What Nicolas is known for
French wine retail chain founded in Paris in 1822 by Louis Nicolas, credited as the first to sell bottled (rather than cask) wine and to offer home delivery, from 1840; now over 400 branches across France, the UK, Belgium and Germany.
Nicolas was founded in 1822 by Louis Nicolas, who opened his first shop at rue Sainte-Anne in Paris. At a time when most Parisians bought wine by the barrel, Nicolas pioneered selling wine already bottled at consistent quality and price. In 1840 the company added home delivery, another early move for the wine trade. A notable 1860 acquisition of the Buhler grocery chain added roughly 40 points of sale and helped establish Nicolas as a reference name in French wine retail. The chain has since expanded into a network of several hundred branches - commonly cited today as over 400 - spread across France with additional branches in the UK, Belgium, Germany and Poland.
How ORBIS reads this city
Best for — Everyday French wine and champagne gifting.
More in Paris
- Balenciaga — Paris
- Bourrienne Paris X — Paris
- Cartier — Paris
- Céline — Paris
- Chanel — Paris
- Charvet — Paris
- Creed — Paris
- Dior — Paris
Where next
- Galerie Vivienne — Paris
- Champagne Bollinger — Global / Online
- Dolin — Global / Online
Hand-curated for ORBIS · no paid placement