Heritage Days 2026: Paris's flagship department stores reveal their secrets

Behind their spectacular storefronts and iconic domes lie spaces the general public rarely gets to see. For the European Heritage Days 2026, on the European Heritage Days 2026, September 19 and 20, several Parisian department stores will exceptionally open their doors to reveal their behind-the-scenes areas. A perfect outing for lovers of architecture, history and urban heritage.

More than mere shopping venues, the department stores have been part of Paris's history since the 19th century. True symbols of the city, they reshaped commerce while becoming architectural masterpieces, blending monumental glass roofs, grand staircases, ornamental ironwork, and refined interiors. Over the decades, these buildings have tracked the capital's evolution while preserving an exceptional heritage, often overlooked by visitors.

On the occasion of the Journées du Patrimoine, some grands magasins are offering unprecedented tours that grant access to spaces normally off-limits. Depending on the tours on offer, the public will be able to discover the history of the buildings, their construction secrets, their remarkable interiors, or the behind-the-scenes of how they operate.

The major department stores taking part in the 2026 Heritage Days in Paris

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And for more fashion-focused outing ideas, head this way!

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