I already mad a post about Rue Saint-Denis and some of the passages, galleries, alleys... that you may find around this street, including about Passage du Caire in my latest post. A few more, including along Rue du Faubourg Saint Denis.
Around 1840, along these streets, there were some 130 galleries, offering the possibility to do your shopping and find your restaurants and bars under more comfortable conditions than in the mud of the main street, sometimes even offering protection from the rain. Rue Saint-Denis was those days a rather prestigious street and with its Arch of Triumph, it was one of the main entries to Paris, if you arrived from the north. When Queen Victoria visited Paris in 1855, this was the street she used. During the 20th century, our habits changed and the street lost its standing, has become a centre for wholesale and manufacturing of clothing, later invaded by sex shops… Today, it seems to slowly be restored and it may finally again find a certain new respectability. In the meantime most of the galleries, but not all, have disappeared or entirely changed their aspect. If you take them for what they are, many of them offer however a certain charm even as they are.
Starting from the north there is the Passage du Désir, today partly closed to public.
I already made posts about Cour / Passage des Petites-Ecuries… as well as on Passage Reilhac...
… as well as on Passage Brady, often referred to as “Little India”….
… as well as on Passage du Prado, also dominated by Indian and Pakistani restaurants, barber shops, Bollywood video sales…
The Passage Sainte-Foy is extremely modest. Today you will basically find some workshops.
At the end of Passage des Dames-de-Saint-Chamond you will find an elegant 17th century building which once was a hotel, but as most other buildings here now seems to be dedicated to clothing manufacturing or similar business.
Le Passage du Ponceau opened in 1826.
When you until a few centuries ago entered the Passage de la Trinité, you found a hospital, demolished during the 19th century. The narrow little alley seems to receive some not welcomed visitors; there are signs where one is asked not to urinate.
The quite elegant Passage du Grand-Cerf …
… as well as Passage du Bourg-l’Abbé, both from 1835, have been described in previous posts.
Then, I have a number of photos from more anonymous alleys and galleries, more or less “charming”.
Many need to be restored … and some are.
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