Because Paris never ends… Hemingway.
Paris never lets the people devoted to her sit still. The last season of traveling lectures and seminars has barely wrapped up, and already (ahead of the next round of activities) I find myself happily diving back into the soul of the city, which, toward the end of 2018, got an update in the form of a new, modern, and wonderful complex.
What is Beaupassage?
It’s a cluster of uncovered interior courtyards (passages) running between blocks of typical Parisian buildings from different eras. Recently joined and converted into one, they now form an innovative complex for strolling and leisure that is intriguing, inviting, and inspiring.
The project was built by the real estate company Emerige, which breathed new life into the interior courtyards and the various buildings surrounding them, creating an innovative, harmonious, and charming 10,000 square meter project that weaves together residential apartments, a variety of eateries, spaces for strolling, stylish gardens, art installations, and plenty of French magic.
Beaupassage is devoted entirely to “the art of good living” and to nurturing a true everyday culture of well-being (“bien-être”).
It combines intellectual and sensory pleasures and celebrates life’s little luxuries, making it a paradise for lovers of gastronomy, culture, architecture, art, and sport. Along its well-kept walking paths you’ll find unique food shops, cafés, restaurants, eateries, pastry shops, and bakeries, all run by some of France’s best chefs (at reasonably fair prices). There’s a gallery too, and even an upscale sports and spa center for keeping your body in shape, run by Abdoulaye Fadiga, the world boxing champion, in case you need to burn off a few of those calories.
Among other things, at Beaupassage you’ll find:
- The seafood restaurant of Mersea, where Breton chef Olivier Bellin (a Michelin-starred name) cooks up dishes using the freshest catch of the day.
- The elegant butcher shop and restaurant of Alexandre Polmard, La Boucherie-Restaurant Polmard, which displays its goods in glass showcases.
- The food canteen of Anne-Sophie Pic, the famous Michelin-starred chef, who opened a fast-food counter at Beaupassage serving iconic dishes tied to her name.
- A cheese shop from the legendary Fromagerie Barthélémy chain.
- A new bakery from chef Thierry Marx, who holds two Michelin stars.
- A bistro, bar, and design gallery called Allénothèque, run by the legendary, Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, who holds three stars himself.
- A pastry shop by master pâtissier Pierre Hermé, who opened a café where pastries, macarons, and chocolates come together, along with a full menu… and much more besides.
Aesthetics, grandeur, beauty, and architectural intelligence stand out at every corner of Beaupassage.
- You can see it in the striking contemporary art installations woven into the complex’s entrances and scattered throughout the walking route: like the Arbre Neuronal (Neuronal Tree), representing the tree of knowledge, a work by Marc Vellay. Or the three Mangoustes de Beauvais, an expressive allegorical sculpture by the artist Stefan Rinck standing right in the middle of the complex, depicting three mongooses tied together by rope, carved from white limestone.
- You’ll also notice the splendor of the lush gardens running along the main walking path, with about 60 trees, plants, and flowers forming a green lung that dresses up the complex’s urban space, bringing in pieces of nature and seasoning the whole experience with colorful, vivid charm.
- The architectural setting preserves, highlights, and showcases the facades of the various buildings lining the Beaupassage walking route. Because in Paris, as always in Paris, the developers and architects entrusted with converting these age-old courtyards into a new complex made sure to preserve the city’s organic imprint, its many layers of history, and highlighted the different time periods visible in the facades and the various cladding layers. They embraced the mix of styles, emphasized the range of building materials on site (stone, concrete, iron, glass, brick) and managed to create a stunning architectural blend, charged with authenticity and historical resonance. Along the route you’ll find the convent walls and chapel of the Couvent des Récollets from the 17th century, a former garage, and 18th and 19th century industrial buildings with real urban charm, alongside innovative modern buildings.
- You can enter Beaupassage through three busy main streets that the complex spans and connects: Boulevard Raspail, Rue du Bac, and Rue de Grenelle. All three streets lead through entrance halls decorated with striking contemporary artworks. These manage to cut off anyone entering Beaupassage from the noise of the bustling city, and bring them into an atmosphere of intimacy, beauty, and cultural refinement.
- At the entrance from Boulevard Raspail, there’s an art installation by Eva Jospin representing trees in a forest, made from recycled corrugated cardboard. Facing the installation is a mirror that reflects the work, turning the experience of entering the complex into a walk down a path entirely lined with forest trees.
- The entrance from Rue du Bac runs through passages between old buildings and is decorated with a fresco by Romain Bernini depicting a “forest spirit” in psychedelic colors.
- Another entrance, at 53-57 Rue de Grenelle, passes through an installation where the tops of oak trees form a dreamlike colorful arch, a creation of Fabrice Hyber.
And so, since September 2018, there’s a new place of pilgrimage in Paris: intimate, charming, practical, and full of magic and interest, symbolizing so perfectly the French sense of good taste and cultural refinement.
Want to discover more secret spots in Paris?
This article was created as part of the Secrets of Paris project, where longtime Francophiles share their own secret spots in Paris. Feel free to check out the project and discover even more secret places.
