Christmas 2026 at Galeries Lafayette: a colourful fairy tale by Castelbajac — the window display unveiling date

On Boulevard Haussmann, Christmas is being prepared with a splash of magic—and a splash of colored pencils! After the Printemps, which kicks off the season of Christmas window displays, it’s now the turn of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann to take the spotlight! Dès le 12 novembre 2026, the department store in the 9th arrondissement hands the stage to Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for "Au cœur de Noël", a pop, color-splashed tale where angels unfold their wings, hearts race, and imagination takes the lead.

Castelbajac and Galeries Lafayette, it’s a long‑standing love story. Their collaboration spans nearly fifty years, and this season the designer returns with his signature colors, his collages, freehand drawings, and whimsical symbols. In his world, a heart wears wings, angels burst with color, and childhood memories feed a universe that is as graphic as it is poetic.

And the Christmas window displays for 2026 look as if straight out of his sketchbook! On Boulevard Haussmann, they unfold like the pages of a grand fairy-tale book, with animated tableaux and a host of characters imagined by the designer. Guiding us is a certain Armand, who draws us into this quirky world where Christmas traditions take a few liberties.

Behind the shop windows, Santa is buried under an avalanche of letters from children, the Princess of Clearings picks her tree, and the angels bustle to recover the lost star. This little world eventually gathers around a grand banquet, in a sequence of color-filled, humorous scenes. And the spectacle even spills out of the windows to light up the store's storefront!

• To be read
• The charming Notre-Dame de Paris Christmas Market returns in 2026: the dates
• La Défense Christmas Market 2026: Chimène Badi and Gospel in Opening Concert
• The Alsace Christmas Market 2026 at Gare de l'Est, a dive into the region’s terroir in Paris

Under the famous Dome, the Christmas tree also goes into Castelbajac's hands! The designer abandons the traditional conifer to imagine a protective tree with the look of a giant sculpture, featuring oversized colorful branches, fantastical characters and an angel watching over the top. The silhouette unfolds beneath the glass roof in a graphic composition that echoes the shapes and colors dear to the stylist.

The Visual System collective adds the luminous touch to this installation, with effects that wrap the tree in light and set its colorful shapes in motion. Under the Dome, the display takes on the look of a living painting, to be admired from the store’s various floors.

Christmas 2026 at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann: the pop-up ice rink makes a return on Paris’s rooftops
For Christmas 2026, the magic rises up on Boulevard Haussmann! Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann transform their rooftop into a temporary ice rink, with views of the Eiffel Tower and glittering rooftops, from 24 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. This year, dive into the vibrant world of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. [Read more]

The designer's signature touch extends to the shelves! Galeries Lafayette is rolling out his universe through several collaborations and exclusive collections, with accessories and objects adorned with his iconic motifs. And for those who prefer ice figures to drawings on paper, the rooftop ice rink returns from November 24, 2026, with views over the Paris rooftops and the Eiffel Tower.

So, ready to glimpse Christmas through Castelbajac's eyes?

The featured image shows the shop windows for the 2025/2026 edition

A brief history:

The last 13 Christmas trees at Galeries Lafayette from 2025 to 2013
Discovering the huge Christmas tree at Galeries Lafayette has become a real tradition in Paris. Every year since 1976, it has adorned the center of the dome of the famous Parisian department store. Like every year, everyone has their say on whether it was better or worse than last year. So we thought a little falsh back of the photos from the last 12 years would give you a better opportunity to compare. [Read more]

Christmas in Paris: the story of the legendary Christmas tree at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Every year, Galeries Lafayette enchants the holiday season with its iconic Christmas tree, which attracts curious visitors from around the world. This tradition dates back many years! Let's take a look back at the history of this essential part of Christmas in Paris! [Read more]