Christmas tree of 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 stores found in any city is the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. It's not just a place to shop but a destination as popular as any in the City of Light. At a time when department stores are fading and the entire retail industry is shifting, the Galeries Lafayette holds fast. It has survived financial crises, wars, and now the internet, remaining a celebrated part of life in Paris. Like Macy's or Rockefeller Center in New York, the Galeries Lafayette is synonymous with the holidays. A giant fir is decorated every holiday season under the store's signature stained glass dome—a ritual of Christmas cheer that Parisians have embraced for generations.