Passages Jouffroy, Verdeau and des Princes and Hotel Drouot

From Paris Hotels Reviews

Across the boulevard Montmartre, passage Jouffroy is full of the kind of stores that make the shopping an adventure rather than a chore. One of them, M & G Segas, sells eccentric walking canes and theatrical antiques opposite Pain d'Epics, a shop selling every conceivable fitting and furnishing for a doll's house. Near the romantic Hotel Chopin, Paul Vulin's secondhand books spill out into the passageway, and Ciné-Doc appeals to cinephiles with its collection of old film posters. Crossing rue de la Grange-Bateliére, you enter equally enchanting passage Verdeau, sheltering antiquarian books and old prints.

At the top of rue Richelieu, the tiny passage des Princes, with its beautiful glass ceiling, stained-glass decoration and twirly lamps, has been taken over by the toy emporium JouéClub. Its erstwhile neighbour, the passage de l'Opéra, described in surreal detail by Louis Aragon in Paris Peasant, was eaten up with the completion of Haussmann's boulevards.

While in this area, you could also take a look at what's up for auction at the Paris equivalent of Christie's and Sotheby's, the Hotel Drouot (9 rue Drouot; M° Le Peletier/Richelieu-Drouot). To spare any fear of unintended hand movements landing you in the bankruptsy courts, you can simply wander round looking at the goods before the action starts (11am-6pm on the eve of the sale, 11am-noon on the day itself). Auctions are announced in the press, under “Ventes aux Enchéres”; you'll find details, including photos of pieces, in the widely available weekly Gazette de l'Hôtel Douot or on their website www.drouot.fr.