In keeping with tradition, the facades of Parisian department stores -Printemps Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette, BHV MARAIS, The Samaritaine, Bon Marché Rive Gauche- are adorned with the most stunning festive decorations.
Shop windows also put on a show with amazing theatre sets featuring animated figures and magical decor in an interactive world … great fun to watch! Enchanting universes, devised and created by gifted artists and designers, are still a source of wonder for both children and grown-ups. The 2024 edition will amaze many!
In 2024, the department stores' is celebrating its 0130th Christmas and has entrusted the reins of its Christmas decorations to Kevin Germanier, the designer of the Golden Voyager costume for the Closing Ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on 11 August 2024. The Swiss designer - a specialist in upcycled fashion - tells us a fairy, colourful and sparkling story in which each window tells a story through characters whose costumes are made from upcycled materials. In the windows, this initiatory journey unfolds before the wondering eyes of passers-by thanks to a dozen tableaux. Inside, there's no shortage of decorations, and each floor is adorned with enchanted characters, majestic decorations and sparkling lights. As it has every year since 1976, a immense fir tree over 15 metres high is installed under the shop's Art Nouveau cupola. With its central place, it dominates all the floors and can even be admired up close from a glass footbridge. As part of the 130th anniversary celebrations, the store is planning a sound and light show featuring 20,000 points of light. The magic of Christmas is alive and well here.
From 14 November to 31 December 2024
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann - 40 boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9th district
This year, the Printemps is taking passers-by on an enchanted Christmas tale, opened by Juliette Binoche. Watch out for the departure! In 2024, board the Printemps Express, the Printemps Christmas train, as it travels from shop window to shop window, each one telling its own story: the station, the restaurant car, the Hausmann Suite, Santa's studio-photo... The 130 or so characters were created from recycled materials by Valérie Cuter, the department store's dressmaker, to mark the Printemps store's double anniversary: 100 years of animated virtrines and 50 years of window displays in motion. And let's not forget the Atrium's sapin. Once again this year, Printemps will unveil a creative and marvellous universe.
From 7 November to 31 December 2024
Printemps Haussmann - 64 boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9th district
Opposite the town hall, which hosts a Christmas village every year, the BHV Marais is one of the essential stops for fans of Christmas decorations. Every year, it delights passers-by with these magnificent light installations on its façade. This year, 2024, is no exception. On the windows and inside, the department stores' has decided to take young and old alike into an enchanted house, created by French illustrator Limistic, where mischievous lutins bring the windows and facade to life! The event kicks off with a colourful sound and light show by Adriana Karembeu, Léna Mahfouf and Marc Lavoine! In addition to the decorations, the BHV Marais has planned a special festive programme with workshops in the 2nd floor hut, photo sessions with Father Christmas on the 5th floor (from 1 to 23 December 2024)...
From 6 November 2024
BHV Marais - 52 rue de Rivoli, Paris 4th district
From 8 November 2024 to 5 January 2025, the Samaritaine will be transformed into an enchanted winter garden to celebrate the festive season. In partnership with Thoiry Lumières Sauvages, the department stores' is offering a fairy experience where giant plants and luminous creatures flourish in a magical setting. Inspired by its Art Nouveau heritage and the botanical passion of its co-founder, Marie-Louise Cognacq - who gave her name to the musée Cognacq-Jay - the store is transformed into a giant hothouse, with luminous surprises on every floor. Display cases and plant sculptures created by contemporary artists (Juliette Berthonneau, Pauline D'Andigné, Manon Daviet, Michel Jocaille, Florian Sicard, Lucas Tortolano) add a touch of wonder, making this place a real winter paradise to discover with the whole family.
From 8 November 2024 to 5 January 2025
Samaritaine Paris - 9 rue de la Monnaie, Paris 1st district
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche - the only department stores' on Paris's Left Bank - is unveiling its Christmas window displays on 8 November 2024 from 5pm, with fairy scenes that will plunge Paris into a magical atmosphere. This year, the theme "Christmas in Paris ’ invites you to discover colourful creatures animating the shop facade, in typically Parisian settings under a starry sky. The Eiffel Tower looks down on the capital, offering a glimpse of poetic scenes, such as green rabbits hidden behind shutters or aquatic ballets of lobsters and octopuses in the city's fountains. On the second floor, four majestic fir trees, each unique in its own way, elegantly decorate the place, between tradition and enchantment. A must-see for all the family, where the spirit of Christmas comes alive at every turn. And once the curtain falls, the venue welcomes the Cirque Le Roux troupe for the enchanting show ‘Entre Chiens et Louves’ where acrobats take over the space. Marvellous!
From 8 November 2024
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche - 24 rue de Sèvres, Paris 7th district
The launch of the Parisian illuminations begins on 20 November 2024 with the avenue Montaigne and its illuminated Christmas trees. The celebrations continue on 24 November on the avenue des Champs-Élysées, where Tony Estanguet kicks things off, accompanied by a Landaise brass band. The 400 trees along the famous avenue will be illuminated every evening from 5pm to midnight, until 7 January 2025. The Faubourg Saint-Honoré district will be joining in this sparkling celebration from 21 November 2024.
Bercy Village will offer its unique atmosphere from 21 November to 6 January, while place Vendôme will unveil its illuminated decorations at the end of November. To protect the environment, the illuminations go out 2 hours earlier than in previous years, except on 24 and 31 December when they shine all night long.
The Place Vendôme is transformed into a magical setting with its majestic Christmas trees adorned with thousands of Golden LEDs. For an enchanted stroll, the quartier Montmartre offers a magical route along the rue des Abbesses and the place du Tertre.
Some of Paris's most famous thoroughfares are also full of surprises:
A tip for admiring these marvels: opt for an early evening visit around 6pm, when the city dons its luminous mantle in a particularly magical atmosphere.
The Village Royal offers a refined lighting decor, creating a unique atmosphere under its historic glass roof. This elegant gallery is also home to boutiques with sumptuous window displays.
Bercy Village enchants visitors with its illuminated cobbled walkways. This year the Kiss in Bercy installation transforms the Cour Saint-Émilion with magical Christmas lights celebrating the lucky kiss under the mistletoe. Committed to the environment, Bercy Village uses sustainable decorations made from biodegradable and recycled materials, offering a festive and responsible experience.
The rue Saint-Dominique in the 7th arrondissement is an enchanting place with tastefully decorated shop fronts and pastry shops. The shops compete with each other to create original settings, combining tradition and modernity.
The Jardin des Plantes and other places in Paris - Parc floral, jardin d'acclimatation, domaine de Saint-Cloud, Thoiry- are adorned with monumental lanterns and light sculptures, transforming their paths into dreamlike trails for the whole family to discover.