Every Christmas two of the biggest department stores in Paris – Le Printemps and Les Galeries Lafayette Haussmann – who happen to be literally next door to each other, try to outdo each other with their traditional animated window displays.

Take a look at the 2023 windows and see if you can decide who did it best…

First of all, let’s say that the ‘fight’ isn’t really on a level playing field – on one hand Galeries Lafayette has fewer windows it can use for its displays, but on the other it does have the most ginormous Xmas tree you have ever laid eyes on, so there’s that.

However, for a lot of kids (many of whom don’t even enter the store), the window displays are the only benchmark, so let’s take a look at what’s on offer this year!

Les Galeries Lafayette has filled its windows with creations by the young French fashion designer Charles de Vilmorin, who seemingly bathes everything in blue light and offers a cross between Venice carnaval and Alice in Wonderland (with a big brand name emblazoned on each window display 😕).

Printemps however offers something very different – a paper Chirstmas, inaugurated by none other than national treasure Catherine Deneuve!

With eleven animated window displays filled with paper birds of all shapes and sizes (designed by artist Mathilde Nivet, who has also worked with Louis Vuitton and Hermès), we think it’s much more of a success, and more in the spirit of the holidays.

But what do you think?

Want to learn more about each store’s 2023 Xmas lineup? Click here for Galeries Lafayette, and here for Printemps!