An 1800 covered arcade in the 2nd — among the oldest in Paris, a glass-roofed time capsule of wrought-iron canopy, old stamp and postcard dealers, and cozy bistros tucked beneath the skylight. These passages were the precursors of the department store and the shopping mall, and this one survives with much of its 19th-century character intact. For visitors, it's an atmospheric detour off the boulevards — a chance to wander a genuine relic of old commercial Paris, browse its eccentric shops, and eat in one of the small restaurants that fill the arcade with life come evening.
Location
11 Boulevard Montmartre
2nd, Paris
2nd, Paris
arcadecovered passage19th century