The covered passages of Paris

Description

A predominantly Parisian invention, covered passages flourished in the capital for only about sixty years, between the end of the 18th century and the middle of the following century. The model was profoundly innovative in the 19th century, both in terms of its architectural form and the social role it fulfilled at the time.

Systematically lined with shops, it was precisely what could be found there that made the passages so appealing, far beyond their setting, however sumptuous it may have been: luxury goods and fashion shops rubbed shoulders with theatres, cafés and restaurants. It was this versatility that formed the identity of the covered passage, a place dedicated to movement but also to enjoyment.

Today, of the sixty or so that were built between the end of the 18th century and the middle of the 19th century, only seventeen remain, grouped on the right bank and still serving their original purpose.