La Samaritaine Department Store Facelift

The department store Samaritaine with its restaurant view over the Seine, Pont Neuf and the statue of Henri IV, closed June 2005. Its reopening is scheduled (maybe) for the end of 2013. Work is scheduled to begin at the end of 2011.

As of June 29, 2010 it became a stronghold of occupation of the group CIP-IDF representing those in need of housing, the unemployed, theatrical artists and the needy.

When the doors reopen, the Samaritaine of the “grand magasin” variety such as le Bon Marché, Les Galeries Lafayette, Le Printemps, founded in 1869 will exist no longer.

The insides will be multi-purpose: grocery store, apartments, day care center, commerce and a luxury hotel.

The department store was closed for security reasons. According to experts, the metallic structures of the department store would withstand no more than 15 minutes of fire.

The initial cost to renovate and bring the store up to standard was set at 200 millions euros and has now reached 450 millions. Thus, the diverse activities anticipated in the future.

Follow the link of the newspaper, Les Echos for photos of Samaritaine’s history. Watch a movie of plans on the corner of rue de Rivoli Wednesday, Friday (1 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

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