TO Paris and France parapharmacies are real beauty trend. Among the latest to open are the one in the heart of Les Halles, Parapharmacie du Forum des Halles to be precise, which has conquered everyone with its 2,050 square meters of space, and a smaller but still well-stocked one in Saint Denis, just outside the capital.
Beauty trend, the phenomenon of French parapharmacies
For some time these have become a real phenomenon, even on social networks complete with the hashtag #frenchpharmacy, which has millions of views. Because? What is it that has transformed these places into real tourist destinations?
Despite being a current beauty trend, the phenomenon is not recent. Even before the videos on TikTok, entering a French parapharmacy, especially in Paris, was very satisfying for beauty addicts. Inside you can find everything.
Paris (photo: Getty Images)
Their success has been such that, in the two years of the pandemic, two of record sizes have been opened in Paris. In the heart of the city lies the Pharmacie Forum Les Hallesof the Lafayette group, considered a real paradise for beauty lovers. And not by chance.
It is in fact an area of over two thousand square meterstwo thousand and fifty to be precise, in which to find forty thousand references of three hundred and fifty different brands, arranged on shelves that cover a length of over four and a half kilometers.
At the gates of the Ville Lumière, however, another restaurant opened its doors last autumn, La Grande Pharmacie de Saint Denis, smaller than the previous one, of “only” 1500 square meters.
Given the huge numbers, you can’t be surprised if you are out you can find endless queues or even buses full of tourists Worldwide.
Why are they all in the parapharmacy?
But what more do French parapharmacies have, so much so that they have become a mass phenomenon?
In addition to the great, and in some cases huge, choice of products, prices halved. As can be verified just by entering one of them, very often beauty products are also sold at 40% -50% less than the list price.
The reason? Buying products in huge quantities. The large offer offered, both in terms of products and brands, allows large parapharmacies, often chains, to sell at an extremely competitive price, with an increase not only in turnover but also in the customers who frequent these places compared to a traditional pharmacy .
Beauty trend: the success of French cosmetics
A success that is also a consequence of the comforting data of the French cosmetics sector. As stated by the Febea, Fédération des Entereprises de la Beauté, French cosmetics will close 2022 with a turnover of over 20 billion for exports alone, with a strong increase marked above all in the USA and in the rest of Europe.
Beauty trend: the addresses for beauty shopping in Paris
The most popular parapharmacies in Paris? Mainly four:
Pharmacie Forum Les Halles (1 Rue Pierre Lescot, Étage -2)
It is among the latest addresses opened in the French capital. Over two thousand square meters of cosmetic and pharmacological products, becoming the largest parapharmacy opened in a city center in France.
La Grande Pharmacie de Saint Denis (71 Rue de la République, Saint Denis)
Arranged on two floors, it is slightly smaller than the previous e according to the data of Le Parisien has up to 1500 customers a day.
CityPharma (26 rue du Four)
In the heart of the Left Bank, it is one of the most popular addresses in the sector, very popular not only by Parisians but also by tourists.
Pharmacie Monge (1 Pl. Monge)
Another historical address of the kind. Endless queues outside, up to two hours, while inside about forty thousand products of all French brands.
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