Westfield buying facilities in France: buying, experiences and life-style

Shopping at Westfield shopping centers in France is far more than a easy journey between boutiques. You come to spend time, meet up, seize a chunk to eat or just stroll round. These areas have reinvented the standard shopping center to turn into true city residing areas.

From Sydney to French cities

It all started in 1959 on the outskirts of Sydney. Sir Frank Lowy and John Saunders created Westfield, which was to turn into a world reference. The turning level for France? December 2017. European group Unibail-Rodamco acquires Australia’s Westfield Corporation. The merger creates a industrial actual property behemoth, current in 11 nations with 66 facilities, 40 of which proudly show the Westfield emblem.

In September 2019, eight French facilities are altering their names. Le Forum des Halles, Vélizy 2, La Part-Dieu… All are adopting the Westfield prefix. The purpose? Harmonize the shopper expertise and import the model’s know-how. Today, these locations appeal to over 900 million visits a yr worldwide.

Sixteen facilities in France, eight beneath the Westfield model

The Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield group manages sixteen buying facilities in France. Eight of those are Westfield-branded: Les 4 Temps/Cnit in La Défense, Forum des Halles in Paris, La Part-Dieu in Lyon, Vélizy 2, Parly 2, Rosny 2, Carré Sénart in Lieusaint and Euralille.

Westfield Les 4 Temps tops the nationwide rankings. At La Défense, its 230 shops protecting 140,300 m² make it probably the most visited buying middle in France. Thousands of staff go by on daily basis.

In the center of Paris, Westfield Forum des Halles performs the sunshine structure card. Its glass roof, designed by Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti, bathes the house in pure mild. Here you’ll discover unique manufacturers and pop-up shops that change commonly.

Lyon is dwelling to the nation’s largest city middle: Westfield La Part-Dieu. Its 131,800 m² are dwelling to 18 cinemas and 25 eating places. Its inexperienced roof? A very authentic function of the Lyon panorama.

Westfield Vélizy 2 has marked its period. In 1972, it was the biggest buying middle in Europe. Now renovated, it gives 180 shops and a brand-new 18-screen UGC cinema.

Other Westfield locations full the community: Parly 2 in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Rosny 2, Carré Sénart in Lieusaint and Euralille in Lille.

The group additionally manages eight different facilities with out the Westfield prefix: Rennes Alma (Brittany’s largest middle with 47,000 m²), Aéroville close to Roissy, Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, Confluence in Lyon, Les Ateliers Gaîté in Paris, So Ouest in Levallois-Perret, Toison d’Or in Dijon and Ulis 2. All concentrate on accessibility: public transport, automotive, bike. Getting there may be straightforward.

Shopping for all tastes

Zara, H&M and Uniqlo rub shoulders with Hugo Boss, Maje and The Kooples. Westfield facilities combine genres. Adidas and Nike for sports activities, Sephora and Mac for magnificence, Victoria’s Secret for intimacy. Children usually are not forgotten both, with Jacadi or the Lego Store.

This combine is deliberate. There’s one thing for everybody, no matter their price range. An adolescent on the lookout for a stylish outfit in addition to an government who desires to deal with himself.

Eat, not simply eat

Food courts provide all kinds of world delicacies. Italian, Asian, American… You can compose your tray in accordance with the temper of the second. Westfield Les 4 Temps boasts 73 meals courts. Impressive.

Some choose to take a seat down in an actual restaurant. Others seize a sandwich between two shops. In cafés, discussions proceed over a latte. The mall turns into a spot the place folks take the time to dwell, not simply devour.

Cinema and leisure

The cinema complexes are an integral a part of the expertise. Westfield Vélizy 2 and La Part-Dieu every provide 18 screens with the most recent expertise.

Events punctuate the yr. Westfield Days, model collaborations, seasonal occasions… In March 2025, the Louvre even invited itself to Westfield Rosny 2 to showcase artwork in a industrial setting. A daring initiative that shakes up codes.

Green areas, relaxation areas… You can take a breather between purchases. The ambiance stays fluid regardless of the crowds.

Technology for on a regular basis life

Click-and-collect, Amazon lockers, free wifi… Digital providers make life simpler. Electric automotive charging stations are on the rise. Handy once you’re spending the afternoon on website.

In December 2024, Westfield Rise launched a serious innovation: drive-to-store measurement. This expertise analyzes the effectiveness of promoting campaigns in producing site visitors to bodily shops. Retail goes digital, even within the malls.

The partnership with Avanade has optimized the group’s web sites. The buyer expertise is now constructed between on-line and offline. You can test the opening occasions in your smartphone earlier than popping out to browse in individual.

Environmental dedication

In 2023, the group is launching Better Places, a certification system that evaluates its facilities on environmental and social standards. A to E ranking to encourage steady enchancment. Westfield Les 4 Temps achieves certification in April 2025.

The inexperienced roof of La Part-Dieu illustrates this ambition. So does the pure lighting of the Forum des Halles. Energy discount, waste administration, city biodiversity… New buildings systematically combine these considerations.

Adapt or disappear

In the face of e-commerce, bodily buying facilities have to reinvent themselves. People now not come simply to purchase. They come to expertise, uncover and share. Shopping turns into a social second.

This transformation explains the success of the Westfield mannequin. Visitors spend a number of hours on website. A go to could be totally different relying on the season, the occasions and the temper of the day.

Accessibility stays a serious asset. Whether within the metropolis or on the outskirts, these facilities are a part of the day by day move. It’s straightforward to drop in between appointments or for a full afternoon.

Challenges for the long run

The group goes by means of a interval of restructuring. In June 2020, 5 buying facilities are offered for 2 billion euros, together with Aéroville and Rennes Alma. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stays a shareholder and continues to handle the enterprise, however the industrial actual property enterprise should show its profitability.

Vincent Rouget takes over the reins of the group in January 2026. His mission? Pursue innovation and diversify the providing. Investment within the buyer expertise stays a precedence.

In the wake of the pandemic and the explosion of on-line buying, buying facilities have to exhibit their added worth. Westfield is banking on life-style, tradition and conviviality. Its sixteen French locations embody this renewed imaginative and prescient of retail.

From Les Halles to Rennes, from La Défense to Dijon, these websites proceed to draw hundreds of thousands of holiday makers. They are now not mere buying malls. They’ve turn into city locations the place buying blends with day by day life.