15.11.10

Christmas decorations - again

This is not the first time (actually the third year) I make a post about the Christmas shop-windows of Printemps and Galéries Lafayette, the two competing department stores, neighbours on Boulevard Haussmann. The styles are this year quite different, but as always - spectacular.
Starting with Printemps, the style is quite sophisticated, romantic, and the music we can listen to is also quite romantic, “classic”. Not much room for the kids; Printemps is obviously looking for another clientele.





Continuing with Galéries Lafayette, the style is more contemporary, animated. The themes are linked to recent musicals. … and there are some “toy windows”.





On the other side of the street there is the special shop for interior decoration.




So, if you have some shopping to do, here is the way to these department stores.

41 comments:

nycstylelittlecannoli said...

simply amazing! I feel like I am there...thank you !!

Penguin said...

Oh my, those windows are outrageous! They must spend quite a while planning them. Great pics!

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Thank you for the Christmas cheer Peter. I am definitely going to be over in Paris one Christmas ..

I miss my friends and I miss Paris ..!

I was thinking the other day .. I have lived so close and never until April 2009 had I been there.. and now I have been 5 times .. I never thought it could offer me anything, OH how wrong was I. :-) and what it has brought to my life with such wonderful friends there.

Mystica said...

I prefer the old fashioned to the contemporary but the planning that must have gone into these! Amazing pictures. Thank you once again.

Anna said...

Thanks for posting pictures! We are going to visit over Christmas-I can't wait to see the stores for myself!

Simony said...

What a festival of colors and lights!
It sure puts anyone in the mood for the Holidays! It reminds me of Rio de Janeiro.

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Those windows are one reason that I am compelled to be in Paris en decembre. The windows, the stores, the neighborhoods with their unique street decorations, the Christmas trees, the special Noel pastries... they call my name and I will be there soon! Thank you for giving me the 2010 preview!

Bises,
Genie

e said...

How festive! Thanks for showing these photos!

Unknown said...

Those windows are beautiful! They even give Bergdorf's a run for it's money!

Catherine said...

gorgeous - it still seems to early for Xmas - but these windows are amazing!!

Owen said...

Wow, already ?!?

Olivier said...

c'est toujours aussi magique et on reste un petit enfant devant ces galeries de noel, j'adore

Unknown said...

Those pictures are fantastic. Really makes me want to visit Paris again. Thanks for sharing.

Amanda Swann said...

Those are absolutely awesome! I love the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Amanda
The Cheeky Cafe

Cergie said...

Les décos de Noël, déjà ? Après ce sera le blanc ou l'électro ménager ?
En tout cas cela fait le bonheur des photographes après avoir fait celui des étalagistes.
Tu sais ce que tu feras à Noël ?
As tu fait ta crèche et ton sapin du moins ?
(Ce serait un peu tôt...)

nouvelles couleurs - vienna atelier said...

wow, grandious, thank you for this post

Ruth said...

City of Christmas lights!

I once bought a much-too-expensive suit at Galeries Lafayette. I was feeling that money would never end shortly after my mother died. I think I only wore the suit half a dozen times. :| But once was for the job interview for my current job, now in my 10th year. So I think it was a good investment. :)

hpy said...

Et toujours la foule devant! Je crois que je préfère regarder ces fenêtres sur ton blog, mais j'avoue que des magasins comme ces deux-là, il n'y en a pas partout.

Rob said...

Thanks for the pictures Peter. Superb colours!

Rob

http://rob-a-paris.blogspot.com

Cezar and Léia said...

It's an amazing show of lights and colours, beautiful shop windows!
ahhh le temp défile vite! :)
Léia

arabesque said...

i;m sure one can't miss la fayette when you're in town. the window displays are just a charm to look at and spectacular.
yes, xmas c'est bien est dans l'air.

SusuPetal said...

OMG! No knowledge of November and darkness in Paris!

Quite different here in Helsinki :)

Mamas Heart n Soul said...

One word; amazing!!

Paris Paul said...

Wow! I can't believe the windows are already up! That's what happens in a country with no Thanksgiving, I guess. I'm going to have to get by there soon; you've made them look so great. Thanks, Peter.

Scheherazade said...

Lovely, lovely photos. I'm amazed. But all the displays seem to mostly favor Christmas for adults.

Harriet said...

Even though Thanksgiving will be arriving soon in the USA, it's still nice to start thinking about the Christmas holidays...........

Starman said...

Is it just me or are they getting more and more gaudy with each passing year?

sonia a. mascaro said...

Wow! Amazing Christmas's decorations, Peter!
You did a great reportage sharing with us so beautiful Christmas shop-windows! Thanks!

PEDROHUELVA said...

Paris, siempre sera glamour.

gracias por mostrarnos una ciudad llena de luz.


saludos desde Andalucia

joanna said...

Peter:

c'est magnifique!

I clicked on each grouping of photos to enlarge to see the details. Amazing what goes on in the mind of the decorator-designer.

have a lovely week,

joanny

Alain said...

Les vitrines de Noël, c'est pas toujours du meilleur goût, mais une fois par an, ça fait réver quand même.

tariza said...

Wow ! Wonderful !Thanks for showing these photos!

Virginia said...

P,
Oh this was great fun! I missed the windows last janvier and guess I will again this year as well. I have fond memories of seeing the GL windows that November. I might even run some of those photos again, but shhhh- don't tell anyone! :)
V

Studio at the Farm said...

What truly amazing displays!! I'm so glad I found your blog; i always enjoy it. Thank you, Peter!

Nathalie said...

Comment? Les vitrines sont déjà en place ? Ils pourraient attendre le 25 novembre ou le 1er décembre quand même... ici on est en train de monter les chalets du marché de Noel sur la place de l'horloge mais il n'ouvre que le 27 nov et je trouve que ça suffit bien !

En tout cas merci de faire partager aux provinciaux que nous sommes toutes les lumières de Paris. C'est délirant et magnifique.

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

It seems very early for the display to be in place, no? When I lived there, it always seemed to be the first week in December, but then of course you got all the crowds standing in front of the windows, admiring them. Nightmare. Maybe an extended season makes life easier.

Richard said...

Crikey! Recession is really over then? Here in Zürich the Xmas preparations haven't begun yet.

Trotter said...

Already? It looks great!!

Anonymous said...

!Que belleza de vidrieras! Espectacular realmente. Muchisimas gracias Peter. Maria O. Russell

Jeanie said...

Peter, I can never resist your holiday visits to the stores of Paris! They make me smile, make me want to just jump into the computer and be there myself! I feel very much in the spirit!

ParrotheadPaul said...

Peter, thanks for sharing the most beautiful city in the world with all of us not lucky enough to live there....Viva Paris!