This airy glass-sheltered precinct between the Boulevard des Italiens and the Rue de Richelieu retains an old-Paris charm and with a selection of interesting shops and restaurants, it's the perfect place for a rainy day.
An 1860s Haussmann development, which was always considered to have tasteful shops, the precinct was demolished in 1885 by property developers but was rebuilt in 1990 when the covered passage was restored to its former glory. In 1879 Georges Charpentier opened his famous gallery "La Vie Moderne", where most of the Impressionist painters were exposed