Behind its facade listed as a Historic Monument, in the depths of the basements, dozens of technicians and craftsmen work every day for the maintenance of this set of 4 buildings spread over 48 levels and more than 90 hectares of surface total.
It was in 1865 that the young entrepreneur Jules Jaluzot and his wife Augustine, created the "Grands Magasins du Printemps", with the ambition of making it the new temple of Fashion and the avant-garde in a Paris in full transformation. By choosing the boulevard Haussmann, which has just been drilled, they take up a real challenge: the Opéra Garnier is then only a vast construction site and the tumult of the Gare Saint-Lazare deters walkers.
This is the start of an exciting adventure. Crowds flock there to discover the latest innovations: from the first hydraulic lifts to the very recent electric lighting, passing through iron and glass architecture... Ravaged by fire, threatened by wars, Printemps was the witness of many events and the theater of the inventions of his century.
This guided tour will reveal the secrets linked to the architecture, history and operation of the large store. Designed as a vertical journey, it will make you discover one of the most beautiful views of Paris, before descending into the underground galleries. The essential machinery and workshops where mirror makers, carpenters and locksmiths work will be revealed behind each open door in this maze of corridors.
With private access in confidential passages, you can admire the masterpieces of Printemps such as the floating staircases, the original gates of the store and the hidden face of the majestic glass dome 20 meters in diameter and which overlooks the building by50 meters high!
From the sky to the basement , from the Second Empire to the 21st century, from neo-classicism to the contemporary era, passing through Art Nouveau and Art Deco, this visit is a journey to the heart of the Department Store's heritage. and its transformations for more than 150 years.
