Overview
Planning Your Trip
Accommodations
Beyond Tourism
Study Abroad
Practical Information
Food
Sights And Activities
Museums
Shopping
Entertainment
Nightlife
Daytrips
Basics
Galeries And Passages. Paris’s passages (and their posh siblings, galeries ) are considered the world’s first shopping malls. In the early 19th century—the dawn of haute bourgeois consumer culture—speculators built shopping arcades in alleys all over central Paris. They designed panes of glass, held in place by lightweight iron rods, to attract window shoppers. Most have disappeared because of urban development, but the 20 or so that remain have been restored and are perfect for a rainy-day stroll. The galeries that surround the Jardins du Palais Royal are the most famous in Paris, but others in the 1 er and 2 ème are also worthwhile. Today, they house upscale clothing boutiques, cafes, gift shops (several sell antique postcards), and antique bookstores. For a start, try Passage Choiseul (23 rue Augustin), Galerie Colbert (6 rue des Petits Champs), Passage du Claire (2 pl. du Claire), Passage Brady (46 rue Fbg. St-Denis), and Galerie Véro Dodat (rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau).
Bibliothèque Nationale: Site Richelieu. Site Richelieu was the main branch of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (National Library) until 1998, when most of the collection was moved to the Site Mitterrand in the 13 ème . Now, the Richelieu fortress houses stamps, money, photography, medals, maps, and manuscripts. Scholars must pass through a strict screening process to gain access to the main reading room. The process involves lasers, polygraph tests, Doberman Pinschers, and a test of WNBA trivia.
For the general public, the Galerie Mazarin and Galerie de photographie host excellent temporary exhibits of books, prints, lithographs, and photographs taken from the collection. Upstairs, the Cabinet des Médailles displays coins, medallions, and objets d’art confiscated during the French Revolution. Across from the library’s main entrance is the place Louvois. This place’s sculpted fountain personifies the four great rivers of France—the Seine, the Saône, the Loire, and the Garonne—as heroic women. (58 rue de Richelieu. Bourse. Just north of the Galeries Vivienne and Colbert, across rue Vivienne. Info line ☎ 10 53 79 86 87; www.bnf.fr. Library open M-F 9am-6pm, Sa 9am-5pm. Books available only to researchers who prove they need access to the collection. Galleries open only when there are exhibits Tu-Sa 10am-7pm, Su noon-7pm. Admission depends on the exhibit but is usually €5-7, students €4-5, under 18 free. Tours of the former reading room, La Salle Labrouste, 1st Tu of the month 2:30pm in French; €7. Reservations recommended.)
Bourse Des Valeurs. The Bourse des Valeurs (Paris’s stock exchange ) was founded in 1724 so that the monarchy could raise money by issuing bonds. The Jacobins closed the exchange during the Revolution to fend off war profiteers. It was re-opened under Napoleon, who relocated it to its current building with his typical Neoclassical panache. Today, the Bourse no longer occupies its former role. Now, it houses a museum that explains its history and also functions as a convention center. (rue Vivienne. Bourse. ☎ 01 49 27 55 55 or 01 49 27 55 50. Open to the public for 1hr. tours Sept.-July M-F 9am-4pm; call ahead. €9, students €6.)
Théâtre Musical Populaire (Opéra Comique). The Opéra Comique has resounded with laughs and sobs for over two centuries. Originally built as the Comédie Italienne, it burned down twice in the 1840s and was rebuilt in 1898. It was here that Bizet’s Carmen first hitched up her skirts and seduced Don José. Under new management, the opera has changed its name and expanded to embrace all kinds of musical theater, including Broadway musicals and operettas. (pl. Boieldieu. Richelieu-Drouot. ☎ . Ticket office open M-Sa 9am-9pm. Tickets €6-95. €6 tickets usually available at the door. For tours, reserve ahead.)
Rue Saint-Denis. In the mid-1970s, Paris’s sex workers demonstrated in churches, monuments, and public squares, demanding unionization. They marched down rue St-Denis—the central artery of the city’s prostitution district—to picket for equal rights and legal protection. Their campaign was somewhat successful: prostitution is now legal in France with a range of restrictions, making it far less common than in other countries like the Netherlands. Along rue St. Denis, it doesn't seem uncommon at all—sex shops, sketchy clubs, and sex workers stand out in the otherwise G-rated 2 ème. (Strasbourg-St-Denis.)
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