Le Bon Marche

Le Bon Marché  "the good market", or "the good deal" is a department store in Paris. Founded in 1838 and revamped almost completely by Aristide Boucicaut in 1852, it was one of the first modern department stores. Now the property of LVMH, it sells a wide range of high-end goods, including food in an adjacent building at 38, rue de Sèvres, called La Grande Épicerie de Paris.

This week  in the City of Light is the “Soldes d’été” (the big summer sales) Launching on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Le Bon Marché, Printemps, and Galeries Lafayette are located along the Métro 12 line, while Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville (Le BHV Marais) next to the Hôtel de Ville. Paris’s four original flagship department stores are possible to visit in one day if you have the energy and the cash!

These four famous department stores offer art exhibitions, window displays, fitness classes, cooking classes, DIY workshops, and pop-up ateliers throughout the year. Le Bon Marché in my opinion is the jewel of the crown with old-school Parisian glamour. 

There are two Bon Marché buildings on Rue de Sèvres: Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche and its sister store, the Grande Épicerie de Paris. The latter, open since 1923, was once a popular place for ladies who lunch but is now one of the world’s largest international food markets with everything from rare gourmet delicacies to pantry staples. If you are having a cocktail party there is an array of hors d’oeuvres ready to serve not to mention a wonderful wine cellar. They even offer wine tastings on the basement level. 

Le Bon Marché is still the place to window-gawk and trend-spot. Here you’ll find mod confections by fashion houses like Koché, Self Portrait, Kenzo, Esteban Cortazar, Courreges, Dries Van Noten, Each X Other, and Off White—just to name a few. 

While it’s not always easy to find a bargain at Le Bon Marché you will find a unique and often exclusive array of brands and products that delights the discerning client, be they Parisian or from abroad.