A highlight of Paris shopping tours and architectural tours of covered passageways, Galerie Vivienne is one of the city’s most striking neoclassical arcades. Its design features a soaring glass roof, decorative terrazzo floors, paintings and sculptures depicting trade-related scenes, and a rotunda with images of goddesses and nymphs.
The arcade was originally home to a variety of shops—including tailors, cobblers, wine shops, confectioners, and bookstores—and enjoyed a great deal of success due to its prime location near the Vanel de Serrant Hotel. Today, it offers a sophisticated shopping experience, with an updated assortment of boutiques alongside two original stores: the Librairie Jousseaume bookstore and Legrand Filles and Fils wine shop and gourmet store.
The Gallerie Vivienne is located behind the Bibliotheque Richelieu near the Palais Royal and is a popular stop on walking tours of the Royal Palace and the surrounding area. It can be reached from the Bourse Metro station and has entrances off the rue des Petits-Champs, rue de la Banque, and rue Vivienne.
While the arcade is open all day, the shops keep business hours. Stroll through the Gallerie Vivienne during midday to find the boutiques and eateries open and bustling with patrons. Completely covered with a glass roof, this shopping arcade is an ideal rainy-day destination.
Galerie Vivienne is one of the most elegant covered passages in Paris, but the city is home to a number of historic shopping arcades and landmark covered walkways that most tourists overlook. The Passage des Panoramas was the city’s first covered walkway, built more than 200 years ago. Other top arcades include the Passage Choiseul, Passage Jouffroy, and Passage Verdeau, known for its antique dealers and vintage shops. The best way to explore the city’s glass-roofed arcades is by joining a guided tour.
