“A three-meter lane? That’s barely wider than my arms spread out!” whispered a surprised tourist. Passage Boudin, nestled in Paris’s 20th arrondissement, often evokes this reaction. This charming lane, lined with colorful houses and overflowing greenery, feels like a secret slice of the countryside, hidden within the bustling city. But don’t let its quaint charm fool you. Passage Boudin holds a story, one that stretches back to 1838 when a man named Gabriel Boudin inherited a plot of farmland here. This wasn’t the Paris we know today. Charonne, where Passage Boudin resides, was a separate village then. Upon Charonne’s integration into Paris as the 20th arrondissement, Boudin, a shrewd businessman, saw an opportunity. He divided his land into 23 lots, creating this narrow passage, just three meters wide, to ensure their accessibility. This wasn’t an act of altruism though. Initially, Boudin remained the sole owner of the passage, leaving residents to bear the cost of its upkeep. Imagine the residents’ plight, paying for a path they didn’t own. This obviously caused friction, and ultimately, Boudin’s heirs ceded ownership. Finally, in 1992, Passage Boudin officially became public, a testament to the residents’ perseverance and the passage’s unique character. Today, it stands as a charming reminder of a time when Paris was a patchwork of villages, each with its own story to tell.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to