Shopping In Paris ... Le Bon Marché

is one of Paris' most lovely shopping venues
and one that I always visit each time I go to Paris.  
It's on the Left Bank and is the only large department 
store on that side of the Seine.  
Yes, there are the Lafayette Galleries and Le Printemps 
stores on the Right Bank but if you want a more personal shopping experience, you must try Le Bon Marché.
Now I do look at all the beautiful merchandise 
when I visit a store but when I visit Le Bon Marché,
it's the architecture that takes my breathe away. 
I'm a tall woman who has difficulty finding clothes 
that fit me in Paris.  My French sisters are so 
trim and petite and they have euros and I have dollars 
which also makes shopping a little too expensive, 
although that may be changing now.....
But architecture can ... it "fits" everyone.
The design of the building was conceived by Gustave Eiffel, the same man who brought us the Eiffel Tower.  
The store dates back to the 1850's.

The style of the building is Art Nouveau and is evident 
in the beautiful details around the interior of the store. 
These beautiful stairs with the lovely railings
 just took my breathe away.
The furniture floor is where I spent most of my time 
when I visited the store on this trip.  How beautiful 
were the new furniture designs when they were 
shown in this lovely space.  The modern light fixture 
stands out in this spacious area.

When you visit Le Bon Marché, you feel like you dropped
 into a very unique museum.  The store was featuring the 
top furniture designers of the past with displays of 
their famous signature pieces.
Eames, Aalto, Saarinen, Jacobsen and Starck 
were just a few of the "stars" I saw that day.
Every little corner of the furniture department 
had a surprise.  At the manager's desk, I spotted 
these 3 lovely judies in the corner covered with modern patterned fabric.  Or notice the large abstract 
painting behind the desk.  
Touches of incredible art were everywhere.
Like this wonderful sculpture just outside the 
book department.
The stationery department with it's colorful displays 
just pop against the backdrop of the 
gorgeous ceiling of the store.  

You know the best part of visiting Le Bon Marché?  
The other two large department stores on the Right Bank 
are constantly filled to the rafters with shoppers 
and many, many tourists.  This beautiful smaller 
store feels like a department store just for the Parisians 
and when you visit,  you have a special window 
into the life of this remarkable city and it's people.  

So next time in Paris, take the time to visit 
Le Bon Marché and then cross the street 
to visit it's unbelievable food emporium.  
"La Grande Epicerie De Paris" is another must-see 
in Paris, especially if you are a gourmet.  
Your mouth will drop at the expanse of this 
establishment and your wallet will empty 
but what a way to go.

Le Bon Marché
24, rue de Sevres
7th arrondissement
Metro:  Line 10, Sevres-Babylon

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