Passage du Chantier, thoroughfare in Paris, France
Passage du Chantier is a narrow, sometimes dark passageway in the 12th arrondissement, running from 53 Rue de Charenton to 66 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. Its walls are covered with colorful signs, and tiny back courtyards serve as display areas for furniture makers, upholstery workshops, and restoration studios.
The passageway was created in 1842 and officially registered as a street in 1995. For centuries, the surrounding area functioned as a furniture and woodworking center, with craftsmen benefiting from special trade privileges granted by the nearby Saint-Antoine abbey.
The passageway took its name from a wood yard that once served craftsmen working with materials. Today, furniture shops and restoration workshops that line the passage keep alive the neighborhood's tradition of skilled trades and artisan work.
The passageway is easy to enter from either end, but the interior is dimly lit, so visiting during daylight is recommended. The nearby Ledru-Rollin metro station provides convenient access to the location.
The passage's name comes from a wood yard for firewood once installed here, a reminder of the faubourg's trade past. Look for the small rear courtyards that furniture makers use as display areas, along with upholstery and furniture-restoration workshops. Urban art also appears on the walls.
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