La Samaritaine, the Most Beautiful Department Store in Paris
Everybody knows Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché but have you been to the most beautiful department store in Paris? La Samaritaine, recently renovated over a 15-year-period, is a true Art Nouveau and Art Déco gem.
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Beginnings of La Samaritaine
The history of this iconic building goes back to 1870 when Ernest Cognacq opened a small store at Rue du Pont-Neuf. As it was strategically located, in the vicinity of Les Halles marketplace, workers and strollers passed by frequently. Cognacq soon earned a reputation for being the best salesman in the neighbourhood. He was later joined by his wife, Marie-Louise Jaÿ, a former sales woman at Le Bon Marché. Together, they expanded not only the size of the store but also its product range.[1]
In 1910, the building planned by Frantz Jourdain and Henri Sauvage was completed. Until today, the bold letters announce the Samaritaine to passers-by. The name goes back to a water pump on the near-by Pont Neuf which depicted a bas-relief of a Samaritan woman pouring water for Christ. The pump has disappeared but the department store still exists. Cognacq sold textiles and not only their quality but also his business acumen made him successful. He introduced innovative processes such as clearly communicated and indicated prices. Furthermore, customers could try the clothes on before buying – La Samaritaine was among the first to do exactly that. Soon, the range of products went beyond fabrics and clothing. Its slogan “On trouve tout à la Samaritaine” (“You can find anything at Samaritaine”) was known beyond Paris.[2]
Many of the building’s iconic elements – from the elaborate painted lettering, floral motifs and glass elements on the outside, to the airy glass atrium with metal beams on the inside – were only added during later expansions and redesigns in the first half of the 20th century. The building itself was made of steel and glass and the intricate adornments should soften its appearance. It is an icon in Paris’s architectural landscapes – the façade is made of ceramic panels in yellow, white, green and gold. The Flower motifs from the outside are also taken up on the inside – for example on the staircase railing. The most characteristic interior element is the iron staircase greeting customers. But also the tile floors and frescoes are beautiful.[3]
All these elements reflect Art Nouveau and also the modern movements of the 1920s, such as the Art Déco. But what actually is the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Déco? Art Nouveau is clearly nature-inspired with flowing, organic lines, the colours used are muted. We could say Art Déco is the “bolder sister” – with geometric shapes, verticality and modern materials like chrome and glass. The colours are bright and often metallic – it rather celebrates technology. The two movements also have different timelines: Art Nouveau was earlier: From roughly 1890 to 1910, and Art Déco was at its height during the 1920s and 1930s.
Unfortunately, La Samaritaine closed due to safety reasons in 2005. The old-fashioned store was in quite a bad state and Parisians feared that the department store would be lost forever – or turned into a mall or luxury hotel. Ironically, the latter happened as the luxury conglomerate LVMH restored it completely and did turn it partly into a luxury hotel and also a luxury department store. It is even more ironic when considering La Samaritaine’s history: originally, its clientele was more modest than the those shopping at Galeries Lafayette or Le Bon Marché. Nevertheless, LVMH kept the architecture true to the original and probably saved the building from decay.[4]
LVMH, who had acquired a stake in La Samaritaine in 2001, acquired the remaining shares from the Cognac-Jay Foundation in 2010 and started the renovation project soon after. The reconstruction, renovation and reshaping of La Samaritaine took 15 years and 280 French companies were involved. The Japanese studio SANAA was tasked with the new façade, with futuristic waves, facing Rue de Rivoli. Despite its modern look, the new façade, does not clash with the traditional part of the original department store and it also blends in beautifully into the neighbourhood.[5]
The large glass roof from 1907, also known as “Verrière”, was restored during this recent renovation. It had been modified and even covered for some time, but it has been brought back to its original grandeur. It was all about the details: The Art Nouveau elements of the facades (glazed lava rock surfaces and cast-iron signs) have been meticulously restored. Furthermore, the interior such as the staircase, the paintings and railings have been restored according to the original design and 2,300 glass panels have been replaced.[6]
A central part is the Art Nouveau peacock fresco beneath the glass roof which is 115 m long and 3.5 m high. It was painted by Francis Jourdain, the son of the architect, and a big number of experts managed to bring it back to its original state. The peacock is an important theme in Art Nouveau and stands for beauty, immortality, and pride, often also linked to the Greek goddess Hera. Moreover, it also shows how the movement worked with natural forms, opulence, and the divine feminine. Its colors and flowing lines made it a popular motif in jewelry, architecture, and decorative arts. This motif can not only be found in Paris, it was also very popular in Britain – Liberty London named their peacock pattern after the Greek Goddess and the peacock became a favourite of the British Arts and Crafts Movement, notably of William Morris. This movement also fueled the Art Nouveau and it eventually also reached Paris. The Parisian jeweller René Lalique used the peacock for his intricate enamel-and-gold jewellery and he was not the only one. Until today, the peacock can be found across Paris. If you have taken the Métro in Paris, you may have walked through Hector Guimard’s station entrances which were inspired by the peacock’s fan-tail.[7]
Disclaimer
This article is based on the personal, views, experiences and research of the author, no fees were received by the organisations and people mentioned above. All information is alleged, as of the date of publishing/updating and for entertainment purposes only.
Footnotes
[1] LVMH 2025.
[2] Arquitectura Viva 2025, LVMH 2025, Paris Perfect 2025, Paris Unlocked 2025.
[3-6] ibid.
[7] Arquitectura Viva 2025, LVMH 2025, Messy Nessy 2025, Paris Perfect 2025, Paris Unlocked 2025.
Sources
Arquitectura Viva, La Samaritaine Department Store, Paris, last accessed on 13 September 2025.
LVMH, Samaritaine, last accessed on 13 September 2025.
Messy Nessy, Art Nouveau’s Obsession with the Peacock, by Cecile Paul, published on 4 February 2022, last accessed on 13 September 2025.
Paris Perfect, La Samaritaine: The Classic Paris Department Store Returns in Style, by Sophie Davies, published on 14 October 2021, last accessed on 13 September 2025.
Paris Unlocked, La Samaritaine, an Iconic Parisian Department Store, is Reborn, by Courtney Traub, published on 30 May 2024, last accessed on 13 September 2025.
Sources Images and Title Image
Taken by the author at La Samaritaine
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