| Passage Jouffroy | |
|---|---|
 | |
  | |
| General information | |
| Type | Covered passage |
| Location | 10 Boulevard Montmartre - 9 rue de la Grange-Batelière, Paris, France |
| Coordinates | 48°52′21″N2°20′32″E / 48.872549°N 2.342141°E /48.872549; 2.342141 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 140 by 4 metres (459 by 13 ft) |
ThePassage Jouffroy (French pronunciation:[pasaʒʒufʁwa]) is one of thecovered passages of Paris, located in the9th arrondissement. It runs between theBoulevard Montmartre to the south and the Rue de la Grange-Batelière to the north.
The Passage Jouffroy is a covered walkway in the south of the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on the border with the 2nd arrondissement. It begins in the south between 10 and 12 boulevard Montmartre, and ends in the north at 9 rue de la Grange-Batelière.[1]
Each passage is about 140 metres (460 ft) long and 4 metres (13 ft) wide. About 80 metres (260 ft) from its entrance on theBoulevard Montmartre, the passage makes a right angle turn and runs west for a few metres before descending some stairs. It then continues in a northerly direction to its outlet on the Rue Grange-Batelière. This was imposed by the irregular pattern of the three plots on which the passage was built. This last part of the passage is particularly narrow, leaving room only for the corridor and a shop. ThePassage des Panoramas opens as a continuation of the passage Jouffroy on the other side of the Boulevard Montmartre. The Passage Verdeau does the same on the other side, after crossing the street from the Grange Batelière.
The passage is covered by a canopy of metal and glass. An ornate clock stucco overlooks the alley.[2] The floor is paved with a geometric pattern composed of white, gray and black squares. The exit from theMusée Grévin is located inside the Passage Jouffroy.
The Passage Jouffroy was built in 1845 along the line of the Passage des Panoramas in order to capitalize on the popularity of the latter. A private company was formed to manage it, headed by Count Félix de Jouffroy-Gonsans (1791–1863), who gave his name to the passage, and Verdeau, who gave his name to the passage that was built as a further extension, the Passage Verdeau. The passage was built by architects François Destailleur and Romain de Bourges.
The Passage Jouffroy represents an important stage in the technological evolution of the 19th century and the mastery of iron structures. It is the first Parisian passage built entirely of metal and glass. Only the decorative elements are wooden. It is also the first passage heated by the ground.
In the early 1880s,Arthur Meyer, founder of the newspaperLe Gaulois, joined the cartoonistAlfred Grévin to create a gallery of wax figures on a property adjacent to the passage. It was inaugurated on 10 January 1882 and has since become theMusée Grévin. The exit of the museum, decorated with a montage of various characters, is in the passage and contributes in large part to its success.[citation needed] The museum includes a hall of mirrors that was originally housed in thePalais des mirages designed byEugène Hénard for theExposition Universelle (1900).[3]
In 1974, the passage was registered as amonument historique.[4] The passage was completely renovated in 1987 and regained its original paving.
The closest Metro stations areGrands Boulevards (lines 8 and 9), 100 metres (330 ft) to the east up the Boulevard Montmartre, andRichelieu-Drouot on the same lines 130 metres (430 ft) to the west.
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