Department stores in Paris

There are 4 department stores in Paris: the Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV), the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, the Printemps Haussmann and the Bon Marché. All these stores were created between 1838 and 1893, they are the last survivors of a certain golden age of commerce. They have managed to survive all the changes in commerce by focusing on luxury and tourism, most of their customers are tourists from all over the world who come to find a certain image of France. In these temples of commerce you can find all the big luxury brands. Since a few years the restaurant business is becoming more and more important in these department stores. The visit can also be a fantastic culinary experience. Be careful, there are always a lot of people in the aisles and the visit is exhausting.