Passage des Postes, thoroughfare in Paris, France
The passage des Postes is a pedestrian alley in the 5th arrondissement, opened in 1830 at the request of Barral de Montauvrard to link the rue des Postes with the rue Mouffetard. It runs between buildings of the Val-de-Grâce quarter, and its name comes from the former rue des Postes it met. In Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, Jean Valjean takes it while fleeing Javert.
The passage opened in 1830 when local property owner Barral de Montauvrard requested a connection between the Rue des Postes and Rue Mouffetard to improve access for residents. Its narrow construction reflects the practical everyday needs of 19th-century city life.
The passage takes its name from the nearby Rue des Postes, a street that once gave the alley its identity. Today, locals use it daily as a quiet shortcut lined with modest shops and weathered facades that reflect neighborhood life over generations.
The passage sits near the lively Rue Mouffetard with its markets and cafes, making it easy for visitors to stumble upon this quiet route while exploring the neighborhood. The Censier-Daubenton metro station on Line 7 is nearby, offering convenient access from other parts of the city.
The passage appears in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables: Jean Valjean takes it to flee Javert, going from the rue de l'Épée-de-Bois to the rue de l'Arbalète. It is also the hideout of Colonel Olrik in the Blake and Mortimer album L'Affaire du collier.
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