Famous Parisian department store Printemps is to open a new branch in Marseille as well as a store in the Louvre Museum’s Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall.

Printemps will open in the Parisian shopping mall, situated in the Louvre’s 1988 I.M Pei extension. The Carousel du Louvre already contains an Apple Store, and much to the chagrin of the French culinary establishment, a branch of McDonalds.

The 2,500 sq m location takes over the space formerly occupied by a Virgin Megastore in the tourist-laden spot .

British brand Marks & Spencer, which returned to France in 2011, also wanted to take the space, yet it was the French fashion retailer that ultimately won out.

The location is one of the few Parisian malls which are able to offer Sunday shopping, a huge attraction for shops hoping to capture tourist customers.

The second new store will be a 20,000 sq m space on the seafront in Marseille, within the Terrasses du Port mall. Set for a 2014 opening, it will stock men’s and women’s clothing, accessories and beauty.

“Our concept is relaxed luxury,” explained Paolo de Cesare, president and CEO of Printemps. “We thought there was an opportunity to continue to go upmarket.”

Printemps has 15 stores in France, but 35 percent of the company’s turnover is provided by the Boulevard Haussmann flagship.

Owned from 1992 to 2005 by the PPR group (the luxury portfolio which controls Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent), the group was purchased by current bosses the Borletti group (owners of Rinascente) and a consortium led by Deutsche Bank.

Until now Printemps had focused on renovating Haussmann store as well as modernizing stores in Lille, Lyon, Deauville, Parly 2, Rouen and Strasbourg. This is the group’s first acquisition since opening a previous store in Marseille in 1982.