Looters struck French retailers across multiple cities on Saturday, hitting department stores, sportswear chains and luxury boutiques from Paris to Marseille in a wave of vandalism that coincided with LVMH's three-day open-doors craftsmanship event.

Alexandre Bompard, chief executive of Carrefour and president of the Federation of Commerce and Retail (FCD), condemned the violence directly.

"On behalf of the FCD, I condemn in the strongest possible terms the damage and looting they have suffered," Bompard wrote on LinkedIn.

Which stores were hit in Paris?

In Paris, looters smashed the windows of an Intersport store and left carrying bags of merchandise. On Avenue Montaigne, the Céline store was ransacked.

Videos circulating on X, formerly Twitter, showed a Christian Dior boutique on Rue Sainte-Honoré being looted. More than 300 protesters attempted to advance up the Avenue des Champs-Élysées before police dispersed the crowd with tear gas.

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire warned the damage would be extensive. He described entire streets as having been "methodically ravaged," while distinguishing between the protest movement and those responsible for the looting.

What happened outside the capital?

In Bordeaux, Rue Sainte-Catherine, the city's main shopping thoroughfare, suffered widespread damage. A Decathlon sporting goods store was looted and 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 in the city, according to AFP.

In Marseille, the Louis Vuitton store was broken into, with rioters seen leaving with bags and other goods. Reports also emerged that a Rolex store was ransacked.

Representatives for the brands could not be reached for comment.

Why the timing compounds the loss?

The violence coincided with a three-day open-doors event held by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, parent of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Céline, to celebrate craftsmanship. The group planned to welcome members of the public at 71 locations worldwide.

For retailers and brand operators, the immediate questions are inventory replacement, storefront repair timelines and the cost of securing flagship locations. Damage assessments for the affected stores had not been quantified at the time of reporting.

Whether brands respond with hardened storefronts, revised event security or insurance claims that reshape flagship operating budgets will become clearer in the coming weeks.