Le Marais, Paris

About the Marais

The Marais is a historic district on the Right Bank of the Seine, in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. Its name means 'marsh': it was once boggy land outside the city wall. In 1240 the Knights Templar built a fortified church in its north, in the 14th century King Charles V moved into the Hôtel Saint-Pol, and after the Place Royale was laid out in 1605 the Marais became the nobility's favourite quarter.

Aristocrats built lavish mansions here, such as the Hôtels de Sens, Sully, Beauvais, Carnavalet and Soubise. From the late 18th century the nobility moved elsewhere and the Marais became a district of workshops and trade. In 1964 the culture minister André Malraux made it France's first protected historic zone, and in the following decades its mansions were restored.

What to see in the Marais

• The Place des Vosges — the oldest square in Paris.
• The Musée Carnavalet — Paris history in two mansions.
• The Picasso Museum — the largest Picasso collection, in the Hôtel Salé.
• The Hôtel de Sens — a medieval palace with turrets.
• Rue des Rosiers — falafel, bakeries and shops.
• Nicolas Flamel's house — one of the oldest buildings in Paris.

Mansions and museums

The Marais's great treasure is its 17th-century mansions, many now museums. Two neighbouring mansions house the Musée Carnavalet, the museum of Paris history, with shop signs, models, interiors and paintings telling the city's story from antiquity to today; its permanent collection is usually free.

The Hôtel Salé holds the Picasso Museum, the world's largest collection of the artist's work. The Hôtel Donon houses the Musée Cognacq-Jay of 18th-century art, and the Hôtel de Saint-Aignan the Museum of Jewish Art and History. Look out too for the Hôtel de Sens, a medieval palace with turrets and a garden, rare in Paris.

Rue des Rosiers and Marais flavours

From the late 19th century the area around Rue des Rosiers, known as the 'Pletzl', became home to a large Jewish community. On nearby Rue Pavée stands a 1913 synagogue by Hector Guimard, the architect of the famous Art Nouveau Paris metro entrances.

Today Rue des Rosiers is known above all for food: famous falafel in pitta, challah and strudel, kosher grocers and cafés. It's one of the most popular places in Paris for a cheap, tasty bite, and the best stalls draw queues.

Galleries, fashion and the Haut Marais

Since its restoration the Marais has become one of the main art gallery districts in Paris. They cluster in the north, the Haut Marais around Rue de Turenne and Rue Vieille-du-Temple, alongside young designers' boutiques, concept stores and vintage shops.

Here too is the covered Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest market in Paris, with food stalls from around the world where you can lunch at shared tables. In the evening the Marais is a district of bars and restaurants, one of the liveliest and most open in the city.

The oldest houses in Paris

The Marais keeps some of the oldest homes in Paris. Nicolas Flamel's house on Rue de Montmorency was built in 1407; its owner, a scribe and patron, later became the hero of alchemy legends. On Rue François-Miron stand medieval half-timbered houses with wooden beams.

Haussmann's rebuilding barely touched the district's narrow lanes, so you can sense pre-19th-century Paris here: cobbled alleys, carriage gates into courtyards, little squares and mansion gardens, some of them open to visitors.

Tips for your visit

Give the Marais at least half a day: a wander through the streets, one or two museums and lunch on Rue des Rosiers or at the Marché des Enfants Rouges. Comfortable shoes are a must, as the cobbles are uneven.

The Marais pairs well with the Place des Vosges, the Hôtel de Ville and the Île de la Cité with Notre-Dame. In the evening cross to the Île Saint-Louis for ice cream.

The Centre Pompidou on the Marais's western edge is closed for renovation until around 2030, but its square and the nearby Stravinsky Fountain are still worth a look.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

50

Place des Vosges

Paris, France

45 min · Free · 10 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Place des Vosges

56

Hôtel de Ville

Paris, France

30 min · Square free, halls by tour · 13 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Hôtel de Ville

74

Notre-Dame de Paris

Paris, France

1 h · Free; optional timed booking · 19 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Notre-Dame de Paris

51

Île de la Cité

Paris, France

2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island · 20 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Île de la Cité

How to do it right

• Half a day to stroll.
• Shops open Sundays.
• Falafel on Rue des Rosiers.
• Museums not on Mondays.

Questions