Discover Paris’ secret covered passages and take a trip back into 19th-century Parisian life

If you’re looking for an escape from the usual tourist attractions, Les Passages Couverts de Paris (the covered passages in Paris) are perfect. 

A throwback to the Belle Époque era they are full of fabulous vintage finds, bookshops, cafés, nostalgia-style shops and beautiful boutiques.

These covered Parisian passages were the height of fashion before Haussmann renovated Paris. There were the hangouts of the bourgeois away from the grimy streets of the city and places where the rich wanted to be seen.

So if you find yourself in Paris on a rainy day and want to lose yourself in stunning architecture, glass-domed ceilings and floors covered in chequered tiles, these hidden gems are the perfect hideout from bad weather.

In their heyday, there were over 150 but now only 25 of them left, some in a better state of repair than others. To help you make the most of your time in Paris, I’ve highlighted the ten best ones to visit along with a map to help you find them.

A Quick Guide To The Ten Best Covered Passages In Paris

The Story Behind Les Passages Couverts

Instead of visiting the big department stores and designer stores on the Champs Elysee, these beautifully designed early arcades are a chance to step into the past and enter the world of Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert.

Built between 1800 and 1850 they were an early version of the modern shopping mall. Created as a place for the elite of Paris to shop they were protected from the bad weather and far away from the grime of the main streets of the city.

They had an air of exclusivity about them with their glass roofs, marble columns and beautifully tiled floors. The shops were exclusive, the tearooms elegant and the art galleries expensive. Everything about them screamed luxury.

They were mainly built on the Right Bank and usually connected two streets lit by gas lamps. It was a network of passages crisscrossing their way through Paris.

Unfortunately, with the rise in popularity of the department store in the second half of the 19th century, many covered passages fell into disrepair and were abandoned.

Some still remain and they are beautiful examples of Belle Époque architecture and an era long since disappeared in the mists of time and definitely something to add to your Paris bucket list.

Covered Passages Paris Map

To plan your own route to any of these gorgeous covered Parisian walkways click on the map below.

The 10 Hidden Covered Passages In Paris You Must See

When I visit a city I want to go beyond the tourist attractions and into the heart of the place I’m in and the City of Love gives you so many opportunities to do that. 

From the historic Latin Quarter filled with cobblestone streets and alleyways to the church steps of St Etienne du Mont, a location in the movie Midnight in Paris.

You can even discover old vintage carousels dotted around the city.

No 1 Galerie Véro-Dodat (1st arrondissement)

Built in 1826 by Benoit Véro, a butcher and Dodat a financier it connected two popular districts Palais-Royal and Les Halles, the old marketplace. It was one of the first Parisien covered passages to receive electric light and one of the last to fall into decline. 

It was a popular celebrity hangout with French writer Gérard de Nerval enjoying a drink at the Café de l’Époque, also the place where he had his last drink before committing suicide.

I love the black and white tiled floor and the statues from Greek mythology, Hermes and Hercules. And of course, I couldn’t help but check out the famous Christian Louboutin flagship store when I went.

It’s not far from the Louvre and in 1965 it was listed as a historic monument.

19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau | 2 rue du Bouloi

No 2 Passage des Princes (2nd arrondissement)

It’s not the biggest and it’s not the prettiest covered passage in Paris but it’s the one with the most toys. And it’s not just the modern toys you’ll find there, but fun things like puppets and marionettes as well.

It wasn’t built till 1860, so it was a late bloomer as Haussmann had begun his renovation of Paris by this time. It was the brainchild of Jules Mirès, a banker who also happened to own a hotel, Le Grand Hotel des Princes et de l’Europe. He built the passage to connect his bank on Boulevard des Italiens with the hotel on Rue de Richelieu.

It was destroyed in 1985 and then, rebuilt ten years later to closely resemble the original.

I stumbled across it by accident after visiting the Palais Garnier (the opera house) and like many of its counterparts, it has a lovely tiled floor and stunning glass dome roof.

5 boulevard des Italiens

No 3 Galerie Vivienne (2nd arrondissement)

If I’m allowed to have a crush on a covered passage Galerie Vivienne would be mine. It’s stunning and is like stepping into the golden age of Paris. It was built in 1823 and designed by architect François Jean Delannoy. 

Originally it was named Galerie Marchoux after its first owner, but later changed its name to Galerie Vivienne after the street it sits on.

One of my favourite places was Librairie Jousseaume an old bookshop you could spend hours in, but in total there are 53 shops to indulge in. 

4 rue des Petits-Champs | 5-7 rue de la Banque | 6 rue Vivienne

No 4 Passage Choiseul (2nd arrondissement)

It first opened its doors in 1827 owned by the bank Mallet et Cie as part of an investment project and is home to the oldest mercerie (haberdashery) in Paris, Ultramod. 

And although much of the galerie is filled with modern shops there are still a few remnants from the past such as this gorgeous old shop.

For someone who loves to delve into the past, it was like walking into a treasure trove from the past. From the old antique cash register sitting on its wooden counter to the vintage sewing machines and original pictures on the wall, it’s a gem of a place to go.

My Mum would have had a field day as the shelves were stacked with button boxes containing buttons of every sort imaginable, all colour-coordinated.

It reminded me of the material shop I used to go to as a little girl with my Mum where they’d pull out fabric that was in long lengths wound around cardboard. They then measured out the yards of material to the size you wanted, and this was just the same.

40 rue des Petits Champs | 23 rue Saint-Augustin | 40 rue Dalayrac

No 5 Passage du Ponceau (2nd arrondissement)

As one of the smaller passages, it’s sometimes pushed to one side but it’s really rather lovely. It was built in 1826 but fell foul of Haussmann’s renovation as it was shortened in 1854 to make room for the new Boulevard de Sébastopol.

Most of the original structure has long gone and this, unfortunately, includes the glass roof but Maison du Gardien, the caretaker’s lodge still survives. It struggles under the weight of all the flowers but is beautiful to see. 

This and three shops are all left of the original galerie, but other more modern shops have taken up residence to keep the company.

212 Rue Saint-Denis | 111 Boulevard de Sébastopol

No 6 Galerie Colbert (2nd arrondissement)

It was built to compete with its next-door neighbour, Galerie Vivienne, and, compete it does with its 15m rotunda, a stunning piece of architecture. 

It was designed by architect Jacques Billaud and filled with marble columns, mosaic floors and crystal candelabras, all of which have now gone. Unfortunately, despite being one of the trendiest places to be with all the luxury shops it soon ran into trouble and couldn’t pay its bills.

So much so it was purchased in 1859 by the French state and fell into rack and ruin.

It was classified as a historical monument in 1974 and is now home to one restaurant and a variety of cultural institutions. It’s one to add to the list as it’s a beautiful passage to walk through.

6 Rue des Petits Champs | 2-4 Rue Vivienne

No 7 Passage du Caire (2nd arrondissement)

Not the prettiest, not by a long shot, you won’t find any beautiful tiled floors or domed glass ceilings but it is the oldest covered passage in Paris.

It’s in the Saint-Denis district dating back to 1798 and was built on the grounds of the old Filles-Dieu convent. 

But it was never meant to be the extravagant architectural piece the others are. It was more about practicality and providing somewhere to shop that protected shoppers from the weather.

Not only is it the oldest passageway, but it’s also the longest spanning 370 metres. It’s named after the Napoleonic obsession with Egypt.

2 place du Caire | rue d’Alexandrie | rue Saint-Denis 

No 8 Passage des Panoramas (2nd arrondissement) 

Along with Passage du Caire, Passage des Panoramas is considered to be one of the oldest covered passages in Paris, built in 1800 on the site of the old Hôtel de Montmorency.

It was opened by an American shipowner William Thayer, and is named after two towers. Inside two 360° painted canvases, panoramas, one depicting a general view of Paris and the other the evacuation of Toulon by the English in 1793 were the dominating feature.

Even though the panoramas disappeared in 1831 the name didn’t change and now all that remains of the original is No 47 which now houses Caffè Stern. Apparently, the interior is exactly the same and hasn’t changed.

11-13, boulevard Montmartre | 151, rue Montmartre | rue Saint-Marc

No 9 Passage Verdeau (9th arrondissement)

Just across from Passage des Panoramas is Passage Verdeau. It was built around the same time and is a testament to the time it was built. This might have something to do with the amount of antique dealers that have set up shop here helping to maintain the character of the place.

You never quite know what you’ll discover as you look around and it’s truly a cabinet of curiosities that begs to be explored. The gorgeous glass roof draws you in along with the myriad of treasures waiting to be discovered.

6, rue de la Grange Batelière | 31, bis rue du Faubourg

No 10 Passage Jouffroy (9th arrondissement)

It was built in 1840 to capitalise on the popularity of Passage des Panoramas and it really is beautiful. 

It has a rather unique layout which is attributed to its alignment across what were once three Parisian residential plots, extending approximately 140 metres to a right-angled turn. 

This leads to a set of steps, ascending or descending depending on the direction of travel, followed by another right-angled turn, extending the passage for an additional 140 metres or so.

My favourite store here is Librairie Du Passage where the books just spill out everywhere all over the marble floor outside the store. It’s one of the oldest bookshops in Paris dating back to the 1850s. 

You’ll also find a hotel, a couple of restaurants and, another favourite of mine, the Grévin Wax Museum.

10-12 Bd Montmartre

FAQS: Covered Passages Paris

Final Thoughts On The Secret Passages Of Paris

All the covered passages I’ve mentioned are easy to get to using the Metro and are well worth taking the time to visit.

They tell a different story of Paris, one that takes you into the golden age of Paris where the architecture takes you on its own journey in time.

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