Paris and its secret passages

Venture into 19th-century Paris, where light dances through glass roofs and every step echoes on flagstones laid over 200 years ago. The covered passages, the capital's hidden gems, are marvels of glass and iron born from the architectural boldness of an era in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. Designed to shelter Parisians' strolls from the whims of the weather, these elegant galleries are lined with sometimes mysterious boutiques and equally delightful cafés and restaurants.

Among the most iconic, the Passage des Panoramas (1799), the dean of these locations, exudes an old-fashioned charm with its carved wooden signs. The Passage Jouffroy (1845) and the Passage Verdeau (1846) captivate with their transparent vaults and curiosity shops. Finally, the Galerie Vivienne (1823), a neoclassical masterpiece, dazzles with its mosaics and golden light. 

Recommended stroll: start at the Passage des Panoramas, then walk through the Passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau, before ending your route at the Galerie Vivienne, just a stone's throw from the Palais-Royal and a few metro stops from your hotel. A walk out of time.