Christmas tree at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, France

© Geoffroy Van der Hasselt/AFP via Getty Image

Season of light in the City of Light. Galeries Lafayette, Paris

Surely one of the grandest department stores found in any city is the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. It's not just a place to shop, it's a popular attraction in the City of Light. While department stores are struggling and the retail industry is undergoing seismic change, the Galeries Lafayette holds fast. It has survived financial crises, wars and now, the internet, remaining a celebrated part of life in Paris. Like Harrods and Liberty in London, or Macy's in New York, the Galeries Lafayette is synonymous with the Christmas holidays. A giant fir is decorated every year under the store's famous stained glass dome - a ritual of festive cheer that Parisians have embraced for generations.