Founded in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq and Louise Jaÿ, la Samaritaine became an iconic Parisian department store in the years that followed. This architectural splendor combing Art Nouveau with Art Deco, closed in 2005, apparently due to safety reasons. Today, 16 years later, La Samaritaine’s doors reopen following a 500 million euro renovation by its new owners LVMH.

Days before its official opening, I was lucky to take a tour of this monumental building located near the Louvre Museum in the heart of Paris.

Following nearly 30 months of renovations which you can read more about in my article for Hemispheres, la Samaritaine will feature a department store, luxe 5-star hotel Cheval Blanc opening on September 7th, 96 social housing units, offices, and a crèche. Let’s not forget 10 dining spots including haute cuisine and light bites.

Considered the smallest department store and the largest concept store, la Samaritaine covers 20,000 square meters. 600 brands will be featured, with 50 of them exclusively French.

What makes a visit to this luxurious shopping center so unique, is that you can stay for hours if not days, enjoying breathtaking views of Paris from within.

The crème de la crème of champagne brands and all natural beauty brands will also be available. Part of the hedonistic escape includes a heavenly spa by Cinq Monde.

Along with the Fondation Louis Vuitton, la Samaritaine is by all accounts one of the largest architectural projects in Europe. Opening hours are daily from 10 am to 8 pm and there’s barely a line to enter if you’re lucky.