La Grande Épicerie de Paris

For more than one hundred years, La Grande Épicerie de Paris has stood as a symbol of French innovation and heritage on the picturesque Rive Gauche. Since 1923, it has delighted patrons with unique culinary finds, curated collections of exotic treats, and the best of French gastronomy.

This legendary institution was born out of the innovative minds of Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut. Aristide Boucicaut was hired by the renowned Paul Videau, founder of Le Bon Marché, who recognized his commercial prowess. Eventually, it was the Boucicauts who took over La Grande Épicerie and transformed it into the revolutionary store we know today.

The storied legacy of La Grande Épicerie de Paris began in 1923, when the second building of Le Bon Marché opened right across the street, then known as the Comptoir de l'Alimentation. This new concept offered shelves filled with exotic teas, coffees, cocoa powder, and canned goods.

Ten years later, in 1933, fresh produce arrived on the shelves. Not only was the introduction of food counters revolutionary, but the French flair for curating thematic spaces to highlight foreign gastronomy was also pioneered by La Grande Épicerie de Paris.

A year later, La Grande Épicerie de Paris introduced a bakery and catering service into the space, once again revolutionising department store retail.

It continued to build momentum, offering Parisians a taste of the finest local produce along with bites from global markets.

Today, the gourmet grocery store employs over 500 people and welcomes more than a million visitors each year. Times may have changed, but the soul and mission of La Grande Épicerie de Paris remain the same: to present the best of local ingredients, source exceptional products from trusted producers and historic houses, showcase emerging brands, and preserve the convivial spirit of a typical Parisian market.

What began as a small section within Le Bon Marché has grown into a legendary institution of Paris.