Galeries Lafayette, Paris

I was back in Paris three weeks ago for a 29-hour layover. When we arrived at the hotel where we usually stay, I immediately noticed its new name: Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile. But upon entering the hotel, there was no other noticeable change in the interior, staff, and service. I guess it was really just a name change. I was hungry, so after checking in and taking a quick selfie in the room, I went down to the lobby for the free breakfast buffet. And then I noticed another new thing: rice was being served in the buffet table!

I slept after eating and woke up at 12 noon for a city walk with another Filipina flight attendant. We asked the hotel concierge for the bus that passes by Galeries Lafayette. He told us it was bus # 43 and we can board it in front of the hotel. The bus took us to Trinite station. It was my first time to ride a bus in Paris. The fare was 2 Euros.

We took photos of the beautiful church at the Trinite station. Then we walked for about 150 meters following the street sign to Galeries Lafayette.

Then, I was finally at Galeries Lafayette. I must admit that I expected a classier and more upscale establishment, but Galeries Lafayette turned out to be just like an ordinary mall crowded with shops and stalls. The big difference with other malls of course is that this mall only features the most expensive brands in the bags and fashion industry. Some brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel even have multiple stores in the Galeries. I counted three LV and three Chanel boutiques. Here are some of the luxury brands available at the Galeries Lafayette:

The shoes section was at the mall basement. I tried on a pair of blue peep-toe shoes. I wanted to buy it for my wedding shoes but I thought that I can still find a better pair, so I put off buying it. My friend bought a pair of ballerina flats from Repetto, a French brand.

We checked out the shops. We needed to fall in line at the entrance of some stores because there were just too many customers and the stores cannot accommodate everyone inside. Finally, we went to a Louis Vuitton shop. I bought two bags for two of my friends in Manila. It took me a while to complete my purchase because of the long queue of customers at the entrance and even at the cashier.

We ate at Cafe du Mogador before going back to the hotel. We had sirloin steak, french fries, salad, and Coke. The food was fine at 13.90 Euros, but I think the bottle of Coke at 4.70 Euros was really expensive. With that amount of money, I can buy five to 25 bottles of coke in Manila.

We took the same bus to go back to the hotel. While waiting at the bus stop, we met a Filipina worker. She told us she had never gone home to Manila since she arrived in Paris three years ago. I felt sad for her. I would already be depressed if I were in her shoes. Two months is already a long time for me to be away from my family. We chatted in the bus until she got off. She told us her name but I failed to remember it.

When we reached the hotel, we went to the nearest Starbucks Café so I can buy a tumbler or mug for my collection but the cafe was already closed. My friend just went to the grocery and I retired to my hotel room. I went online for a few hours before preparing for the flight the following day.