Discover the Richelieu neighborhood near the Louvre and its famous Parisian buildings, the Comédie Française, the Palais Royal and its gardens, the Place des Victoires, as well as other lesser-known places, like the Galleries and Passages, which you can discover the history of the galleries in our previous post!
Rue des Petits Champs is home to the Palais Royal theater and its curious architecture. Placed under the protection of the king’s nephew, the Count of Beaujolais, the theater was housed in one of the blocks of flats built by Philippe d’Orléans.
At the time, the façade resembled all the others, and it was only in 1880, during major renovations, that the theater was equipped with external staircases. A true innovation, they are reminiscent of the balconies of New Orleans, and were primarily a practical choice, rather than an aesthetic one. By placing the fire escapes outside, the architect avoided encroaching on taking up interior space and the auditorium.
Continue your stroll and discover the nearby Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF) and its sumptuous reading rooms, with their stucco decorations, large caryatids and elaborate vaults, making it one of the capital’s most beautiful libraries.
The Richelieu neighborhood is included in the following city walks in the TimeStreet app: Le Louvre’s area and Paris centre – Right bank.
Credits :
1- Salle du théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paul Sédille, 1884 – CC0 Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris
2- Géoportail, carte du 2e arrondissement de Paris
3- Théâtre du Palais Royal, Clarisse Brémaud, 2023
A view of the Palais Royal from the outside.
Salle du théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paul Sédille, 1884 – CC0 Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet – Histoire de Paris
