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Passage des Deux Pavillons

The acoustic appeal of the crooked Passage des Deux Pavillons, a short, hidden alleyway adjacent to the shops abutting the Palais Royale, has made it a favorite among local opera singers, who occasionally come to practice here on Sunday afternoons at 4 p.m., rain or shine. The solo performers, all professionals from opera companies, provide lucky bystanders and passing pedestrians with atmospheric—and free—impromptu recitals. By the mid-1800's there were 150 of these arcades, but today only 18 remain, many on the Right Bank.