La Samaritaine welcomes guests once again after a 16-year renovation project. The iconic LVMH-owned property closed its doors in 2005 following fire safety concerns, and has now been reopened as a comprehensive shopping, dining, and tourist destination.
Costing an estimated US$894 million, La Samaritaine’s restoration has been one of the most anticipated openings for Paris this year. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the building alongside LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault, describing it a “wonderful French treasure”. To realise this project, LVMH enlisted a dream team consisting of Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese firm Sanaa, French architect Édouard François, American designer Peter Marino and heritage specialist Jean François Lagneau.
Louis Vuitton Pop-up; Image: La Samaritaine
Currently, the newly reopened all-in-one department store is home to over 600 luxury brands, including Fendi, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. It also features numerous niche labels and beauty brands. On the dining front, La Samaritaine features a range of restaurants, including Voyage, headed by Mathieu Viannay (La Mère Brazier, 2 stars), Franck Mischler (La Folie Douce), Jimmy Elisabeth (Café de l’Homme), and renowned bartender Matthias Giroud, as well as Ernest, run by Naoëlle d’Hainaut (1 star).
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- Image: La Samaritaine
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- Image: La Samaritaine
Come September, the much-anticipated five-star Cheval Blanc Paris hotel is slated to open, featuring 72 rooms and suites that offer a view of the Seine River starting US$1,270 per night. The hotel will also be home to a Dior spa to provide guests with a complete luxury experience.
Image: La Samaritaine
Image: La Samaritaine
Located in the heart of Paris on the Right Bank, across the oldest stone bridge in the city — the Pont Neuf — and just within walking distance to the Louvre museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the recently opened Bourse de Commerce art museum, the La Samaritaine is undoubtedly going to be a tourist mecca when international travel resumes.
For more information regarding the La Samaritaine, please visit the official website here.