The restoration of the historic Samaritaine department store in Paris

Today, in the heart of Paris, on the right bank of the Seine, La Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf, the historic department store owned by LVMH, will officially open. After a restoration that lasted 15 years and a reopening postponed for a year due to the pandemic, the curtain rises on the huge structure which in addition to a department store will also house a hotel, offices, residences and a nursery. 

Closed in 2005 due to safety concerns, LVMH chose Pritzker Prize Sanaa for the renovation of the location, originally commissioned by King Henry IV in 1603 from Jean Lintlaër. After several restorations and reconstructions, the original structure was dismantled in 1813 to make room for a complex of public swimming pools. In 1870 Ernest Cognacq opened a shop on Rue du Pont-Neuf, calling it La Samaritaine, which soon becomes one of the most important examples of Art Nouveau in the French capital.

Over time, La Samaritaine has become one of the luxury shopping destinations in Paris, an ambition that comes back to life today thanks to the new building and a huge selection that ranges from haute couture to streetwear, to beauty and accessories.