Passage Jouffroy – Escape to the Charm of Hidden Paris

Passage Jouffroy serves as my go-to shopping destination. Light floods this 19th century passage-way from the expansive glass roof. To me, it has a completely different ambience to Galerie Vivienne. The cute little shops always have the perfect souvenir to remind me of my trip to Paris. I also easily find gifts to take home for friends. What would I buy here ? Let’s have a look!

Welcome to Passage Jouffroy

Snacking and Afternoon Tea in Passage Jouffroy

To begin with, stopping at La Cure Gourmande is a must for me. There are multiple locations of this sweet shop in Paris and across France. I look forward to making my selections from their wide array of cookies. La Cure Gourmande is definitely our snack destination. You can select just 1 or 2 cookies for your little white sack or, purchase a decorative souvenir box and fill it full ! Warning, they are addictively delicious!!

If cookies aren’t your “thing” (but seriously, who doesn’t want a cookie?), then besides les biscuits, there are confisseries (sweets/candies), chocolates and madeleines.  Definitely something to please everyone.

If I want a little break in the afternoon to enjoy a pastry and a cup of tea, Le Valentin is where I’ll go. They carry a nice selection of my favorite French tea by Dammann Frères, and the patisserie selection is always tempting.

My problem is deciding on just one of their pastries ! They are all amazing!

For the Little Ones

Pain d’Epice is a wonderfully spicy honey based cake that we first enjoyed on a trip to the Burgundy region. When I saw the sign for Pain d’Epice looming ahead here in Passage Jouffroy, you know my mouth watered.

Imagine my surprise to discover that this is a toy store !  I missed taking home that delicious spicy cake but couldn’t ignore the delightful wood and metal toys nor the puppets found here !  I can’t go in without purchasing something for the little ones in my life back home.

Souvenirs and Gifts

La Maison Charlotte is a delight. It is filled with delightful souvenir possibilities that are definitely not your standard run of the mill souvenirs.

At Le Comptoir de Famille, next to Le Petit Roi bookstore,  we found cute Paris themed placemats as well as delightful little trays with an Eiffel Tower theme. I use these for my afternoon gouté  (snack) of tea and a cookie. (unfortunately, the store did not survive the pandemic restrictions)

Like Pep’s Umbrellas in Passage de l’Ancre, Galerie Fayet takes you back in time to the 19th century. The shop is devoted specifically to canes and umbrellas. Both antique and modern canes are available.

Today, Passage Jouffroy also has a Marks and Spencer shop. These British supermarkets have popped up in several places around Paris of late. It is a nice place to shop for pre-packaged items when constructing an impromptu picnic.

Hotel and Museum

As I troll Paris photos from previous visits, I promise myself that when all the COVID-19 travel restrictions have loosened, I will definitely plan on staying in Hotel Chopin on my next Paris visit. I am puzzled as to why it has never occurred to me to stay in this little boutique hotel before. Its location is perfect !

We did it! We returned to stay in Hotel Chopin in the spring of 2022. What a delightful little boutique hotel. It is on the doorstep of several other passages as well as being mere steps away from Paris’ Nouvelle Athènes neighborhood.

Musée Grévin is another museum that is going on my to-do list. It first opened in 1886 so I anticipate a bit of Belle-Epoque atmosphere. This museum has 500 wax figures. Based on their website, there is a bit of something for every age level.

Bookstores: Librairies

And, of course, my favorite part of any shopping trip – a stop at the librairie (bookstore). Le Petit Roi is one of my favorites if for no other reason than its signage.

Le Petit Roi Bookstore

I can never visit too many bookstores! Librairie du Passage has both rare and modern books.

Finding Passage Jouffroy

Besides the map below, the post found here will give you a brief overview of all the passages and galeries in Paris.