Passages couverts de Paris

Introduction

While I was living in Paris during the fall and winter of 2011-12, one of my activities was exploring the covered passageways there. There are something like 200 passages total in Paris, but most are not covered. There are two pages listing the covered ones: one at Wikipedia, Passages couverts de Paris, and one at Paris Inconnu, also titled Passages couverts de Paris. The Passage parisien wikipedia page lists all of the passages, including uncovered ones, by arrondissement. Seeing all of these would be a challenge, so I concentrated on the covered ones.

Most of the passages show up on Google Maps when zoomed into maximum magnification, and sometimes they are labeled as well. I have included links to Google maps for the entrances and exits to help you find them. Remember to zoom in to see the passage on the map.

To see photos, just let your mouse hover over the icons below. Move it away and the photo will disappear. Clicking on the icon will bring up the photo in a separate window.

Walk 1 (3rd, 2nd, and 1st arrondissements):

You may want to split up this walk into two parts.

1. Start
   
   at 82, rue Quincampoix. The closest métro is Rambuteau. Walk through Passage Molière, exiting at 157, rue Saint-Martin. This isn’t really a covered passage.
2. Walk North on rue Saint-Martin to #221 and turn into Passage de l'Ancre, exiting at 30, rue de Turbigo. This also isn’t really a covered passage.
3. Walk southwest on Turbigo. Just after it crosses Boulevard de Sebastopol, turn left briefly onto rue de Palestro, and immediately at #3 enter Passage du Bourg-l'Abbé, exiting at 120, rue Saint-Denis. This is a dreary passageway, that needs renovation, but it gets you to the next one, which is nice. You’re now in the 2nd rather than the 3rd arrondissement.
4. Right
   
   across rue Saint-Denis at #145, enter Passage du Grand-Cerf, exiting at 8, rue Dussoubs. This one is worth poking around in, and the first really nice one on this tour. Avoid rue Saint-Denis itself; it is generally a sleazy street.
5. Walk
   
   along Rue Tiquetonne to Rue Montorgueil. This whole quarter is a pedestrian area. Rue Montorgueil is particularly nice. Have an eclair at Stohrer—they are supposed to be the best in Paris. Perhaps walk the entire street. (Rue Cler in the 7th is another street like this worth visiting.) This could be a good point to break up the walk into two parts.
6. Walk to 17, rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau. If you are starting here, the Louvre-Rivoli métro is close by. This is the 1st arrondissement. From rue Montorgueil, you can easily walk here and continue the tour, or start fresh another time.
7. Walk
   
   through Galerie Véro-Dodat, exiting at 2, rue du Bouloi. (You could walk by 9 rue Léopold-Bellan or 8 rue Mandar on your way to Véro-Dodat to see Galerie Ben AÏad. According to Paris Inconnu, Le passage est abandonné et fermé.)
   
8. Walk
   
   to 4, rue des Petits Champs. (I suggest walking through the Palais-Royal to get there.) You’re back in the 2nd. Walk through Galerie Vivienne, exiting at 6, rue Vivienne. While inside, also explore the side branch to 5, rue de la Banque. You could also try exploring Passage des Deux-Pavillons while you are here. Somehow I missed this one. I also did not attempt to visit Galerie Colbert at 6 rue des Petits Champs or from Galerie Vivienne because it says access is regulated, but you could try. The photos certainly seem inviting.
   
9. Walk to 40, rue des Petits Champs, and walk through Passage Choiseul, exiting at 23, rue Saint-Augustin. This one has a side branch too called Passage Sainte-Anne.
10. Walk
    
    
    to 5, Boulevard des Italiens and find Passage des Princes, and walk through, exiting at 97, rue de Richelieu. This is, architecturally, a particularly nice one, but it is mostly toy stores.
    
11. Walk
    
    to 10, rue Saint-Marc, and walk through Passage des Panoramas, exploring its branches such as Galerie Feydeau, and exiting at 11, Boulevard Montmartre.
    
12. Across
    
    the street at 10, Boulevard Montmartre you will find Passage Jouffroy. When you cross Boulevard Montmartre you moved from the 2nd to the 9th. Exit this passage at 9, rue de la Grange Batelière.
    
13. Right
    
    across the street at 6, rue de la Grange Batelière, enter Passage Verdeau, exiting at 31, rue du Faubourg Montmartre. This is the last covered passage on this walk.
    
14. However, while you are nearby (well, not too far), walk to 9, rue des Martyrs. There you will find La Chambre aux confitures. Taste their jams. Next door is Premiere Pression Provence. Taste their olive oils and other products of Provence. (This store has outlets all over Paris, but the jam place is the one and only location.)

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Walk 2 (8th arrondissement):

1. Take
   
   the métro to Madelaine. Walk to 6, place de la Madeleine. Go mustard tasting at Boutique Maille. Next enter Galerie de la Madeleine across the street. It was architecturally nice, but very short and the few stores there don’t justify a special trip, but since it is on the way, why not? Exit at 35, rue Boissy-d'Anglas.
   
2. The
   
   
   entrance of Cité Berryer is on the same street at 24, rue Boissy-d'Anglas, but the portal here was labeled Le Village Royal, rather than Cité Berryer, so it was a little confusing. Visit Patrick Roger for chocolate here. Walk through to 25, rue Royale.
   
3. Next walk to 9, rue Royale and walk through Galerie Royale, which connects to 8, rue Boissy d'Anglas. This is an updated space, though not really a passage, with very chi chi stores inside.
4. You could walk to 31, rue de l'Arcade and walk through the very short Passage Puteaux. I didn’t get a chance to do this. Another alternative would be to take an even longer hike to 59 rue de Ponthieu to walk through Arcades du Lido.

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Other passages:

1. Passage du Havre. I didn’t go here, so no comments.
2. Passage Puteaux. Ditto.
3. Arcades du Lido. Ditto.
4. St André. I did visit this one in the 6th. It just isn’t near many other passages, so it is more a matter if you find yourself in the neighborhood (and there is a lot of shops in the neighborhood).
5. Passage Vendôme. This is near Place de République, and so far from the others. I did visit this one.
6. Passage Lhomme. This is far from the other passages, over in the 11th arrondissement. I did not go here.

Passages to skip:

1. Passage du Caire
2. Passage Ponceau
3. Passage Lemoine
4. Passage du Prado
5. Passage Brady
6. Passage Reilhac