Galeries Lafayette in Paris opened its new store Lafayette Maison and Gourmet on 15th September 2014. Lafayette Gourmet celebrates food with the finesse that only the French know how. Its a feast for the eyes and senses, and if you are planning on visiting, make sure you have a hungry stomach and a few hours to browse .
Every year during my trip to Paris I make sure to spend a leisurely morning in Galeries Lafayette Maison, across the road from the famous Galeries Lafayette store. I love to browse the 5 floors looking for gorgeous props for my food photography, as they stock items that are so special and can’t be bought in South Africa. But this year was different. I was waiting at the door on the 15ht September to be one of the first to experience a shopping experience like no other. The new Galeries Lafayette Gourmet simply blew me away by its beauty and style.
The Art of Market Shopping is on the lower ground floor, with the market place filled with the freshest fruit and vegetables, a fishmonger, butcher, cheeses from around the world, spices, international bottled goods , hundreds of varieties of spices, mustards, olive oils and vinegars. Near the butchery is a small restaurant where steaks, burgers and meat dishes are served. At the cheese counter is a cheese bar where you can have cheese platters, and cheese dishes. This theme of small restaurants next to the relevant food for sale follows throughout the store both on this level and the ground floor.
The Art of Tasting is on the ground floor, featuring French Cuisine and World Cuisine. Here you can buy fresh meals or pastries to take home or to eat at one of many eating stations. The displays of eclairs, pastries and cakes, are amazing, and taste just as good.
This became my home for a few mornings in Paris, as I went back, again and again, to sample as much as I could eat, of the amazing food that was on offer. Be sure to check it out when next in Paris, and perhaps try and lose some weight before your trip, as you are sure to gain it again after spending time in this great store.
Where to find it :
Lafayette Gourmet, 48 bd Haussmann, 1st floor Lafayette Homme.
Open Monday to Saturday from 8.30am until 9.30pm.
