An innovative architectural type in the 19^th century, the covered passage was the result of a perfect correlation between the conception of the city, the rise of the luxury goods trade and a new type of social life. Multi-purpose, it was intended as much for circulation as for all manner of amusement. Among the forty-odd passages which enhanced the French capital from the late 18^th to the mid-19^th century, only seventeen still fulfil their initial function. All are situated on the right bank of the Seine. They can be explored district by district, following an itinerary based on a topographical and chronological sequence.

Founded in 1999, the association « Passages et Galeries » undertakes various operations promoting the protection, knowledge and development of these sites which are particularly interesting from the point of view of urbanism, architecture and commerce. Head office : 30 Rue Boissy-d'Anglas - 75008 Paris - Tel : 01 44 71 02 48

The « Itinéraires » series, designed as a guide for cultural tourism, invites the visitor to discover the highroads and byways of France's national heritage.