A local’s guide to visiting the secret painted windows in Paris near Centre-Pompidou and Châtelet; eight street art pieces that dress a fake building!
As I was strolling around Paris a few days ago, I came across hidden gems I’d snapped pics of in the past, but never got the chance to share with you.
Until now.
These past few months, I’ve shared with you quite a few beautiful places in Paris that are amazing to use as backdrops for your pictures – including secret gardens and free museums like the Musée Carnavalet.
Today’s the day when I show you something a little different, with a seemingly unassuming building at 29 rue Quincampoix, near the Centre Georges Pompidou.
As you walk up from Beaubourg and Le Marais, you can spot it in the distance, and when you look up, you’ll see that the facade is actually… fake.
There’s about a dozen fake buildings in Paris, but I think this one, with golden hour light, is one of the best hidden gems in the city.
29 rue Quincampoix, Paris’s Secret Fake Painted Windows
Located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, close to Châtelet-les-Halles, Beaubourg and Le Marais area, 29 rue Quincampoix is a trompe-l’oeil in that it’s neither a residential nor a commercial building.
It’s actually one of the many trompe-l’oeil facades in Paris, some of which you can see around Rue d’Aboukir or Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis.
These fake buildings, or fake painted-window facades are ventilation towers or technical shafts for the underground infrastructure beneath the city.
Still, I’m yet to see fake windows that beautifully painted like the ones at 29 rue Quincampoix.
It’s only as I was walking around Le Marais, coming from the wonderfully gorgeous Cloître des Billettes, that I stumbled upon these painted windows a couple of days ago.
Stumbled upon them again, might I add – I lived in Paris for five years something, and while I’d already seen them before, I’d never really taken the time to snap pictures of them.
The painted facade you can see close to the ultra-colorful Stravinsky Fountain with its sixteen whimsical sculptures is credited to Rome-born artist Fabio Rieto, a trompe-l’oeil pioneer in Paris.
There might be lots of aesthetic streets in Paris, but as soon as I come across street art mixing architecture, I fall in love – that’s what happened the first time I saw this fake building.
You also have a street art piece at the base of the building ‘La Paix’ (The Peace) which is another great painting to photograph, if you’re into street art.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookstores in Paris
On a plaque set on the building, you can read the words: Immeuble inscrit au titre des monuments historiques. Fenêtres imaginaires peintes par Fabio Rieti en 1976, rénovées en 1988 et en 2015 par Leonor Rieti.
Fake Windows at 29 Rue Quincampoix, Paris
29 Rue Quincampoix, Paris – Fake Window Facade Photo Gallery
29 rue Quincampoix, Paris’s Secret Fake Painted Windows
Now you know just about everything there is to know about the false painted windows of 29 rue Quincampoix – do add it to your bucket list for your next trip to Paris!
And, if you’re a lover of hidden gems, why not also discover the colorful alleys and secret villages that dot the city?
There are so many free things to do in Paris, and these fake windows should definitely be on your list if you’re looking to visit Paris off the beaten path!
29 rue Quincampoix, Paris
Website: Paris Zig Zag
Other Paris Reads
- 11 Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Paris to Walk Around
- Shopping in Paris: 8 Spots for Clothes, Makeup, Books & Food
- Fall in Paris: 17 Wonderfully Secret Places to Visit ASAP
- Montmartre Paris: 14+ Hidden Gems and Secret Places
- 5 Secret Places to Eat in Paris You’ll Love
- Floral Paris: 8 Pretty Places in Paris From Spring to Fall
- The Best Makeup Stores in Paris For Beauty Addicts
- 14 Best Cafes To Work in Paris & Study
- 30 Most Instagrammable Places in Paris
- 21 Best Bakeries in Paris to Indulge in Pastries and Cakes
- 20 Most Instagrammable Cafes in Paris