Galerie Véro-Dodat

Keeping up with the 19th-century passageway trend in Paris, butchers Véro and Dodat built the arcade between Rue de Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Rue de Croix-des-Petits-Champs in 1826. One of the first to benefit from gas lighting and one of the last few surviving passages in the city, Galerie Véro-Dodat retains much of the majestic splendor that characterized it at its time of origin. Marble columns, black and white checkered flooring, frescoes and paintings on the ceiling illustrate the Neoclassical school of architecture. Frequented by Parisian elite, it is lined with a plethora of boutiques specializing in designer fashion, quaint antiques, furnishings, home decor and art. The historical landmark is worth a visit to explore, if not to shop.