Pommeraye Passage

Anyone who has been to Nantes will remember a sublime staircase passage surrounded by beautiful shops. I bet you’ll be no exception. The Pommeraye passage impresses and envelops you with a sense of beauty. The Pommeraye passage was born of Louis Pommeraye’s desire to bring Parisian chic to a poor Nantais neighborhood. The task was not an easy one – considering the number of lawsuits filed against him by disgruntled residents and the 9-meter difference in elevation which was so difficult to overcome. Louis Pommeraye had to be patient to bring his project to completion! Nevertheless, after 3 years of work, Nantes’ first covered passage opened its doors and it was an immediate success. It was under the reign of Louis Philip, and the fashion was “the more the merrier”. Statues and ornaments underline Nantes’ wealth, its new industry and maritime trade. A monumental staircase, covered by a magnificent glass roof, offers three levels of stores with displays. At the time, stalls were unheard of. The salesman brought you what you needed, and that was that. Thanks to the Pommeraye Passage, you can discover, wonder and observe. Window shopping had just been invented. From literature to cinema, photography to comics, the Pommeraye passage has inspired many artists and will continue doing so for many years to come. Sadly, the poor Louis Pommeraye, ruined by the financial fiasco of his passage during the Great Depression of 1846, died penniless and unaware of his legacy.