The la Samaritaine is one of Paris' most iconic department stores, not only because of its stunning inner art nouveau and art deco decoration, but also because of its founders' history.
What is the la Samaritaine?
I heard about the la Samaritaine as a child when I visited my relatives in France. I always saw it as the age-old department store, opposite the Pont Neuf bridge and the Seine river, near the Louvre in Paris.
The building was Paris's grand department store, where you could get anything, and the Art Nouveau and Art Deco style building was later also awarded the historic monument title of Paris.
Constructed during the 19th century, it was for over 100 years the place where all the French people in Northern France would go to meet all their shopping needs.
In fact, my grandmother would travel all the way from Beauvais to Paris by train to purchase materials at the Samaritaine to stitch dresses for her family.
However, the over 100-year-old structure was not spared by the passage of time, and in 2005, it was deemed unsafe to remain in operation.
LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) took over the La Samaritaine, and they invested in the renovation project of the old department store.
The project that was supposed to take 3 years turned into 16 years, and when the La Samaritaine reopened as a department store for high-end boutiques, it was all over the French media.
Initially, the access was limited, but today you can not only admire the fine Art Nouveau facades on the outside, but also visit the beautiful inner sanctum of this grand Parisian department store.
We filmed a walking tour video of the La Samaritaine where you get to admire the yellow and blue vibe of this stunning shopping venue.
The Inspiring Story of the Founders
The founders of the La Samaritaine were Ernest Cognacq and his wife, Marie-Louise Jaÿ.
Both hailed from a simple countryside background and were true, brilliant business merchants.
Ernest was a wandering salesman who first set up shop along the Seine bridge to sell garments.
Marie-Louise Jaÿ worked and adopted innovative sales tactics during her time as a sales clerk at another iconic Parisian department store known as Le Bon Marché.
Ernest's business was booming, and he soon set up shop, which is now where the Samaritaine building quarters stand. In the process, he hired Marie-Louise Jaÿ the genius saleswoman.
Soon after, they married and combined their groundbreaking business ideas to build an empire of Paris's most notable department stores, with several more la Samaritaine.
They were meticulous in their presentation and employed inspectors, whose sole responsibility was to ensure that the sales personnel were performing their duties in the most professional manner possible.
There is a lot more to learn about this remarkable couple, and for that, I recommend a visit to the Musée Cognacq-Jay in Paris.
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