Passage Choiseul
Passage Choiseul
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The area
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Neighbourhood: Opéra / Bourse
The neighbourhood around Opéra and Bourse is a belle époque paradise of grand boulevards, refined arcades, and mass-market art-nouveau entertainment. Here, modern day workers continue to take advantage of the legacy that nobility and finance left in the 19th century. Brightly-lit brasseries, theatres, and cinemas sit side by side with French bistros predominating in one area and Japanese restaurants in another. The area is most famous for the Palais Garnier opera house and glamorous department stores.
How to get there
- Pyramides • 3 min walk
- Quatre-Septembre • 4 min walk
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10,000 within 5 kms
Attractions
4,258 within 10 kms
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
59 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
29
Average
14
Poor
4
Terrible
0
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,543 contributions
Jun 2022
It's been a long time since I walked this passage and was pleasantly surprised by its current renovated state. Perfect condition. And full of the world's cuisine, an excellent place for lunch, and nicely busy.
Written June 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RGSOUNDF
Mercerville, NJ10,753 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
For those who visit Paris looking for postcard landmarks and taking selfies with the Eiffel tower, maybe Passage de Choiseul is not the 'nicest' place. However, for those in love with the real city and appreciate the immersion into its rich layers of history, this 'passage couvert' is as much of a hidden gem as the rest of the Parisian covered passages.
Passage de Choiseul was opened in the 1820s, as most of the other Parisian 'passages couverts' which took roots briefly after the Napoleonic fall, during the Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy. Lots and lots of the city real estate that used to belong to various religious orders, and the Catholic church in general, were nationalized and auctioned during (and following) the preceding Revolution of 1789. The developers of the time, seeking to increase their profits, decided to subdivide the properties and cut them open, placing various businesses and tenants inside those newly pierced passageways.
Being the longest of all surviving Parisian covered passages, Passage Choiseul features several inner "streets" or branches, thus it has entrances on several streets: on rue des Petis-Champs to the south, on rue Dalayrac to the west, and on rue Saint-Augustin to the north. Curiously, its 4th branch or extension, located roughly in the middle of the north-south axis (rue Saint-Augustin to rue des Petis-Champs), going to the east, got a name of its own; it is passage passage Sainte-Anne, opening, aptly enough, on rue Sainte-Anne, nowadays a hub of the Asian, predominantly Japanese restaurants and various stores.
Sure, unlike some of the other Paris 'passages couverts', Passage de Choiseul can't pride itself on intricate boiseries, Belle Epoque store displays or mosaic inlaid floors, but it is a real reflection of a true and rich Parisian daily life.
Passage de Choiseul features endless 'commerces', a veritable vast array of all kind of establishments suitable for various activities, such as shoe and clothing boutiques, jewelry and stationery stores, a spa, hair and and nail salons, home decor and gift shops, salad bars, Vietnamese street food cafe (L'Othentique Vietnam), numerous restaurants such as Lou Pasta, organic burger joint Bioburger, Casa Capasa, BistroPolitain, Pizzeria Luna Rossa, Chinese 'traiteur' (caterer), Korean restaurants Ari Ari and Little Seoul, sushi (Akita) and even bagel (Bagel Chef) little places, and even a small Russian bistrot with a fitting name Babouchka (side rue Saint-Augustin), and a traditional French restaurant Le Petit Choiseul (side rue Saint-Augustin), all of these among other businesses.
Passage de Choiseul is also a home to a venerable Parisian cultural institution, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, founded in the 1850s; it used to serve a stage - as its name suggests - to the 'gay Paris' light musical performances, mostly operettas associated with composer Jacques Offenbach. Nowadays, it is still pretty much up and running, and the star of the modern French cinema Fabrice Luchini (well familiar to cinephiles by his numerous roles in such masterpieces as 2008 Paris, 2011 The Women of the 6th Floor, and 2014 Gemma Bovery) is an active contributor as well as Julie Gayet, the ex of François Hollande, the former President of the French Republic.
Walking from south to north, or from rue des Petis-Champs to rue Saint-Augustin, after passing Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens on your left, look up and admire the beautiful portico ornated with a clock reaching the slanted glass roof.
One of the greats of the French literature of the XXth century, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, spent his entire childhood at Passage de Choiseul, where his mother used to own a fabrics store. However, the brilliant writer turned treacherous collaborator didn't add fame but rather infamy to the locale.
Passage de Choiseul was opened in the 1820s, as most of the other Parisian 'passages couverts' which took roots briefly after the Napoleonic fall, during the Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy. Lots and lots of the city real estate that used to belong to various religious orders, and the Catholic church in general, were nationalized and auctioned during (and following) the preceding Revolution of 1789. The developers of the time, seeking to increase their profits, decided to subdivide the properties and cut them open, placing various businesses and tenants inside those newly pierced passageways.
Being the longest of all surviving Parisian covered passages, Passage Choiseul features several inner "streets" or branches, thus it has entrances on several streets: on rue des Petis-Champs to the south, on rue Dalayrac to the west, and on rue Saint-Augustin to the north. Curiously, its 4th branch or extension, located roughly in the middle of the north-south axis (rue Saint-Augustin to rue des Petis-Champs), going to the east, got a name of its own; it is passage passage Sainte-Anne, opening, aptly enough, on rue Sainte-Anne, nowadays a hub of the Asian, predominantly Japanese restaurants and various stores.
Sure, unlike some of the other Paris 'passages couverts', Passage de Choiseul can't pride itself on intricate boiseries, Belle Epoque store displays or mosaic inlaid floors, but it is a real reflection of a true and rich Parisian daily life.
Passage de Choiseul features endless 'commerces', a veritable vast array of all kind of establishments suitable for various activities, such as shoe and clothing boutiques, jewelry and stationery stores, a spa, hair and and nail salons, home decor and gift shops, salad bars, Vietnamese street food cafe (L'Othentique Vietnam), numerous restaurants such as Lou Pasta, organic burger joint Bioburger, Casa Capasa, BistroPolitain, Pizzeria Luna Rossa, Chinese 'traiteur' (caterer), Korean restaurants Ari Ari and Little Seoul, sushi (Akita) and even bagel (Bagel Chef) little places, and even a small Russian bistrot with a fitting name Babouchka (side rue Saint-Augustin), and a traditional French restaurant Le Petit Choiseul (side rue Saint-Augustin), all of these among other businesses.
Passage de Choiseul is also a home to a venerable Parisian cultural institution, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, founded in the 1850s; it used to serve a stage - as its name suggests - to the 'gay Paris' light musical performances, mostly operettas associated with composer Jacques Offenbach. Nowadays, it is still pretty much up and running, and the star of the modern French cinema Fabrice Luchini (well familiar to cinephiles by his numerous roles in such masterpieces as 2008 Paris, 2011 The Women of the 6th Floor, and 2014 Gemma Bovery) is an active contributor as well as Julie Gayet, the ex of François Hollande, the former President of the French Republic.
Walking from south to north, or from rue des Petis-Champs to rue Saint-Augustin, after passing Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens on your left, look up and admire the beautiful portico ornated with a clock reaching the slanted glass roof.
One of the greats of the French literature of the XXth century, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, spent his entire childhood at Passage de Choiseul, where his mother used to own a fabrics store. However, the brilliant writer turned treacherous collaborator didn't add fame but rather infamy to the locale.
Written November 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JnVSydney
Greater Sydney, Australia21,227 contributions
Jan 2020
Full of shops, (boutique restaurants, book shops, art galleries), during our widow browsing, we noticed a couple of very nice jewellery shops, (if bling is your thing this is the place).
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathyruff
Nelson, New Zealand59 contributions
May 2019
These little passageways are so beautiful, it's worth making a special effort just to see them. The character & history are pretty amazing!
Written June 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,543 contributions
Nov 2016 • Solo
A bit down-market compared to some of the other covered passages, but I recommend that you see them all for a unique off-the-street shopping and eating experience.
Written March 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PeabodySun
Boston, MA28 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Cute little covered street with several places to eat international food and shop. Easy to find by Little Japan( really Little Asia).
Written May 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JnVSydney
Greater Sydney, Australia21,227 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
There are many covered passageways in Paris, so really glamorous, some not so, this one is in the middle, its claim to fames is being the longest, on a rainy day it is perfect for cover, exactly what it was designed for.
Written April 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,543 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
This covered passage is so tiny that it is easy to not see it. It leads to the Palais Royal and houses a couple of shops and the back of a restaurant. Small and charming.
Written March 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JnVSydney
Greater Sydney, Australia21,227 contributions
Dec 2021
At 190 meters long its claim to fame is the longest covered passage way in Paris, the end with the clock adds to its beauty, it is not the prettiest however it holds its own.
Written January 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
westy54
Sydney, Australia12,730 contributions
May 2019
This covered passage way, which was built in the early 1820's, runs for 190 metres between the Rue Saint-Augustin and the Rue des Petits-Champs. The entire gallery inside is covered by a glass roof.
The passage way has undergone several revamps over the decades, the last being in 2012. There are a number of different types of shops and restaurants inside but many of them seemed to be pretty run of the mill and a number of spaces were also vacant.
Not a must see.
The passage way has undergone several revamps over the decades, the last being in 2012. There are a number of different types of shops and restaurants inside but many of them seemed to be pretty run of the mill and a number of spaces were also vacant.
Not a must see.
Written August 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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