Westfield shopping centers in France: shopping, experiences and lifestyle

Shopping at Westfield shopping centers in France is much more than a simple trip between boutiques. You come to spend time, meet up, grab a bite to eat or simply stroll around. These spaces have reinvented the traditional shopping mall to become true urban living spaces.

From Sydney to French cities

It all began in 1959 on the outskirts of Sydney. Sir Frank Lowy and John Saunders created Westfield, which was to become a world reference. The turning point for France? December 2017. European group Unibail-Rodamco acquires Australia’s Westfield Corporation. The merger creates a commercial real estate behemoth, present in 11 countries with 66 centers, 40 of which proudly display the Westfield logo.

In September 2019, eight French centers are changing their names. Le Forum des Halles, Vélizy 2, La Part-Dieu… All are adopting the Westfield prefix. The aim? Harmonize the customer experience and import the brand’s know-how. Today, these destinations attract over 900 million visits a year worldwide.

Sixteen centers in France, eight under the Westfield brand

The Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield group manages sixteen shopping centers in France. Eight of these 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 national rankings. At La Défense, its 230 stores covering 140,300 m² make it the most visited shopping center in France. Thousands of workers pass by every day.

In the heart of Paris, Westfield Forum des Halles plays the light architecture card. Its glass roof, designed by Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti, bathes the space in natural light. Here you’ll find exclusive brands and pop-up stores that change regularly.

Lyon is home to the country’s largest urban center: Westfield La Part-Dieu. Its 131,800 m² are home to 18 cinemas and 25 restaurants. Its green roof? A truly original feature of the Lyon landscape.

Westfield Vélizy 2 has marked its era. In 1972, it was the largest shopping center in Europe. Now renovated, it offers 180 stores and a brand-new 18-screen UGC cinema.

Other Westfield destinations complete the network: Parly 2 in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Rosny 2, Carré Sénart in Lieusaint and Euralille in Lille.

The group also manages eight other centers without the Westfield prefix: Rennes Alma (Brittany’s largest center with 47,000 m²), Aéroville near 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 focus on accessibility: public transport, car, bike. Getting there is easy.

Shopping for all tastes

Zara, H&M and Uniqlo rub shoulders with Hugo Boss, Maje and The Kooples. Westfield centers mix genres. Adidas and Nike for sports, Sephora and Mac for beauty, Victoria’s Secret for intimacy. Children are not forgotten either, with Jacadi or the Lego Store.

This mix is deliberate. There’s something for everyone, whatever their budget. A teenager looking for a trendy outfit as well as an executive who wants to treat himself.

Eat, not just eat

Food courts offer a wide variety of world cuisine. Italian, Asian, American… You can compose your tray according to the mood of the moment. Westfield Les 4 Temps boasts 73 food courts. Impressive.

Some prefer to sit down in a real restaurant. Others grab a sandwich between two stores. In cafés, discussions continue over a latte. The mall becomes a place where people take the time to live, not just consume.

Cinema and entertainment

The cinema complexes are an integral part of the experience. Westfield Vélizy 2 and La Part-Dieu each offer 18 screens with the latest technology.

Events punctuate the year. Westfield Days, brand collaborations, seasonal events… In March 2025, the Louvre even invited itself to Westfield Rosny 2 to showcase art in a commercial setting. A daring initiative that shakes up codes.

Green spaces, rest areas… You can take a breather between purchases. The atmosphere remains fluid despite the crowds.

Technology for everyday life

Click-and-collect, Amazon lockers, free wifi… Digital services make life easier. Electric car charging stations are on the increase. Handy when you’re spending the afternoon on site.

In December 2024, Westfield Rise launched a major innovation: drive-to-store measurement. This technology analyzes the effectiveness of advertising campaigns in generating traffic to physical stores. Retail is going digital, even in the malls.

The partnership with Avanade has optimized the group’s websites. The customer experience is now built between online and offline. You can check the opening times on your smartphone before coming out to browse in person.

Environmental commitment

In 2023, the group is launching Better Places, a certification system that evaluates its centers on environmental and social criteria. A to E rating to encourage continuous improvement. Westfield Les 4 Temps achieves certification in April 2025.

The green roof of La Part-Dieu illustrates this ambition. So does the natural lighting of the Forum des Halles. Energy reduction, waste management, urban biodiversity… New buildings systematically integrate these concerns.

Adapt or disappear

In the face of e-commerce, physical shopping centers need to reinvent themselves. People no longer come just to buy. They come to experience, discover and share. Shopping becomes a social moment.

This transformation explains the success of the Westfield model. Visitors spend several hours on site. A visit can be different depending on the season, the events and the mood of the day.

Accessibility remains a major asset. Whether in the city or on the outskirts, these centers are part of the daily flow. It’s easy to drop in between appointments or for a full afternoon.

Challenges for the future

The group is going through a period of restructuring. In June 2020, five shopping centers are sold for two billion euros, including Aéroville and Rennes Alma. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield remains a shareholder and continues to manage the business, but the commercial real estate business must prove its profitability.

Vincent Rouget takes over the reins of the group in January 2026. His mission? Pursue innovation and diversify the offering. Investment in the customer experience remains a priority.

In the wake of the pandemic and the explosion of online shopping, shopping centers need to demonstrate their added value. Westfield is banking on lifestyle, culture and conviviality. Its sixteen French destinations embody this renewed vision of retail.

From Les Halles to Rennes, from La Défense to Dijon, these sites continue to attract millions of visitors. They are no longer mere shopping malls. They’ve become urban destinations where shopping blends with daily life.