Page 132 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

130  P ARIS AREA B Y AREA

2 Louvre des
Antiquaires
2 Pl du Palais-Royal 75001. Map 12 F2.
Tel 01 42 97 27 27. q Palais-Royal.
Open 11am–7pm Tue–Sun. 0 -
See Shopping p328. ∑ louvre-
antiquaires.com
A large department store – the
Grands Magasins du Louvre –
was converted at the end of
the 1970s into this three-floor
collection of art galleries and
antique shops. Few bargains are
found here, but the 250 shops
of this chic market provide
clues about what nouveaux Colonnaded façade of the Comédie Française
riches collectors are seeking.
Philippe, one of whose André Malraux, sits France’s
librarians was Alexandre Dumas. national theatre. The company
3 Palais-Royal The building escaped the has its roots partly in Molière’s
flames of the 1871 uprising. 17th-century players. In the
Pl du Palais-Royal 75001. Map 12 E1.
q Palais-Royal. Closed to the public. After being restored again, foyer is the armchair in which
∑ palais-royal.monuments. between 1872 and 1876, the Molière collapsed, dying, on
nationaux.fr palace reverted to the state, stage in 1673 (ironically
and it now houses both the while he was
This former royal palace has Council of State, the supreme performing
had a turbulent history. Starting legal body for administrative Le Malade
out in the early 17th century matters, and its more recent Imaginaire –
as Richelieu’s Palais Cardinale, “partner”, the Constitutional The Hypochon-
it passed to the Crown on his Council. Another wing of the driac). Since
death and was the child hood palace is occupied by the the company’s
home of Louis XIV. Under the Ministry of Culture. founding in
control of the 18th-century 1680 by Louis
royal dukes of Orléans, it was XIV, the A stone plaque to
the scene of brilliant gatherings, 4 Comédie Française theatre has Pierre Corneille
as well as periods of 1 Pl Colette 75001. Map 12 E1. enjoyed state
debauchery and gambling. Tel 0825 101 680 (tickets) or 01 44 patronage as a
The cardinal’s theatre, where 58 15 15 (info). q Palais-Royal. centre of national
Molière had performed, burned Open for performances. 7 8 & culture, and it has been
down in 1763, but was replaced ^ See Entertainment p334. based in the present building
by the Comédie Française. ∑ comedie-francaise.fr since 1799. The repertoire
After the Revolution, the includes works of Racine,
palace became a gambling Overlooking two charming, if Molière, Corneille and
house. In 1815, it was reclaimed traffic-choked, squares named Shakespeare, as well as those
by the future King Louis- after the writers Colette and of modern playwrights.

The Palais-Royal, now the home of various government departments

130-131_EW_Paris.indd 130 03/04/17 10:49 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.9)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm