The Boulevard des Capucines is one of the four 'grands boulevards' in Paris, a chain of boulevards running east-west that also includes Boulevard de la Madeleine, Boulevard des Italiens, and Boulevard Montmartre.

The name comes from a beautiful convent of Capuchine nuns whose garden was on the south side of the boulevard prior to the French Revolution.

The former name, Rue Basse-du-Rempart ("bottom-of-the-wall street" in French), suggests that, in the beginning, the street paralleled the city wall of Paris. Then, when the wall was destroyed, the street was widened and became a boulevard.

At No. 1, the Neapolitan Café, famous for writers, journalists, and actors who attended the cafe such as Catulle Mendès, Jean Moréas, Armand Silvestre, and Laurent Tailhade.

At No. 2, at the junction with the rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin, site of the former Hotel de Montmorency, then Théâtre du Vaudeville 1869, and Paramount Opéra movies 1927. The main hall was the 'grand salon' of the Hotel in the 18th century. The rotunda on the facade has been kept.

At No. 5, location of the photographic studio of Pierre-Louis Pierson, later associated brothers Mayer, who was the photographic collaborator of Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione.