Passage Brady, a truncated passage
The Passage Brady is one of the few remaining covered passages of Paris.
Built in 1828 and named after its developer, the Passage Brady originally featured an elegant rotunda. However, in 1854, it underwent significant alterations, as its central section was demolished to make way for the Boulevard de Strasbourg, one of the iconic Grands Boulevards.
Today, it comprises two distinct sections.
The first, connecting No. 46 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis to Nos. 22-23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, has retained its characteristic glass roof.
The second, now open to the sky, connects Boulevard de Strasbourg to No. 43 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin.
Despite its developer’s hopes, the Passage Brady never achieved the status of a luxury shopping arcade. It mainly housed second-hand clothing shops, reading rooms, and public baths.
Over time, declining customer interest led to its demise, and by the turn of the 20th century, it had fallen into oblivion.
Passage Brady – Paris’ Little India
In the 1970s, the Passage Brady experienced a revival thanks to affordable shop rents, which attarcted Indian and Pakistani businesses, earning it the nickname Little India.
Today, it is a vibrant place with a multitude of restaurants offering authentic disges from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, and La Réunion at reasonable prices.
The Passage Brady also boasts numerous small shops, such as hair salons and boutiques selling bright coloured Indian fabrics. These establishments, filled with spicy aromas and vibrant hues, but also the floor’s original mosaic, with its bright blue pattern on a yellow background, contribute to the passage’s exotic atmosphere, filled with spicy aromas and vibrant hues.
Located just a 10-minute walk from the charming Passage des Panoramas, Passage Verdeau, and Passage Jouffroy, the Passage Brady is well worth a visit, if only for its unique atmosphere!
It is open daily without interruption – Free access
Directions: 10th district – no46 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis – no33 Boulevard de Strasbourg (covered section) – no22 Boulevard de Strasbourg – no43 rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin (open-air section)Metro stations: Strasbourg-St-Denis on Lines 8 and 9 or Chateau d’Eau on Line 4
Coordinates: Lat 48.871229 – Long 2.355285
