La Samaritaine is a department store located in Paris between the Rue de Rivoli and the Seine , directly above the Pont Neuf in the 1st arrondissement of Paris . Founded in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq , La Samaritaine, having become loss-making, closed in 2005 to redevelop its buildings and bring it up to safety standards. Until its closure, La Samaritaine remained the largest Parisian department store by size. The reopening of La Samaritaine (reduced to 10,000 m2 compared to 30,000 m2 before 2005), initially planned for 2011, was delayed by 10 years due to multiple twists and turns (between appeals from heritage defenders - opposed to the demolition of the old facade on rue de Rivoli - and the Covid-19 pandemic ) and finally took place on June 23, 2021. Its art nouveau and art deco style buildings are the work of architects Frantz Jourdain and Henri Sauvage. The main store is listed as a historic monument .