CHRISTMAS AT GALERIES LAFAYETTE

I’ve always dreamed of spending Christmas in Paris and this year I got to experience Christmas at Galeries Lafayette (Boulevard Haussmann location) to experience all of the fun experiences they offer during the holidays. The Galeries Lafayette Christmas decorations are probably the best in the city. I was invited to Paris this year to experience the 2019 “La Rûche de Noël”, The Christmas Beehive. This year decorations and activities are awesome & I’m here to tell why you need to visit Galeries Lafayette this holiday season.

HOW TO GET TO PARIS WITH LA COMPAGNIE

I flew to Paris with La Compagnie, an all-business-class French boutique airline! Since the entire cabin is business class, no need to worry about privacy or comfort. Here’s a list of features that La Compagnie offers:

Flies directly from Newark to Paris, Nice & Monaco
Seats are arranged in 2×2 rows which offers a generous amount of privacy and comfort up to 76 seats
The cabin is equipped with fully flatbeds for maximum rest with built-in massage features
Travel care kit from Caudalie is available (free of charge)
Noise-canceling headsets
In-flight entertainment
French Gastronomy onboard – 4-course menu with champagne and wine cellar
Lounges for passengers to enjoy: Icare Lounge – Paris Orly, Art & Lounge – Newark Airport, and The Levity Lounge – Nice Côte D’azur

The flights are cheaper than business class seats on regular airlines. There’s more efficiency as there’s max of 76 seats. Has this convinced you to fly with La Compagnie yet? I think this idea is genius and I’m a huge fan!

During our trip, we stayed at the Courtyard by Marriot Paris Gare de Lyon which is very close to the station. It’s great for business travel and if you don’t mind taking public transportation which is about 10 minutes by metro to Galeries Lafayette. Other options include the W Paris Opera Hotel which is a few blocks from the store – I stayed here during my first trip with Galeries Lafayette.

GALERIES LAFAYETTE – LA RUCHE DE NOEL

A visit to Galeries Lafayette is a must when visiting Paris! I had previously been invited to Galeries Lafayette two years ago and so much has changed since. You can read about my previous experience here.

If you love to shop, looking to buy a gift or souvenir to bring back home, or even just window shopping, Galeries Lafayette is the place to go. This massive department store offers selections in luxury goods, fashion, beauty, jewelry, shoes, home decor, and restaurants to dine in. For the Christmas season, Galeries Lafayette is transformed into a festive beehive with a beautiful Christmas tree standing underneath the dome. The decorating of the tree and beautiful window displays on Boulevard Haussmann are all thanks to the busy bees for making this season extraordinary. Each bee you see on the window displays represents the work they do and how much effort is put into decorating and making gifts.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

PARISIAN SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Galeries Lafayette has many Christmas events and activities, during my visit I had the honor to experience the personal VIP shopping service! This service includes a team of professionals to give you tips and advice throughout the day, lounge access to enjoy while you take a break from shopping, a VIP payment and tax refund service, delivery of your purchases to your hotel or residence within 24 hrs in Paris, lunch at Angelina’s for a delicious lunch or tea time, and private transfer service to wherever you want to go after your shopping trip. I had such a great time using this service because it allowed me to have a hassle-free and relaxing shopping experience.

I left with new a new Jimmy Choo Bing Jeweled Patent Mules, pink beret with pom & the fur effect flower scarf which is super soft!

ROOFTOP TERRACE & ICE SKATING

For the very first time, Galeries Lafayette has built an ice rink on the store’s rooftop terrace! Not only are you able to skate for free, but you will be able to see spectacular views of the Opera, Eiffel Tower, and Arc de Triomphe. Ice skating will be free for guests until December 31, 2019, from 10-8 pm.

GLASSWALK & CHRISTMAS TREE

Enjoy a unique experience at the store’s 9-meter long and 16-meters high glasswalk that gets you right in the middle of the dome. It is free of charge, so be sure to get there early to line up! This is open year-round.

I was able to attend the Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree inauguration and absolutely loved seeing the lights turn on! The Galeries Lafayette Christmas decorations are always the best in the city so you don’t want to miss this!

SANTA AT GALERIES LAFAYETTE

Snap a photo with Santa at Galeries Lafayette for an unforgettable Christmas memory!

FRENCH MACARON BAKING CLASS

Learn how to bake the classic French pastry, macarons! Galeries Lafayette offers a one and a half hour course that you can enjoy alone or with the family to learn how to bake the perfect macaron with a French pastry chef.

FRENCH WINE TASTING WITH DUCLOT LA CAVE

Explore a wide selection of wines made from France’s major wine-growing regions. You will learn tasting techniques and how to enjoy the different aromas of each bottle. The tasting lasts an hour and a half and the tasting journey includes 6 wines and champagnes.

RESTAURANTS & LAFAYETTE GOURMET

There is a huge variety of food that can be found at Galeries Lafayette. But no trip to the department store is complete unless you stop by Lafayette Gourmet, an entire floor with your favorite restaurants with a market.

La Maison de la Truffle for truffle pasta!
Angelina’s is inside the main store & has delicious food has the best hot chocolate
YC Cafe offers delicious savory dishes and sweet treats for breakfast, lunch, brunch, and afternoon tea
Petrossian Caviar for the best caviar
Pierre Herme for macarons

La Maison De La Truffe — La Maison de La Truffle

DISCOVER THE STORE’S HISTORY

Take a 1 hour and 10-minute tour of Galeries Lafayette to learn about the birth and history of the department store. The cost for adults is 13.50€ and the children are 9€.

OTHER ACTIVITIES NEAR GALERIES LAFAYETTE

OPERA DE PARIS

Galeries Lafayette is a block from Opera de Paris. We had the opportunity to visit and experienced a tour. This was my first time in Opera de Paris and this venue is beautiful! Guests can purchase a tour, ticket entry or visit for special shows/events.

LIDO DE PARIS

When visiting Paris, a cabaret show is a must! I’ve experienced Moulin Rouge many years ago and during my recent trip, I had the opportunity to experience Lido, and thanks to Galeries Lafayette for setting us up to meet the dancers and go backstage. Guests can purchase tickets for just the show or a dinner package. We had the dinner package and loved it.

CAKE CLASS WITH CAKE BOY PARIS

Galeries Lafayette set up a day with Cake Boy Paris at his beautiful Parisian home for a unique cake decorating the class. This was such a fun and unique experience! Frank is self-taught and bakes the most delicious cakes. If you’re a fan of cake and baking, I suggest spending a day with Frank!

My first experience with Galeries Lafayette was so much fun and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to visit for a second time to experience it during the holidays! As you can see, there are so many fun & free activities for the entire family – experiences you will not forget. If you also have time, don’t forget to stop by the second store on Champs-Élysées which opened in 2018.