covered passages of paris
Between the Palais Royal and Les Halles on the right bank of Paris you
will
find the "passages couvert".
These fascinating galleries and covered arcades with their tall iron
work
and glass roofs, hand carved woodwork, wrought iron gas lanterns and
mosaic
or marble floors date back to Paris's heyday of the mid 1800's. It was
an
era of promenading on the grand boulevards, dance halls, theatre, luxury
boutiques and the first restaurants.
At the height of their popularity there were 150 such "passages
couvert",
today however, there are less than 20.
Each has its own characters and personality from elegant and polished to
shabby and laid-back and are full of boutiques, speciality shops,
antique
and book stores and many wonderful sights and reminders of days past.
A lovely way to experience the passages couvert is to walk north through
the
Palias Royale precinct enjoying the beauty and colour of the gardens
with
their lovely trees and fountains, restaurants and stone arches along the
way
and through the small passage du Perron and the crooked passage Deux
Pavillion to the beautifully restored wonderland of the Gallerie
Vivienne
and the nearby Gallerie Colbert.