1. Paris is home to no fewer than 25 covered passages dating back to the 19th century (though the city once boasted as many as 150). The Galerie Vivienne, located between the Palais Royal, stock exchange, and Grands Boulevards, is one of the most famous. I personally liked the antique bookstores all along it.
2. The other side of this gallery features beautiful mosaics in a neo-classical Pompeian style and glass roofing that makes this passageway much brighter than some of the others.
3. The Galerie Véro-Dodat offers a host of beautiful details like engravings on the ceilings. There is also a handful of elegant boutiques to peruse along this passageway, but what I like the most is the the perspective afforded by the black-and-white marble paving all along the gallery.
4. It’s easy to rush through these galleries, but take the time to appreciate the details that give them their charm, like this old-fashioned chandelier or the ornate clocks you’ll find at the end of nearly every one.
5. While there are passages throughout Paris, there’s a long section of them around the Grands Boulevards area that you can follow from one to the next. This not only allows you to compare their unique styles but also affords you with a great afternoon activity on one of Paris’ token rainy afternoons.