14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has opened the first of a series of stores planned for Paris, which includes a location in Montpellier, and one store near the Garnier opera house, which Apple hopes to open by the summer of 2010. The first store is located in the Carrousel du Louvre.
Present at the time of the opening was none other than the retail-focused ifoAppleStore. “Rather than overpower one of the world’s great treasures, the new Carrousel du Louvre (Paris ) Apple store presents a proper yet distinctive appearance,” the site notes.
“The architects have taken a very minimalist approach to the underground storefront, essentially just using glass to fill open spaces in the perimeter walls facing a huge, inverted glass triangle that showers the store with soft light. None of the original stone walls were touched, a sign of remarkable restraint, even though the walls only date to the 1980s when the underground shopping center was built.”
The site explains that the Carrousel du Louvre is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and advertises 45 “boutiques and restaurants.” According to those familiar with the store, the Wi-Fi network is operating and can be reached even from down the hallway, at the mezzanine food court.
Talking about the Apple storefront, ifo reveals that the company has gone with “a single, 30-foot tall window, flanked by two narrow entrances.” The original, cream-color stone siding panels make up the remainder of the store, while each entrance door leads into a two-story space that mirrors the scale of the main hall, according to those who’ve seen the store opened.
“The glass staircase is prominent in the middle of this room, and leads up to the mezzanine, which like other two-level stores, includes the Genius Bar (actually two bars), iPods and iPhones, training tables, software and accessories,” ifo reports, trying to paint a picture of the store’s architecture. “It fits simply and unobtrusively into centuries of history, but still manages to carry the Apple brand to a new country.”
The first photos of the store and its interior are available here. For a proper viewing of the gallery, Safari 2.0 or later, or Firefox 1.5 or later is required on behalf of the user.