Galeries Lafayette, the upmarket French department store chain, is appealing to consumers’ demand for wellness by reestablishing the ground floor of its main ‘Cupola’ building as a dedicated wellness space.
Expected to open in the summer, the Haussmann ground floor, which is the centenarian retailer’s most visited area, aims to become Paris’ go-to destination for self-care.
Beauty products, massage specialists, alternative medicines and fitness classes will be on offer at the 3,000sqm space, with some brands entering the French market for the first time at the Boulevard Haussmann destination.
“We firmly believe that the physical store is more important than ever, as long as it is able to adapt to customer expectations and offer the extra spark that is so essential to their in-store experience,” said Alexandre Liot, General Manager of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.
“At Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, this conviction drives all our initiatives and is what spurred us to create a space entirely devoted to wellness on one of our store’s most frequented floors.
“After experiencing an unprecedented health crisis over the last two years, this floor, which is the only one of its kind in Paris, will allow us to offer our customers a brand new, all-round experience devoted to self-care.
“We can’t wait to introduce them to this exceptional space from this summer.”
In addition to the repurposed floor, the last 18 months have seen Galeries Lafayette restore its century-old dome and panoramic terrace (pictured).
Several ‘unusual’ restaurant concepts have also been revealed at the destination, along with an instagrammable cafe and 4,000sqm shoe floor, designed by Bernard Dubois, who was also behind Aesop’s Brussels shop.