This string of eight boulevards curves from Madeleine to République, passing through the red-light area of boulevard St-Denis en route. Not to be confused with Haussmann’s boulevards, they date back to Louis XIV and follow the mediaeval defences of Philippe-Auguste. Off boulevard Montmartre is the prestigious auction house of Drouot (www.drouot.fr), which you can browse freely. Be sure to explore the delightful mid 19th century passages which beckon along the way. Some have been restored to their original splendour, among them Passage Jouffroy, next door to the redoubtable waxworks of Musée Grévin. Opposite, the Passage des Panoramas ultimately brings you out near the stock exchange, La Bourse, a stately, neoclassical building from 1808.