- From swamp, to vegetable garden, to home for religious communities, to residence of the Parisian aristocracy….
- The Place des Vosges, its red brick, white stone, and blue slate: the first royal square in Paris, and once a preferred spot for duels.
- Saint Paul-Saint Louis: the church of the Counter-Reformation, the theatricality of religious decoration.
- The Rue des Rosiers: the charm of its cobbled streets, synagogue, libraries, and famous cheesecakes and falafels to be savored in one of many authentic restaurants…
With more medieval and pre-revolutionary buildings left intact than in any other part of Paris, today the Marais attracts thousands of visitors, eager to soak in the delights of a neighborhood full of historical and cultural wealth and hotbed of hip creativity. Here, new art galleries and trendy cafes have sprouted next to jewel-like museums and traditional restaurants.
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2-hour classic tour (visit + free time)
Amble with your guide through the old and narrow streets of the Marais to discover this preserved neighborhood of Paris. Imposing medieval architecture stands side by side with sumptuous buildings of the French Renaissance, where members of the illustrious elite such as Madeleine de Scudéry, Madame de la Fayette, the Marquise de Sévigné, and Marc Antoine Charpentier once lived – who together formed the intellectual heart of the 17th century and paved the way to the Age of Enlightenment.