Les Passages I

Pierre and I have been playing 'tour guide' for the last few days showing our Australian friends, Kate and Amy, some of our favourite places.

One place that I definitely wanted to show them was Galerie Vivienne, one of Paris' charming passages.  Les passages are easy to miss....you tend to just stumble upon them....so I thought a guided tour of this perfect Parisian space would be just the thing on their last day.....it was raining too....so another good reason to take refuge in this cosy arcade.

I find these hidden passages  intriguing.  There's something about them that really captures old, aristocratic Paris.  

Just a little background....les passages were conceived by town planners in the nineteenth century to give pedestrians protection from mud and horse-drawn vehicles....they were the first arcades I guess....glass-roofed with beautiful floor tiles and lighting, they soon became home to chic shops....just perfect for madame to shop!

Although many of les passages have been renovated and returned to their original chic and immaculate state, some still remain a little dilapidated with peeling paint on shop fronts....but, for me, this just adds to their allure.  

I'd like to do a series of posts on les passages....Galerie Vivienne is the first.

Galerie Vivienne.....it's a real STAR!

Beautiful glass-roofed and intricately tiled arcade....perfect for a promenade (and shopping)!

It's all here...flamboyant clothes, including the 'famous' Jean-Paul Gaultier,
antiquarian bookshops, tea rooms and cosy wine bars.

Antique mirrors....speckled and beautiful.

I can tell you there was no better way to spend a wet, Saturday afternoon
than kicking back at LeGrand.  J'adore!

And, as a little entré into Galerie Véro-Dodat....here's a peek....trés aristocratic.

You may also like my post on:

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.fr/2012/09/parisnoir-et-blanc-with-splash-of-rouge.html