Paris’ 5 Most Iconic and Historic Department Stores You Must Visit

1. Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche is in the 7th arrondissement on the Left Bank. While it began as a small shop in 1838, the store as we know it today emerged in 1852 after a transformation by Aristide Boucicaut who turned it into the first modern department store.

It's a huge space with over 30,000 square meters of luxury fashion, beauty, and home goods. Its calm, refined atmosphere attracts well-heeled locals and tourists looking for high-end brands and exclusivity. The attached Grande Épicerie is also famous for gourmet food.

Émile Zola based his novel Au Bonheur des Dames on this very store, reflecting the spirit of 19th-century Paris.