LVMH's Parisian department store La Samaritaine to reopen after 16 years

Parisian department store La Samaritaine is reportedly set to reopen its doors next month for the first time in 16 years.

Luxury French group LVMH, which has been a majority shareholder in the iconic shopping destination since 2001, closed the building in 2005 for security reasons and has since invested 750 million euros in its revamp.

Between 2012 and 2015, the work was suspended by a series of appeals from heritage preservation associations contesting the development.

But the finished building, which also includes a luxury hotel, offices, social housing and a nursery, is now set to reopen on June 19, French news agency AFP reports.

The iconic building, located on Rue de Rivoli on the edge of the Seine, was initially slated to reopen last year in celebration of its 150th anniversary but was delayed due to the pandemic.

The building houses a five-star, 72-room Cheval Blanc hotel - a brand also owned by LVMH - as well as 15,000 square metres of office space, 97 social housing units and four restaurants, including one run by Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Donckele.