Paris: Discover 20 Secret Passages

By Jacquelin Carnegie – (Paris, France)

Passage du Grand Cerf (photo: MOSSOT/Wiki Commons)

During the 1800s in Paris, around 100 Passages Couverts--stunning, glass-covered passageways--were constructed to shield well-healed shoppers from the elements. Now, only about 20 remain. Some still house high-end stores, others are more lowbrow, shopping arcades.

Referred to as Passages or Galeries, many have been restored to their former glory with dazzling skylights and mosaic-tiled floors while others are a bit on the shabby side. Regardless, as you wander through, browsing the shops or having a coffee in one of the many bistros, remember you’re following in the footsteps of Balzac and Zola--shopping the way Parisians have done for centuries.

  

Explore the Passages Couverts

Here’s a selection worth exploring. Just keep your eyes peeled, some Passage entryways are so inconspicuous you’ll walk right by them.

Galerie Véro-Dodat (photo: Gabrielle Robillard/WikiCommons)

Galerie Véro-Dodat

Enter: 19 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, or 2 rue du Bouloi; 1^st arrondissement; Metro: Louvre Rivoli

In 1826, two butchers with excellent taste, Véro and Dodat, built this elegant passageway. It’s neo-classical style with black-and-white, checkered marble flooring, stylish white-globe lamps, painted ceilings, and the original wooden shop fronts is a classy setting for art galleries and antique shops selling everything from vintage musical instruments to collectible toys and dolls.

Galerie Vivienne (photo: Mbzt/WikiCommons)

Galerie Vivienne

www.galerie-vivienne.com

Enter: 4 rue des Petits Champs, or 6 rue Vivienne, or 5 rue de la Banque; 2^nd arrondissement; Metro: Bourse or Pyramides

Lined with high-fashion boutiques, antiques shops and old bookstores, this passageway is thought to be the most beautiful with a stunning mosaic floor, tall-glass arched store fronts, and potted trees. Built in 1823, it converges with the Galerie Colbert.

Galerie Colbert (photo: Tangopaso/Wiki Commons)

Galerie Colbert

Enter at: 6 rue des Petits-Champs, or 6 rue Vivienne; 2^nd arrondissement; Metro: Bourse or Pyramides

Restored by the Bibliothèque Nationale (National Library), this stately passage, built in 1826, leads to a magnificent, glass-covered rotunda. Stand and ponder the bronze statue at its center by Charles-François Leboeuf—Eurydice, Orpheus’ beloved and doomed wife.

Passage du Grand-Cerf

https://bit.ly/2JIrkkA

Enter: 145 rue Saint-Denis, or 10 rue Dussoubs; 2^nd arrondissement; 

Metro: Etienne Marcel
Built in 1835, this impressive interior is three-stories high. The skylights are framed by wrought-iron work and the wood-paneled shop fronts house boutiques for fashion designers, artisans and decorators.

Passage du Grand-Cerf (photo: Ralf.treinen/Wiki Commons)

Passage des Panoramas

Enter: 11 Boulevard Montmartre, or 10 rue Saint-Marc; 2^nd arrondissement; Metro: Grands Boulevards

  Passage des Panoramas (photo: MarkusMark/Wiki Commons)

Built in 1799 and still bustling with activity, this is the oldest covered passage in Paris and the first public place lit by gaslight in 1817. Amid the stamp collectors, antique postcard boutiques, and restaurants, there are new trendy shops and establishments that have stood the test of time such as the Théâtre des Variétés opened in 1807. This passage links to several others: Galerie des Variétés, Galerie Feydeau, Galerie Montmartre & Galerie Saint Marc.

Passage Jouffroy

Passage Jouffroy (photo: MarkusMark/Wiki Commons)

Enter: 10-12 Boulevard Montmartre, or 9 rue de la Grange-Batelière; 2^nd/9^th arrondissement; Metro: Grands Boulevards

Directly across from the Passage des Panoramas, Passage Jouffroy, built in 1847, has lots of shops selling collectible movie posters, vintage postcards, antique toys, old books, and interesting curios. There’s even a quirky wax museum opened since 1882, Musée Grévin, and a hotel with budget rooms, Hôtel Chopin.

Passage Verdeau (photo: Davitof/Wiki Commons)

Passage Verdeau

Enter: 31bis rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, or 6 rue de la Grange-Batelière; 9^th arrondissement; Metro: Le Peletier

The Passage Jouffroy leads to the Passage Verdeau, built in 1847. This passage is only a block long and has a mix of old-fashioned shops selling vintage photographs and prints, stamps, old books and postcards.

Tour the Passages Couverts

To learn more about the history, here are some touring options:

Association Passages et Galeries

Tel: 01/44-71-02-48; www.passagesetgaleries.org

Maps for 3 self-guided walks are on the Association's website. Under “Découverte Des Passages,” click “Les itinéraires.” For exact addresses and opening hours (some are closed “fermé” at night and on Sundays), click on “Informations pratiques.” The Association offers a guided tour of the passageways for groups on request (in several languages).

Try these tours, if you speak French or want some practice (private tours in English but at a much higher price):

Passages Couverts

Cultival

Tel: 01/ 73-03-60-03; www.cultival.fr

“The Covered Passages of Paris”: An hour and a half tour of several passages: Galerie Véro-Dodat, Galerie Vivienne, Galerie Colbert, Passage des Panoramas (in French).

Visites Spectacles

Tel: 01/48-58-37-12; www.visites-spectacles.com

“L’Intrigue des Passages Couverts”: A fun option is to experience a “murder mystery” from the 1870s acted out in the passages: Passage des Panoramas, Passage Jouffroy, Passage Verdeau (in French).

EXPLORE MORE: 101 ARTSY & COOL THINGS TO DO IN PARIS (Get my Paris guide on Amazon or Apple!)

10+ Artsy & Cool Reasons To Visit Paris in the Fall/Winter (& All Year Long)!

By Jacquelin Carnegie

Morning in Paris (artist: Maja Wronska)

“Paris in springtime” is the cliché, but there’s no bad time to visit this vibrant city. In fact, Paris' Fall/Winter cultural calendar is chockablock. Plus, just imagine how wonderful Christmas and New Year’s are in the City of Light!

MAJOR MUSEUM EXHIBITS
While great art is on view all year long in Paris, many of the museums open major exhibits in October that stay on view until the end of January or longer. Check out what exhibits are up next at these wonderful museums:

Fondation Louis Vuitton
8 Ave du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, 16th arrondissement; www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr; Metro: Les Sablons (FLV exit, then a lovely 10-minute walk or take the Shuttle from the Charles de Gaulle Etoile stop)

FLV, as stunning as the artwork inside

FLV's Frank Gehry-designed building is worth a visit no matter what’s on view, but most of the time it features not-to-be-missed, blockbuster exhibits. Check out what's currently on view & the upcoming Exhibits. 

Quai Brandly
27 Quai Branly; 7th arrondissement; www.quaibranly.fr; Metro: Alma-Maceau
This is such a terrific museum, plan to spend the whole day here. In the very-modern, Jean Nouvel-designed building the indigenous art and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas are highlighted, along with fascinating temporary exhibits (plus, up-close views of the Eiffel Tower from the garden). Check out the current Exhibits.

President of Togo (artist: Kehinde Wiley)

[A past exhibit featured portraits of African presidents by the fabulous artist Kehinde Wiley, who did President Obama’s portrait.]

Centre Pompidou
Place Georges-Pompidou, 4th arrondissement; www.centrepompidou.fr; Metro: Hôtel-de-Ville, Rambuteau (closed until 2030)
Whether you love or hate this Renzo Piano-designed museum, it will be closed for 5 years for renovations. But, the comprehensive collection will be on display in exhibits at various locations. Check out the venues for Exhibits.

Must-See New Museum

Fondation Cartier
2 Place du Palais-Royal; 1st arrondissement;

Metro: Palais-Royal; www.fondationcartier.com 

Fondation Cartier

Is there not another architect in France? It seems Jean Nouvel gets all the work, but he did a splendid job with this one. He preserved the façade of this magnificent, 19th-century building and built a huge, open-structure inside with few interior walls, so one can see the artworks on various levels from whatever level one's on. While the space is huge and exhausting to explore, it's also light-filled and lovely. Another positive: There’s a very-helpful, group of young, enthusiastic guides, dressed in blue, throughout the museum to answer any questions regarding the artworks. The inaugural exhibit, Exposition Générale, features major pieces from Fondation Cartier’s vast, contemporary art collection. (Currently, there’s also a tiny cafe, but a larger one and a restaurant are in the works.) Enter on the lovely Place du Palais-Royal, with the Louvre nearby.

Other Museums with Great Exhibits: Musée Orsay; Musée d'Art Moderne; Musée du Luxembourg. Here's info on additional artsy visits.

FABULOUS ART & PHOTO FAIRS
A number of fairs and festivals add to the busy Fall calendar of events:
Paris Art Basel (October) - This major art fair showcases offerings by top, international galleries. Along with a program of free, outdoor exhibits throughout the city.

Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Holiday Lights

Paris Photo (November) – This is Le Mois de la Photo. In addition to the photo fair, there are over 100 photography exhibits all over town. 

COOL CULTURAL CHOICES
Festival d'automne (www.festival-automne.com) - This annual festival celebrating the arts--dance, theatre, music, film, and visual art--runs from September through December. The events take place in a variety of Paris venues highlighting exceptional work.

Festival d'automne (Bel/Mengual Dance)

European Heritage Days (www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr) - On the third weekend in September, historic sites--public monuments and private buildings--offer free admission. This is a unique chance to visit some of Paris' most prestigious places.
La Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre (www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com) - Montmartre’s vineyards date from 390 B.C. Every year, during the first week of October, Montmartre’s Wine Harvest Festival is celebrated throughout the neighborhood with a parade, wine-tasting booths, food stalls, music, dancing in the streets, and fireworks. It’s a fun time to plan a trip to Paris.

Fete des Vendanges

Portes Ouvertes (Artists Open Studios) - While most Portes Ouvertes take place in the spring, a few are in the Fall/Winter such as: Ménilmontant (Sept); Père Lachaise & La Goutte d’Or (Dec).

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S CHEER
While Paris is magical all year long, during the holiday season the city sparkles. Hundreds of decorated trees line the boulevards, the window displays are all aglow at the major department stores, and there are Christmas markets galore hopping with activity. That’s in addition to several concerts in an assortment of lovely churches and other locals. Plus, New Year’s eve fireworks over the Arc de Triomphe on the magnificent Champs-Elysées boulevard and a light show from the illuminated Eiffel Tower!

Galeries Lafayette

Where To Stay: Here are some great options. 
Getting There: French bee - This low-cost carrier has routes to Paris with great fares from the US: currently, New York (Newark, EWR), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) & Miami (MIA) with friendly flight attendants and on-time flights. Coach is quite comfy, but you can opt for a Cosy Cabin &/or a Maxi Leg seat. There’s Light, Smart, Flex & Premium pricing. Seat/Luggage/Meal might be included or add-ons for a fee, pre-booked online, but you can bring your own meal and get a free seat-assignment at the airport, just paying the luggage fee in advance. Another French bee advantage: The flights fly into Paris Orly (ORY), a smaller and easier-to-navigate airport than Charles de Galle, with several transport connections to the city center. You also get through Customs faster here! 

Paris: 10+ Artsy Reasons to Explore Montmartre

By Jacquelin Carnegie – (Paris, France)

Sacré-Cœur, La Fête des Vendanges

Imagine what it was like to hang out in Montmartre back in the late 19^th & early 20^th century when this hill in the 18th arrondissement was a bohemian enclave of artists, writers, and poets. Today, Montmartre’s become a tourist attraction, but the vestiges of its artsy past still remain and are definitely worth exploring. To experience the authentic charm of this neighborhood, sightsee early in the morning and late at night and wander down the lovely side streets to chat with the locals.
MONTMARTRE’S MOST INTRIGUING SIGHTS

Le Bateau-Lavoir

 (photo: cinazza)

13 rue Ravignan, Place Emile Goudeau; Metro: Abbesse

Although the building, rebuilt after a fire, isn’t open to the public, check out the commemorative window because a number of the most influential artists and writers of the 20^th century once lived here. From 1904 to 1912, Pablo Picasso had a studio where he painted Les Demoiselles d’Avingnon, ushering in cubism. Artists Modigliani and Gris also lived here as did poets Max Jacob and André Salmon.

(photo: JCarnegie)

Le Passe-Muraille 

Place Marcel Aymé, at rue Norvins & rue Girardon; Metro: Lamarck–Caulaincourt
This intriguing sculpture is based on a short story character, Monsieur Dutilleul, who was able to walk through walls (Le Passe-Muraille, 1943). Famous French actor Jean Marais made the bronze sculpture to honor the author, Marcel Aymé, who lived in Montmartre.

Le Mur des “Je t’aime” (“I love You” Wall)

Place des Abbesses, Square Jehan Rictus; www.lesjetaime.com; Metro: Abbesses

 (photo: Moxieg)

This unique art installation looks like a blackboard covered with scribbles, but it’s actually a wall of glazed tiles with “I Love You” written in 250 languages to inspire peace and love.

THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT IN MONTMARTRE

 (photo: auselen)

Au Lapin Agile 
22 rue des Saules; Tel: 01/46-06-85-87; www.au-lapin-agile.com; Metro: Lamarck–Caulaincourt
Open: Tues, Thurs-Sat, 9pm-1am; Cost: 40€ per person, includes one drink
An evening at the Lapin Agile is kitsch, it’s cool, it’s not to be missed. Opened in 1860, artists and writers such as Picasso, Utrillo, Modigliani, and Apollinaire used to hang out here. You can’t go back in time but, each night, a talented group of musicians and singers keeps the art of French chanson alive.

Théâtre Lepic

1 avenue Junot; Tel: 01/42-54-15-12; theatrelepic.com; Metro: Abbesses

This little theater was renovated by famed film director Claude Lelouch for use in one of his movies, then run by his daughter Salomé. It has become a neighborhood venue for innovative theater, concerts and family entertainment. Catch a show and feel like a local.

MONTMARTRE’S MUST-SEE MUSEUM & GALLERIES

Musée de Montmartre

12 rue Cortot

www.museedemontmartre.fr Metro: Lamarck–Caulaincourt; Open: Daily, 10am-7pm; Fee.

Before the historic Manoir de Rosimond became a museum highlighting Montmartre’s fascinating past, it was home to some incredible artists such as Renoir, Utrillo, and Raoul Dufy. Enjoy the exhibits, then contemplate the past in the lovely, courtyard garden where Renoir once sat and painted. You can even have a snack at the Café Renoir.

André Renoux, Galerie André Roussard

It's amazing how many admired painters have had studios in Montmartre including some of the most famous such as Braque, Degas, Modigliani, and Utrillo. Today, a new generation of talented artists such as Gen Paul, André Renoux, Jean-Charles Decoudun, and Robert Delval, keep the tradition alive.

Galerie AVM

42 rue Caulaincourt; Tel: 06/77-77-85-46; galerieavm.com
Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt Open:Wed-Sun, 2pm-7pm 

Paule Honoré, Galerie AVM 

This delightful little gallery exhibits contemporary art: paintings, sculpture, prints, and objects d’art. It’s on Caulaincourt, a beautiful street in a less touristy section of Montmartre, worth exploring.

Halle Saint Pierre
2 rue Ronsard; Tel: 01/42-58-72-89; www.hallesaintpierre.org; Metro: Anvers; Open: Daily, 11am-6pm; Fee.
Built in 1868, the Halle Saint Pierre, located at the base of Montmartre, was once a market. Today, it’s a lovely cultural center with a cute café, a folk art collection, and space for temporary exhibits.

DISCOVER MONTMARTRE’S FASCINATING PAST

Place du Tertre (photo: David Monniaux)

Walking The Spirit Tours

Tel: 519/497-0933; www.walkthespirit.com; Duration: 2+ hrs; Fee per person

In the 1920s, jazz musicians and entertainers from the “Harlem Renaissance”--Josephine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Ada “Bricktop” Smith, and writers Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen--came to Paris and gravitated to lower Montmartre. On The Entertainers tour, learn all about this jazz scene in Montmartre and see where the famous clubs such as Chez Bricktop, Le Grand Duc and Chez Josephine used to be.

IT’S PARTY TIME IN MONTMARTRE

La Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre 
www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com

Montmartre’s vineyards date from 390 B.C. Every year, during the month of October, Montmartre’s Wine Harvest Festival is celebrated throughout the neighborhood with a parade, wine-tasting booths, food stalls, music, dancing in the streets, and fireworks. It’s a fun time to plan a trip to Paris.

La Commanderie du Clos-Montmartre

Btw rue des Saules & rue Saint-Vincent; Tel: 01/44-92-35-34; Metro: Lamarck–Caulaincourt

(photo: Son of Groucho)

The current vineyard was re-planted in 1929. The Clos Montmartre can be visited during La Fête des Vendanges or through special arrangement with La Commanderie (call first).

GRAB A SNACK IN MONTMARTRE

Jean-Charles Decoudun, Galerie André Roussard

Au Relais (48 rue Lamarck; https://aurelai.fr/en) - A typical French bistro. Les Petits Mitrons (26 rue Lepic;

https://bit.ly/2MDY5lH) - A local bakery known for quiches & fruit tarts.

WHERE TO STAY:

Airbnb: Really get a feel for Montmartre by renting a room or an apartment in the neighborhood. 

Hotel des Arts (5 Rue Tholozé; Tel: 01/46-06-30-52; www.arts-hotel-paris.com) - a little, low-key hotel that pays homage to Montmartre’s artsy past.

(photo: Maggie D’Urbano)

GETTING THERE:
Walk: Several different sets of  steep steps; Metro: Abbesses or Lamarck–Caulaincourt; Bus 40: Makes several stops in Montmartre; Funicular: Rue Tardieu (at the base) to Rue Saint Eleuthère (at the top);   

Le Petit Train de Montmartre: at Place Blanche, hop on a little tourist choo-choo.

5 Artsy Day Trips an Hour from PARIS

By Jacquelin Carnegie

Monet, Train to Jeufosse

If you’re an art lover, this itinerary is for you. It was the development of train travel in the late 1800s in France that enabled artists to easily reach the Parisian outskirts to paint landscapes, giving rise to the en plein air ("in the open air") painting style. These treks into the countryside led artists to consider moving to the picturesque suburbs. Today, follow in their footsteps by hopping on a train. All of these lovely places are within an hour of Paris either by RER (light rail), SNCF (train) or TGV (fast train).

MORNINGS WITH MONET
Fondation Claude Monet
84 Rue Claude Monet, Giverny
fondation-monet.com; (Open: April-Nov. Fee.) 

Monet, The Artist's Garden at Giverny

Monet noticed the village of Giverny while passing by on a train; in 1883, he moved his family here. His presence attracted other artists, from the famous to the unknown. (On Nov. 28, 1894, both Rodin and Cézanne visited!) It’s easy to visit Monet’s house and gardens without taking an overpriced bus tour. Get here on your own—by train, of course. Take an early one to arrive just as the gates open at the Claude Monet Foundation. The garden is beautiful, but smaller than imagined. And, the famed Japanese water garden is now on the other side of a busy main road. However, the house has been lovingly restored and the town is worth a visit. Have a meal or a look-see at the famed artists’ hangout, the restaurant Hôtel Baudy (open March-Nov), and don’t miss the Musée des Impressionnismes, just down the road.
Getting There: From Paris' Gare St. Lazare station, take a SNCF train to Vernon-Giverny. At Vernon, the train is met by a shuttle bus to the Claude Monet Foundation. Taxis and bikes are also available.

AU REVOIR VAN GOGH
Auvers-sur-Oise

Van Gogh,
Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption

Auvers-sur-Oise is a really charming town where Vincent van Gogh sadly spent the last months of his life. He moved here in May 1890 and did some eighty paintings. Markers throughout the town indicate Van Gogh-related points of interest and the sites he painted such as the church Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption and the City Hall. At the Château d'Auvers (the kitschiest museum you’ll ever visit), experience French life at the time of the Impressionists. Pay homage to Van Gogh at the room he occupied in the Auberge Ravoux. At the cemetery, weep over his grave and the sad irony of the penniless painter, now considered the most popular artist in the world.
Getting There: From Paris' Gare du Nord station, take the RER or SNCF train in the direction of Pontoise or Valmondois, with a transfer to Auvers-sur-Oise. (On Saturdays & Sundays, April to November, there’s a direct train, H line.)

RODIN’S COUNTRY HIDEAWAY
Musée Rodin - Meudon
Villa des Brillants
19 Avenue Auguste Rodin, Meudon (Open: Spring-Fall, Free)

Rodin, The Thinker

The sculptor Auguste Rodin moved to Meudon Val Fleury in 1893. While he continued to go to his Parisian studio, he did a lot of creative work here. The museum is actually the villa where he lived and the studio where he worked, set in a beautiful park. Today, only a few rooms in the villa are open to the public, but the atelier is filled with spectacular casts of important pieces such as The Burghers of Calais and The Gates of Hell. Out front, The Thinker fittingly presides over Rodin’s tomb. This lovely spot, perched on a hill overlooking the Parc de St. Cloud and the Seine, is the perfect setting for a picnic on a nice day.
Getting There: From Paris, take RER (C) in the direction of Versailles Rive Gauche to Meudon Val Fleury. Then, from the station, take bus #169 (Paul Bert stop). It’s a walk uphill from there.

RODIN'S MUSE FINALLY GETS HER DUE
Musée Camille Claudel
10 rue Gustave Flaubert, Nogent-sur-Seine
www.museecamilleclaudel.fr  (Open: All year. Fee.)

Claudel, Femme Accroupie

This new museum is the first in France to be dedicated to a woman artist. Recognition a long time in coming for an artist who spent most of her career trying to assert her own creativity and independence from Rodin. Certainly in the 19th-century, Camille Claudel was regarded more for being Rodin's student, studio assistant, collaborator, muse, model, and mistress--rather than a sculptor in her own right. But, it was in Nogent-sur-Seine as a young girl that her talent was first recognized and encouraged by the well-known sculptor Alfred Boucher. Boucher then asked Rodin to take her on as a student and the rest is history. As to the museum, works by other 19th-century sculptors who taught or influenced Claudel are displayed in the large first floor galleries in the modern section of the building. Oddly enough, Claudel's own works are relegated to the 2nd floor in the old section that was once the Claudels' family home.
Flaubert Fans: Flaubert's father's family was from Nogent-sur-Seine. His novel L'Éducation Sentimentale (Sentimental Education) is set here. At the tourist office (5 rue Saint Epoing), pick up a brochure with a map of highlights, "Sur Les Pas de Flaubert." 
Getting There: From Paris' Gare de l’Est station, take a SNCF train to Nogent-sur-Seine (about an hour). The museum is a 10-minute walk from the station.

DA VINCI SLEPT HERE
Château du Clos Lucé
2 Rue du Clos Lucé, Amboise, Val de Loire www.vinci-closluce.com (Open: All year. Fee.)

Da Vinci model at Clos Lucé

Long before any artist hopped on a train, the master of them all--Leonardo da Vinci--loaded his painting supplies and a few canvases onto a mule for the journey from Italy to France. Da Vinci came to the château at Amboise in the Loire Valley on the invitation of King François 1, a major fan. The king told Da Vinci he was "free to think, dream, and work." (It's the reason the Mona Lisa is in the Louvre.) You can visit the rooms where Da Vinci worked the last years of his life and view maquettes of his ingenious machines. The château is surrounded by a magnificent park with life-size models of many of Da Vinci's futuristic inventions that only became realities some 400 years later.
Getting There: From Paris' Gare Montparnasse station, take the TGV train to St Pierre des Corps. (An hour, plus a 20-minute taxi ride or local train connection to Amboise.) Or, take a 2-hour train, direct to Amboise from Paris' Gare Austerlitz.

Paris has six train stations, each serving specific regions. (There’s a rhyme and reason to it, but it often seems completely arbitrary!) However, you can do itinerary and timetable searches for all these trips before leaving the comfort of your home on Transilien or Rail Europe. Most of these lovely places, and 5 other artsy spots, are best visited in the spring and summer (some are only open from March to November), so book your flights to Paris now! 

[Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared on Frommers.com]