• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1050 0

offered the early-19th-century Parisian shopper a little bit of heaven: a hodgepodge of shops under one roof, and a respite from the gritty streets. East of Place de l’Opéra, three of these arcades are still standing end-to-end, with the most refined, Passage Jouffroy, in the center. Built in 1846, as its giant clock will tell you, this shop-filled passage also contains the Musée Grevin, a wax museum, and the well-regarded budget Hotel Chopin at No. 46. At the northern end, across the Rue de la Grange-Batelière, is the Passage Verdeau (Rue de la Grange-Batelière 9e), and on the opposite end of Jouffroy, across Grands Boulevards, is the Passage des Panoramas (2e). The granddaddy of the arcades, built in 1800, it was the first public space in Paris equipped with gaslights in 1817. | 10 bd. Montmartre, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | Station: Richelieu Drouot.

WORTH NOTING ON THE GRANDS BOULEVARDS

Hôtel Drouot.

Hidden away in a small antiques district not far from the opera house is Paris’s central auction house, selling everything from bric-a-brac to old clothes to rare Chinese laquered boxes to Renoirs. You can walk in off the street and browse through the open salesrooms, which can be tons of fun depending on what’s on the selling block. Mingle with a mix of art dealers, ladies who lunch, and art amateurs hoping to unearth an unidentified masterpiece. Anyone can attend the sales and viewings. TIP Don’t miss the small galleries and antiques dealers in the Quartier Drouot, a warren of small streets around the auction house. | 9 rue Drouot, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | 01–48–00–20–00 | www.drouot.com | Viewings of merchandise Mon.–Sat. 11–6. Auctions begin at 2 | Station: Richelieu Drouot.

Musée Gustave-Moreau.

A visit to the town house and studio of painter Gustave Moreau (1826–98), a high priest of the Symbolist movement, is one of the most unique art experiences in Paris. Moreau had always planned to have his home made into a museum after his death, so he created a light-flooded gallery on the two top floors to best show off his dark paintings. The Symbolists loved objects, and Moreau was no different. His cramped private apartment on the first floor is jam-packed with bric-a-brac, and artworks cover every inch of the walls. From Galeries Lafayette (or the Chaussée D’Antin métro stop), follow Rue de la Chaussée d’Antin up to the Trinité church, turn right on Rue St-Lazare, and left on Rue de la Rochefoucauld. The museum is a block up on the right. | 14 rue de la Rochefoucauld, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | 01–48–74–38–50 | www.musee-moreau.fr | €5 | Wed.–Mon. 10–12:45 and 2–5:15 | Station: Trinité.

Musée de la Vie Romantique.

A visit to the charming Museum of the Romantic Life, dedicated to novelist George Sand (1804–76), will transport you to the countryside. In a pretty 1830s mansion at the end of a tree-lined courtyard, the small permanent collection includes drawings by Delacroix and Ingrès, among others, though Sand is the star. There are glass cases stuffed with her jewelry and snuff boxes, and even a mold of the hand of composer Frederic Chopin, one of her many lovers. There is usually an interesting temporary exhibition. Take a break in the charming garden café, open from Easter to late September. | 16 rue Chaptal, Opéra/Grands Boulevards | 75009 | 01–55–31–95–67 | www.vie-romantique.paris.fr | Free; €7 for temporary exhibits | Tues.–Sun. 10–6 | Station: Blanche, Pigalle, St. Georges.

THE MARAIS AND THE BASTILLE

From swampy to swanky, Le Marais has a fascinating history that continues to evolve. Like an aging pop star, the quartier has remade itself many times, and today retains several identities: the city’s epicenter of cool with hip boutiques, designer hotels, and art galleries galore; the hub of Paris’s gay community; and, though fading, the nucleus of Jewish life. You could easily spend your entire visit to Paris in this neighborhood, there is that much to do.

Marais means “marsh” and that is exactly what this area was until the 12th century when it was converted to farmland. In 1605, Henri