There are numerous old covered passages going through the buildings in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th arrondissements of Paris. Built in the 19th century, these charming galleries with their sophisticated décor are covered by magnificent glass roofs that bathe them in soft light. In the twenty or so covered passages in the capital, you can shelter from the rain and wind while discovering shops, tearooms and restaurants.
Among the most beautiful are the famous neoclassical Galérie Véro-Dodat, in the 1st arrondissement; the Passage Choiseul in the 2nd arrondissement, the childhood home of Louis-Ferdinand Céline; and the Galérie Colbert, with its splendid rotunda topped by a glass cupola, and its famous brasserie with Art Nouveau décor. Near the Palais-Royal, the Galérie Vivienne is surely one of Paris' most iconic covered passages, with its magnificent neoclassical Pompeian décor of mosaics, paintings and sculptures. The Passage Verdeau in the 9th arrondissement will most likely attract antique-lovers and collectors of old books and vintage postcards. Lastly, the most spectacular of them all, with its metal and wrought iron structure standing nearly 12 metres tall, is perhaps the Passage du Grand-Cerf in the 2nd arrondissement, where you can enjoy a stroll around its lovely craft and decoration shops.
