Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette Review

Galeries Lafayette is one of those places that you wander into unawares, leaving hours later a poorer and humbler person. At the flagship store at 40 boulevard Haussmann, a Belle Époque stained-glass dome caps the world's largest perfumery. The store bulges with thousands of designers; free fashion shows are held Friday at 3 pm in the upstairs café (reservations are a must: call 01-42-82-36-40 or e-mail welcomegalerieslafayette.com). A big draw is the comestibles department, stocked with everything from herbed goat cheese to Iranian caviar. Just across the street at 35 boulevard Haussmann is Galeries Lafayette Maison. The Montparnasse branch is a pale shadow of the Boulevard Haussmann behemoths.