La Samaritaine reopens on June 19

La Samaritaine closed for 16 years, in 2005, and reopened its doors on June 19. The four Art Deco buildings have been completely renovated and include a department store, luxury hotel, offices, social housing and a nursery.

The famed, deficit and devastated street of Rivoli Street removed its curtain in 2005. It was initially scheduled to reopen in 2020 to celebrate its 150th anniversary, but the pandemic decided otherwise. Starting June 19, it will be possible again.Find everything in SamaritaineAs a popular advertising slogan celebrated in the 1960s.

A long and expensive project

After closing the Art Deco style store, founded by Ernst Cognac in 1870, the LVMH Group, owner of La Samaritaine since 2001, decided to undertake restoration work. He would have to wait nearly 10 years to see his building permit finally validated. Between 2012 and 2015, work was put on hold by a series of appeals from heritage preservation societies that are particularly challenging the creation of an all-glass façade, on the side of Rue de Rivoli.

“It took five years to convince the mayor of Paris, five years to obtain a permit, and five years of monumental work. We didn’t think it would last fifteen years, but it was worth itSummarized in 2019, Jean-Jacques Guyonne, CFO of LVMH and CEO of a popular department store.

The space has been completely redesigned by the Sanaa Company as well as by Hubert de Malherbe, Cigu and Yabu Pushelberg. The jewels of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the four buildings – including one listed as a historical monument – have undergone a major restructuring in relation to the elements of the period: mosaics, enamels, glass ceilings or even wrought-iron balustrades.

Ultimately, the business will cost its owner a salary of € 750 million.

Luxury department store and hotel

The area of ​​the store has been reduced somewhat from 20,000m2 as against 30,000m2 when closed.

The building also houses the five-star Cheval Blanc Hotel, a brand owned by LVMH, and has 72 rooms with a view of the Seine, and its reopening date has not yet been announced, and it will particularly provide a 1,000 square meter suite with a private suite. Swimming pool in the eighth floor.

The establishment will also include four restaurants, including a gourmet one run by Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Dunkelli.

The project also includes offices of 15,000 square meters, an adjacent 80-bed nursery and 97 social housing units managed by France Habitat.

In 2005, when it closed, La Samaritaine was employing 734 people, nearly all of whom were reclassified or took advantage of the measures stipulated in the Employment Protection Scheme. When announcing its reopening in 2019, LVMH noted that,In total, more than 1,500 jobs will be created, including 800 for a department store, and with offices, more than 2,400 direct jobs will be maintained on site.“.