# Le Marais, Paris > The Marais is one of the oldest and most atmospheric districts of Paris, on the Right Bank in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. In the 17th century the nobility built mansions here, and many survive: today they house the Picasso Museum, the Carnavalet museum of Paris history and other collections. Narrow streets of half-timbered houses, the Place des Vosges, Rue des Rosiers with its falafel and bakeries, galleries and boutiques make the Marais one of the best areas for a stroll. Shops open on Sundays here. The district is free to all. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/le-marais - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, it's a city district - Hours: Open 24 hours - Musée Carnavalet: Permanent collection usually free - Shops: Many open on Sundays too - Duration: ≈ 2–4-hour walk - Location: 3rd and 4th arrondissements, metro Saint-Paul - Coordinates: 48.86000, 2.36083 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1240** — the Knights Templar built a church here (source: English Wikipedia) - **1605** — the Place Royale was laid out (source: English Wikipedia) - **1964** — France's first protected heritage zone (source: English Wikipedia) - **1913** — Guimard's synagogue on Rue Pavée (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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. > **How to explore** Start at the Hôtel de Ville or Saint-Paul station, walk to the Place des Vosges, then along Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and Rue des Rosiers to the Carnavalet and Picasso museums, and on north into the Haut Marais with its galleries and concept stores. Unlike most of Paris, many Marais shops open on Sundays, so weekends are especially lively. Museums are often closed on Mondays, so check ahead. ## 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. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 1 to **Saint-Paul**, in the heart of the district. 2. Metro lines 1 and 11 to **Hôtel de Ville**, for the western edge. 3. Metro line 8 to **Saint-Sébastien – Froissart** or **Filles du Calvaire**, for the Haut Marais. 4. From Notre-Dame, a 10-minute walk across the bridge. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges), the Hôtel de Ville and the Île de la Cité with [Notre-Dame](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/notre-dame-de-paris). 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. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Walk through the Place des Vosges - [ ] Look into the Musée Carnavalet - [ ] Try falafel on Rue des Rosiers - [ ] Find Nicolas Flamel's house - [ ] Lunch at the Marché des Enfants Rouges ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Place de la Concorde](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-de-la-concorde) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Montmartre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/montmartre) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free - [Place Vendôme](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-vendome) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Luxembourg Gardens](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/jardin-du-luxembourg) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Pont Neuf](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/pont-neuf) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 25 min · Free - [Tuileries Garden](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/tuileries-garden) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free - [Shakespeare and Company](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/shakespeare-and-company) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Île de la Cité](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/ile-de-la-cite) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city island - [Saint-Germain-des-Prés](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/saint-germain-des-pres) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Quarter and church free - [Place des Vosges](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/place-des-vosges) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free - [La Défense](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/la-defense) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed - [Le Marais](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/le-marais) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free, it's a city district - [Latin Quarter](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/latin-quarter) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, it's a city district - [Canal Saint-Martin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/canal-saint-martin) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Parc Monceau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-monceau) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 50 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Marais is the Right Bank district of mansions; the Latin Quarter is the student district around the Sorbonne on the Left Bank. ## Tips - Half a day to stroll. - Shops open Sundays. - Falafel on Rue des Rosiers. - Museums not on Mondays. ## Questions ### What is the Marais famous for? Its 17th-century mansions, the Place des Vosges, museums, galleries and Rue des Rosiers. ### How long do I need for the Marais? Two to four hours, ideally half a day. ### Which museums are in the Marais? The Carnavalet, Picasso, Cognacq-Jay and the Museum of Jewish Art and History. ### Are shops open on Sundays? Many Marais shops open on Sundays too. ### How do I get to the Marais? By metro line 1 to Saint-Paul station. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. This is an open city district. Museum and shop hours weren't confirmed with official sources — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Le Marais - Musée Carnavalet website, carnavalet.paris.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.