The covered passages of Paris

• A handy guide to exploring the covered passageways of the French capital
• A historical and practical overview of 17 galleries and passageways

Largely a Parisian invention, the covered passages flourished in the capital for only around sixty years, between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century. The concept 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 is precisely what one finds there that makes the passages so appealing, far beyond their setting, however sumptuous it may be: luxury and fashion boutiques sit side by side with theatres, cafés and restaurants. It is this versatility that forms the basis of the covered passage’s identity, designed for circulation but also for enjoyment. 
Today, of the sixty or so that were built between the late 18th century and the mid-19th century, only seventeen remain, clustered on the right bank and still serving their original purpose.

Guy Lambert is an architectural historian who teaches at the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Belleville.