Louvre des Antiquaires, Paris

Nestled in the heart of the Place du Palais-Royal, directly opposite the venerable Musée du Louvre, the Louvre des Antiquaires plays host to nearly 250 galleries specializing in a wide array of antiquities, from classical pieces to 1960s vintage items, all tastefully displayed in a magnificent 19th-century edifice, which is in itself worth a tour.

While the ambitious and farsighted Napoleon III, in collaboration with Haussmann, was busy transforming the face of Paris, he commissioned this building to serve as the first luxury hotel in the City of Light, to accommodate distinguished guests during the Universal Exhibition of 1855. The hotel would have occupied the upper floors, while the ground floor was reserved for shopkeepers, following the typical Haussmannian architectural style. However, it soon became clear that the shops were the main attraction, and the hotel was discreetly relocated to another building across the square to make room for the Grands Magasins du Louvre department store, much to the delight of Parisians and tourists alike at the turn of the century.

Today, the Louvre des Antiquaires is home to a myriad of antique, art, and jewelry shops that peddle the sort of items one can only dream of while touring the illustrious museum across the Rue de Rivoli. While the antique galleries offer rare and precious objects for the discerning collector, they do not limit themselves to an exclusively high-end clientele, contrary to expectations one might have of such an esteemed address. On the contrary, the Louvre des Antiquaires prides itself on having something for everyone, offering objets d’art priced for impulse purchases and bargain hunters alike.