Galerie Vivienne, a prime location
The Galerie Vivienne is one of the most prestigious shopping arcades in Paris.
It is also one of the last remaining covered passages of the approximately 150 covered arcades and galleries built in Paris between the late 18th and mid-19th centuries.
Maître Marchoux, president of the Chamber of Notaries, commissioned its creation on land encompassing the gardens of the Hôtel Vanel de Serrant and the Passage des Petits Pères.
The gallery benefits from a strategic location. It is indeed at the rear of the Bibliothèque Richelieu (Library), and between the iconic monuments of the Palais Royal, the Bourse, and the Grands Boulevards.
The Galerie Vivienne was inaugurated with great pomp in 1826.
A shopping gallery for the well off Parisians
While the neighboring Galerie Colbert attracted a diverse crowd, the Galerie Vivienne established itself as a haven of exclusivity, embodying the bourgeois spirit of its time.
Indeed, Marchoux’s vision was not luxury shops, but boutiques that were at once elegant, refined and useful.
This is how boot-makers, haberdashers, tailors, wine merchants and confectioners settled in the Galerie Viveinne to serve a well-to-do bourgeois clientele with refined tastes, sheltered from the tumult of the street.
The architect François-Jacques Delannoy was commissioned to design what would become the most refined and sophisticated shopping arcade in Paris.
The Galerie Vivienne is indeed renowned for its opulent Pompeian-style decorations organized around three central themes: Success, Wealth and Commerce, creating an atmosphere of timeless elegance and exclusivity!
A lavish decoration
The Galerie Vivienne dazzles with its profusion of architectural elements: columns, arches, crystal candelabras and cornices adorned with motifs of ears of wheat, palm leaves, laurel wreaths, cornucopias and caducei!
The awnings and arched windows of the shops are enhanced with hand-carved and polished woodwork and ironwork, which projects a luxurious atmosphere.
Facchina Giandomenico, one of the most acclaimed ceramists of the 19th century, created the mosaic floors, leaving his distinctive signature inlaid in the tiles near the entrance.
A magnificent double-sided glass roof and a rotunda allow abundant natural light to enter, highlighting its opulent decor and creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
Decline and renaissance of the Galerie Vivienne
The attraction of the Galerie Vivienne faded under the Second Empire, while Haussmann transformed Paris. Luxury boutiques indeed moved in near the Madeleine Church and the Champs Elysées, leading to a decline in business.
Like many other Parisian places, the Galerie Vivienne fell into oblivion, left to decay and deteriorate until the 1960s, when Parisians rediscovered the city’s architectural heritage. It was classified as a historical monument in 1974 and was superbly restored.
Fashion icons Jean-Paul Gaultier and Yuki Torii contributed to the gallery’s revival when their boutiques opened in 1986. Their presence indeed attracted other designers and prestigious ready-to-wear and home decor brands, as well as art galleries and antique dealers, many of them specialised in wooden toys.
Today, although only two of the original shops remain, the Galerie Vivienne is the place to go for lovers of books, old and modern. The Librairie Jousseaume (formerly the Librairie Petit-Siroux), founded in 1826, still exists and delights those who hunt for literary treasures.
The Legrand Filles & Fils delicatessen was already a well-known institution even before the opening of the Galerie Vivienne. This shop is renowned for its exquisite collection of chocolates and confectionery, elegantly presented in traditional glass jars. For lovers of fine wines, a visit to its cellar, created in 1880, is a must!
While strolling through the gallery, don’t miss the grand staircase at No. 13, which leads to the former home of the legendary Vidocq, a former prisoner who became chief of police.
And for a gourmet break, let yourself be tempted by window shopping or a break at Bistro Vivienne, near the entrance, on Rue des Petits Champs.
The Galerie Vivienne exudes the charm of a picturesque village nestled in the heart of Paris, but far from the hustle and bustle of the street. Take the time to appreciate its elegant, timeless atmosphere; It will undoubtedly seduce you.
Opening hours: Everyday – 8.30am to 8.30pm – Free access
Directions: 2nd district
Metro: Bourse on Line 3 and Palais-Royal on Line1
Coordinates:
no4 Rue des Petits Champs Lat 48.866167 – Long 2.339463
no6 Rue Vivienne Lat 48.867262 – Long 2.339270
no5 Rue de la Banque Lat 48.866601 – Long 2.340198
