Nantes is a fairly old city. I grew up surrounded by historic buildings and landmarks—Canadians find it amazing but in France, it’s just the normal environment.
Passage Pommeraye is one of the historic monuments I’m now rediscovering. The mini shopping mall is a passage between two streets, rue de la Fosse (the lower street) and rue de Santeuil (the higher one). It was completed in 1843 and was a novelty at the time. The design is very elaborate and includes Renaissance-style sculptures along the stairways.
Passage Pommeraye is closed at night and only opens around 8 a.m. When I was going to school, most mornings, I had to take a street parallel to the passage, which I hated because the narrow alley was steep and always stunk of pee and dog poop. But if I was late, with a bit of luck, I was able to take the Passage Pommeraye shortly before 8 a.m.! Trust me, I ran up the stairs many many times to make it to school on time!
This reminds me of the Cleveland Arcade, which I visited 4 years ago. It’s this long narrow building with shops on both sides. Buffalo also has a Market Arcade but is not as grand as Cleveland’s and Nantes’.
Interesting! I hadn’t heard of either.
Salut Zhu,
This is a beautiful place. Very similar in style to the Parisian passages filled with shops and restaurants.
This place also is a memory of your past…
I am imagining a teenaged Zhu sprinting on the stairs 🙂
Bises.
I did sprint up the strairs many many many times 😆
Salut Zhu!
You are home? Are you going to be there for the elections?
As always I delighted myself in your pictures: loved the statue.
Nantes, through your eyes, is beautiful.
Cheers
I’m coming back to Canada about ten days before the elections, so I will vote in Ottawa. Yet it’s interesting to catch a glimpse of the campaign in France!
I was there, just one year ago! A good memory. I have a picture of the window of the chocolatier, with an electric guitar made of chocolate on display. : )
How is your mother doing? I hope she is recovering well from the surgery. That whole adventure must have been scary.
The two chocolatiers in this streets are wonderful! I grew up a block from there 😉