PARIS – French retailers faced widespread looting on Saturday, with department stores, sportswear chains and luxury boutiques targeted across the country.
Alexandre Bompard, chief executive of Carrefour and president of the Federation of Commerce and Retail (FCD), condemned the violence.
“On behalf of the FCD, I condemn in the strongest possible terms the damage and looting they have suffered,” Bompard wrote on LinkedIn, as businesses were vandalized and merchandise stolen.
In Paris, an Intersport store was looted after individuals smashed its windows and left carrying bags of merchandise. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire warned that the damage would be extensive, describing entire streets as having been “methodically ravaged.” He condemned the destruction while distinguishing between the protest movement and those responsible for looting.
In Bordeaux, Rue Sainte-Catherine, the city’s main shopping thoroughfare, was hit by widespread damage. A Decathlon sporting goods store was looted and subsequently set on fire, with flames spreading to the building’s facade. An Apple Store, Galeries Lafayette and an Intersport were also among the retailers targeted, according to AFP.
In Paris, the Céline store on Avenue Montaigne was ransacked. More than 300 protesters also attempted to advance up the Avenue des Champs-Élysées before police dispersed the crowd with tear gas.
Videos circulating on X (formerly Twitter) showed a Christian Dior boutique on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris being looted. The Louis Vuitton store in Marseille was broken into and rioters were seen leaving with bags and other goods, while reports emerged that a Rolex store has also been ransacked.
Representatives for the brands could not be reached for comment.
The violence coincided with a three-day open-doors event held by luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, parent company of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Celine, to celebrate craftsmanship. The group planned to welcome members of the public in 71 locations worldwide.