries.  The gallery is dedicated to the relationship among art, fashion and design.  

Currently, the Galerie des Galeries is celebrating 30 years of Art and Fashion with an exhibit that includes videos and a timeline spanning the past three decades.

 

This is where our tour ends.  Of course, now you are free to shop.  Enjoy!

Thanks for touring the Galeries Lafayette with us.