Uncovering Paris’ Le Marais District

We just arrived back from four days in France, two of which were very well spent in Paris. This was our first time visiting Paris together, and we kind of extended our 2 year anniversary an extra week to celebrate it in the beautiful, romantic City of Lights.

Planning a trip to Paris can be a bit frustrating given the variety of neighbourhoods to choose from and the infinite list of things to see and do. This was my second time visiting and I still had no idea where to start. With EURO2016 in town at the same time, I knew that I did not want to stay ANYWHERE near the Eiffel Tower. So, after ample research, we settled on a modern studio AirBnb in the heart of Le Marais district. 

Let me tell you – this is the place to be in Paris! It’s lively enough that you never have to leave, but quiet enough that you’re not being swarmed by fellow tourists at all hours of the day. The host, Emmanuel, offers a great price for such a central location, so if you are visiting Paris, you must consider his place. Le Marais is an incredibly romantic neighborhood, meaning it’s great for couples travel; in fact, it would be the perfect place to base yourself for a honeymoon in Paris!

Wandering Around Le Marais

There are so many romantic things to do in Paris, and simply wandering around Le Marais was one of our favorites.

Although we had planned to cover more of Paris on Day 1, given our short 36 hour stay, we ended up spending the entire day wandering around Le Marais. Aside from stopping for lunch, a bit of football watching at the pub, and a late night dinner, we spent the entire day walking down beautiful little streets and staring up at stunning centuries-old homes. Sean ended up being way ahead of me because I stopped to take so many pictures of the most random things – doors, windows, plants, etc.

Le Marais is a stunning little district that is best discovered by exploring. It is actually one of the best preserved areas in Paris, with a house that dates all the way back to 1407 and the largest concentration of museums in Paris. We did not get to any museums, but saw a lot of the popular spots within the neighbourhood, including Hotel Sully, Places des Vosges, and the National Archives building. However, we did not plan to go out and see any of this – we just set out on foot and ended up there!

The Parisian Culinary Experience

Our AirBnb host recommended Chez Janou for lunch, which is just past Place des Vosges. It was an adorable place with green and white decor. We indulged in a massive lunch and then held off until dinner at Glou, a recommendation from our French friend. We told them it was our anniversary when making the reservation, and they put us at the window table, overlooking the Picasso Museum – we barely spoke to each other during dinner because we were so busy staring at the beauty of the moon rising above the museum. Oh – and the food was delicious too!

If you’re looking for a truly delightful experience next time you visit Paris, Le Marais is the place for you. Receive credit for a stay at Emmanuel’s place in the heart of the district by signing up to AirBnb.

For those of you interested in learning a bit about the history of Le Marais before visiting, I highly recommend this podcast by Join Us in France.

x Kelly

What is your favorite place to wander around for hours?

We’d love to hear in the comments!

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