Le Marais!
Some call Le Marais the heart of Paris and there are a lot of reasons to agree with that. Le Marais is the 4th Arrondissement of Paris and is the hub of the LBGTQ, home of some pretty great restaurants and museums as well as one of my favorite shopping streets in all of Paris. Whether you want to get a falafel from the famous Falafel King or a patisserie from one of the most beautiful patisseries (Boulangerie Murciano) in all of Paris, there is something special for every taste preference. Le Marais is also known as the Jewish Quarter and much of WWII history and the Jews of Paris took place in this neighborhood.
The museums of the Marais:
The Picasso Museum
Centre Pompidou
Musèe Carnavalet (be sure to visit this gem towards the evening and sty to have drinks in their magical garden.)
The beautiful Place des Vosges, the oldest square in all of Paris, is in the heart of the Marais and is one of my favorite places to sit and people watch. The apartments surrounding the Place des Vosges are some of the most expensive places to live in all of Paris. Be sure to stop into the Le Pavillion de la Reine Hotel and have a drink in their exquisite bar. Equally luxurious but also featuring a rooftop bar not to be missed is the SO/Paris Hotel located at 10 Rue Agrippa d'Aubigne. SO's rooftop bar/restaurant Bonnie offers the most splendid views of all of Paris.
Best shopping streets:
Rue des Francs Bourgeois is my favorite place to shop in all of Paris. Every French brand you love is located on this street-Caudalie, Maje, Sandro, B&SH, and Comptoir des Cotonniers. Bonus of Sunday shopping is that the street becomes a pedestrian only street. Walk to the end of Rue des Francs Bourgeois and you’ll find Place des Vosges where you can rest after all your shopping.
Another draw of the Marais is the myriad of restaurants from tapas, to traditional steak frites, to charming brasseries like La Favorita. Liberté (the quintessential boulangerie) has a location in the Marais and shouldn’t be missed if you’re looking for the best almond croissant in all of Paris! Au Bourguignon du Marais restaurant is a must for tasting the French classics, Beef Bourguignon and escargot. If you’re looking for excellent tapas try La Mangerie where the gracious hosts offer up delicious shots of some kind of magical elixir before you dine.
The Village of St. Paul is also located here and is worth a visit as it is filled with old shops selling maps, books, antiques and other curiosities.
Filled with chic restaurants, beautiful galleries and museum, and hip shopping, Le Marais is not to be missed!
Best way to get into the Marais is to take the Metro to the St. Paul’s stop.