Le Marais

On the right bank of the River Seine in third and fourth arrondissements the neighbourhood of Le Marais is one of the hippest places to hang out for tourists due to its narrow picturesque roads in a Gothic atmosphere, the trendy shops and cafés and various art museums around. 

This historic neighbourhood was the place where the aristocracy chose to live until the Revolution, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it lots its glamour when the rich left this area. After the french revolution it started to become a centre of commerce and many Jewish people settled to found business, mostly around the Rue des Rosiers area; today with a Jewish Museum and couple of synagoges it’s still an important place for Jewish community. Also after the eighties the gay people chose this area. Today, however you do not feel an underground or counter culture atmosphere here, but more a trendy air is felt, may be due to many trendy design shops and international brands lining after one another on its streets. Its architectural and historical significance continue to attract many visitors. 

We recommend you to visit its museums: The Picasso Museum in an ancient ‘hotel particulier’ building on Rue de Thorigny, the European House of Photography, the Pompidou Cultural Centre, Victor Hugo’s House are some of them. Surrounded by red brick houses Place des Vosges from seventeenth century may be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Many eating options are fons from France bistros Chez Janou, Chez Julien to creepers like Brezih.