Printemps is a French luxury department store chain founded in 1865, which focuses on beauty, lifestyle, fashion and accessories. The flagship store "le Printemps Haussmann" is located on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The holding company Groupe Printemps has been owned by the Luxembourg-based, Qatari-backed investment fund Divine Investments SA since 2013.
As of 2026, Printemps operates eighteen stores in France (including two in Paris, and two outlet stores), as well as two international locations in Doha, Qatar and New York City, United States. The company was a founder of the International Association of Department Stores as well as one of its members from 1928 until 1997.
History
Early history (19th-century) The first Printemps store (now commonly known as "Printemps Haussmann"), was opened on 3 November 1865. Founded by Jules Jaluzot and Jean-Alfred Duclos, Jaluzot was previously head of the silk department at Au Bon Marché. Jaluzots wife Augustine Jaluzot (née Figeac), an actress and member of the Comédie Française financed the stores opening. The store had a large expansion in 1874 which included the addition of hydraulic elevators.
The policies of Printemps revolutionised retail business practices. The store marked items with set prices and eschewed the haggling based on customer appearance that had previously been standard in retail shopping. Like other (, department stores), Printemps used the economies of scale to provide high quality goods at prices that the expanding middle class could afford. They also pioneered the idea of discount sales to clear outdated stock, and later the use of window models to display the latest fashions. Printemps was noted for its branding innovations as well, handing out bouquets of violets on the first day of spring and championing the new Art Nouveau style, with its nature inspired motifs.
In 1881 the store caught on fire causing the entire building to be destroyed, but after the fire the store was rebuilt with the new building designed by architects Jules and Paul Sédille. The figures of the Four Seasons on the façade were sculpted by French sculptor Henri Chapu. The store also became the first to use electric lighting with the rebuild and customers were even able to observe the power station behind a glass wall.
"Comptoirs d'exportation" (export counters) were opened in Yokohama (1887 - Japan), Avricourt (1872 - Alsace-Lorraine) and Tangiers (1891 - Morocco).
20th-century
The store became one of the first department stores with direct metro access when the Métro was connected in 1904. In 1905 Jules Jaluzot resigned from his position after causing the near collapse of the business, being accused of embezzling funds and his involvement in a sugar market manipulation scandal. He was succeeded by Gustave Laguionie, who announced the construction of a second store in 1905. Designed by architect René Binet, the store opened five years later and was dominated by a glass domed hall 42 meters in height and an Art Nouveau staircase which was later removed in 1955. The first store outside of Paris was opened in 1912 in Deauville.
Pierre Laguionie, the son of Gustave, took the helm of the store in 1920, rebuilding it after another large fire in 1921. In 1923 with the reconstruction of the Haussmann store an elaborate cupola was installed above the main restaurant. Pierre Laguionie was the first president of the International Association of Department Stores in from 1928 to 1930, a position he held again in from 1937 to 1938 and 1952 to 1953. Jean Vignéras held the position from 1962 to 1963 and Jean-Jacques Delort was president from 1981 to 1982.
In 1931, Printemps created the discount chain Prisunic. In 1939 to avoid the risk of the cupola being destroyed in bombing attacks it was dismantled and stored at Clichy.Clichy, Entrepôts du Printemps It was restored in 1973 by the grandson of its original designer, using plans that had been kept in the archives of the family business. In 1975, the façade and cupola of the building were registered as historical monuments.
In 1946, Printemps alongside Åhlén & Holm, Au Grand Passage (Geneva), Bon Marché (Brussels), Grands Magasins Jelmoli, L'Innovation (Lausanne), Rinascente, S.A.P.A.C. (Printemps purchasing association) and Selfridges founded the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores.
By 1970 there were 23 Printemps locations and 13 Prisunic discount outlets. The oil-price driven French economic crisis of the early 1970s significantly threatened Printemps business model, in response the firm was transformed into a limited corporation with a controlling interest acquired by Maus Fréres, a Swiss holding company. During the 1970s Jean-Jacques Delort led the company on a turnaround strategy creating specialty stores and brands (such as Armand Thierry clothing) and branching out into different areas such as food and mail.
In 1980 the Nancy-based Magasins Réunis became affiliated with Printemps and in 1983 in a franchise agreement all branches were rebranded to Printemps. The Lefroid department store in Tours was rebranded to Printemps in 1984.
The ex-Magasins Réunis stores on Avenue Ternes, Place de la République (Paris), and in Cherbourg were sold by the family who owned Magasins Réunis to l'Omnium commercial et financier in 1988. Printemps purchased the Nancy store that was held by the family under a franchise agreement.
In 1991 Printemps and its subsidiaries were acquired by François Pinault and merged with other holdings into Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR, was renamed Kering in 2013). Printemps spent $40 million to renovate the flagship Haussmann store in 1997 the renovation redesigned the entire store and also added TV screens and music listening stations around the store whilst also refreshing the brands that the store stocked. 2000s
In 2006, Printemps was sold to Deutsche Bank (70%) and the Italian Borletti Group (30%), they then made major investments to revamp stores.
On 16 December 2008, the Paris department store Printemps Haussmann was evacuated following a bomb threat from the terrorist group FRA (Afghan Revolutionary Front). The demining services found five sticks of dynamite in the toilet of the store. The FRA claimed this attack and demanded the withdrawal of 3,000 French soldiers deployed in Afghanistan.
2010s On 31 July 2013, Divine Investments SA (DiSA), a Luxembourg-based investment fund backed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, purchased Printemps. On 4 August 2013 labor organisations in France asked the Paris prosecutor's office to open a preliminary inquiry into the sale, in response to a complaint from labour representatives. On 8 August the French court rejected the request to stop the sale.
On 15 January 2014, Printemps opened its first new store in 32 years at the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall in Paris. The store closed in 2023. The next year a new store opened at Polygone Riviera in Cagnes-sur-Mer.
2020s In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was announced that four Printemps stores would close (Le Havre, Strasbourg, Metz & Place d'Italie). However, the Le Havre store did not close and in 2022 was purchased by the franchisee of Printemps Caen.
An outlet opened at the McArthurGlen Paris-Giverny mall in mid-2024. In November 2024 it was revealed that Printemps would be forced to close the Polygone Riviera store, with the centre’s new owners planning on converting it into entertainment park.
Jean-Marc Bellaiche stepped down as president of Printemps in September 2025 after "five years of transformation". Under his leadership the Printemps Group had returned to profitability and e-commerce sales increased to form 10% of all Printemps revenues. He was replaced by Rémy Baume in June 2026. Baume, previously served in executive positions at The Kooples, LVMH, Zadig&Voltaire, and began has career as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley.
Les Magasins Jean, operator of Printemps in Brest (the parent company of Magasins Jean was Rallye), entered liquidation in March 2026 and the store was closed. In April 2026 it was announced that plans were in place to eliminate 229 positions at the company (with 17 to be modified and 91 created) and close the Rennes-Alma branch due to "major upheaval in the apparel sector,".
Store locations and opening timeline As of 2026, Printemps operates eighteen stores in France (including two outlet locations), along with two international locations in Doha, Qatar and New York City, United States. Printemps stores permanently closed Printemps stores currently in operation Printemps stores planned to open
France Metropolitan area("metro") Suburb or NeighborhoodName/Location/Notes Size Opened ClosedParis9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann On the corner of Boulevard Haussmann and Rue du Havre. Future Printemps Homme. Gradually expanded to take up the entire block (Havre, Haussmann, Provence, Caumartin).18651881Paris9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann Rue de Provence. Future Printemps Beauté, Maison, Enfant.18741881Paris9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann18831921Paris9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann18831921Paris9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann Now Printemps Femme.19101921DeauvillePlace François AndréPrintemps Deauville1912openParis9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann (Homme, Goût) On Boulevard Haussmann.1925openParis9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann (Femme) On Boulevard Haussmann.1925openParis9th arrondissementPrintemps Haussmann (Beauté, Maison, Enfant) Previously the Men's (Homme) building until 2017.1925openRouenPlace de la CathédralePrintemps Rouen1928openLe HavreCotyPrintemps Le Havre Located at Espace Coty. Franchised location under the control of Toscaleo Conseil.1928openLilleLille-CentrePrintemps Lille1929openBordeauxBordeaux CentrePrintemps Bordeaux Previously Familia.193420 May 1989LyonPlace de la RépubliquePrintemps Lyon1938openPoitiersPlace du Maréchal LeclercPrintemps Poitiers Destroyed by fire, rebuilt and reopened in 1965.194030 May 1961AuxerreCentre-VillePrintemps Auxerre Previously Soisson & James.1963closed (1990s)ParisPlace de la NationPrintemps Nation Located on Cours de Vincennes1964openPoitiersPlace du Maréchal LeclercPrintemps Poitiers 7 September 196528 January 2012ParisLe Chesnay-RocquencourtPrintemps Parly 2 Located at Parly 2.1969openRennesQuartier BréquignyPrintemps Alma Located at Westfield Rennes Alma.1971open (set to close in the future)ParisVélizy-VillacoublayPrintemps Vélizy 2 Located at Vélizy 2.1972openParisCréteil Printemps Créteil Soleil Located at Créteil Soleil.19741978MetzMetz Old TownPrintemps Metz197430 November 2021ParisPlace d'ItaliePrintemps Italie 2 / Printemps Italie Located at Italie 2. Previously Au Bon Marché.19762021ToulonLa Valette-du-VarPrintemps Grand Var Located at Grand Var.1978openStrasbourgPlace de l'Homme de FerPrintemps Strasbourg197930 December 2021MarseillesLa ValentinePrintemps Valentine Located at Centre Valentine.1982openNancyPlace Simone-VeilPrintemps Nancy Previously Magasins Réunis.1983openAlençon Printemps Alençon Previously Magasins Réunis.19831995CherbourgCentre-VillePrintemps Cherbourg Previously Magasins Réunis.1983closed (early 1990s)Épinal Place des 4 NationsPrintemps Épinal Previously Magasins Réunis.1983closed (late 1980s)Paris11th arrondissementPrintemps Place de la République Previously Magasins Réunis.1983closedParis17th arrondissementPrintemps Avenue Ternes Previously Magasins Réunis.1983closed (early 1990s)BrestBrest CentrePrintemps Brest Franchised location under the control of Rallye. Previously Magasins Jean.198424 March 2026ToursQuartier GrammontPrintemps Tours Previously Lefroid.1984openCaenSaint-JeanPrintemps Caen Franchised location under the control of Toscaleo Conseil. Previously Au Bon Marché.1989openParisBeaubourgPrintemps Design Located at Centre Pompidou.1 January 20002011Paris1st arrondissementPrintemps du Louvre