Samaritaine: book your free tour today ahead of the opening, as part of the 2026 Journées Particulières.

The early wake-up might be worth the detour. Today at 2 p.m., the ticket office opens for a free look at the Samaritaine before the crowds arrive, in the calm of the morning and amid its Art Nouveau and Art Deco interiors.

Set your alarm a little earlier than usual. From 16 to 18 October 2026, the Journées Particulières of the LVMH group open up for free iconic venues and offer experiences rarely accessible to the public. For its 6th edition, under the theme At the Roots of the Dream, 46 Houses participate across 69 locations in 12 countries. At the Samaritaine, the event kicks off at dawn: the Paris department store reveals itself before opening, when the spaces are still far from the daytime hustle.

And the decor more than justifies the early wake-up. Founded in 1870, the Samaritaine has lined the Seine for over 150 years and now blends fashion, beauty, watches, jewelry, crafts and contemporary creation. After a sixteen-year closure for a major restoration, the grand magasin retains an architecture where Art Nouveau and Art Deco converge on a grand scale. Facades, frescoes, floral motifs, organic curves… the vegetal world even seeps into the decor and has long been one of the venue’s defining signatures.

For the 2026 Journées Particulières, La Samaritaine takes advantage of the early-morning calm to be seen in a new light. The dawn-time itinerary starts with a welcoming tasting before the doors open, then unfolds as an exclusive stroll through the department store. The tour lingers especially on the building’s nature-infused architecture, from floral motifs to the organic lines borrowed from Art Nouveau. A way to discover La Samaritaine before Paris and its shelves are fully awake.

Schedule for the 2026 Special Days at La Samaritaine:

Dawn tour of La Samaritaine: a warm, tasty welcome before the department store opens, followed by an exclusive stroll focused on its architecture and the role of nature in its decor.

Just next door, discover Cova Patisserie:

Italian pastry shop Cova shares its sweet techniques for Journées Particulières 2026
Chez Cova, les Journées Particulières 2026 mettent en lumière les Chefs Pâtissiers. Le public peut découvrir quelques techniques, gestes et astuces lors de masterclasses gratuites organisées à Paris. [Read more]