Marais Through the Centuries: A Tour of Paris‘ Historical District with Context

Paris’ Marais district was once a serene landscape of wetlands and, later, lush orchards and vineyards. It saw the rise and fall of kingdoms and its people’s resilience before emerging as a cultural nucleus. On this walking tour by writer and Context Travel expert, Lily Heise, you‘ll travel through Marais‘ narrow streets and elegant squares, and discover how the district has been reinvented numerous times over the centuries. You‘ll learn how layers of stories have laid the foundation for the magnetic spirit that now permeates through this neighborhood, filled with historic buildings, museums, shops and art galleries.

Starting on Place Pierre-Kauffmann, you‘ll stroll down a medieval lane to see the over 700-year-old Gothic style church, Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais. As you make your way to Le Village Saint-Paul, a historical area filled with shops and galleries, you‘ll learn how the Marais became what it is today, a district where creativity meets chic, attracting cosmopolitan Parisians known as “bobos,“ people who embrace both bourgeois and bohemian sensibilities. Along the way, Lily will point out age-old timbered houses hidden under layers of plaster. She‘ll tell you how this district, once the hub of aristocratic life during the Golden Age, has weathered turbulent times including Nazi occupation and the expulsion of the Jews in the Middle Ages. You‘ll learn how the district was revitalized in the 20th century, becoming the first historic enclave shielded by law in 1964, sparking a nationwide preservation movement. You‘ll wander down Rue Vieille du Temple, where contemporary art galleries dot the streets, reinforcing the district‘s artistic identity. The Marais‘ rich history is reflected in each edifice, from the Hotel de Sens, a Gothic masterpiece, to Hotel Hérouet, which was transformed into a prestigious residence. As you make your way to Square du Temple Elie Wiesel where the tour ends, you‘ll see how, in Marais, resilience echoes louder than despair.

On this Marais tour, you‘ll:

• Take in the almost 100 mansions built in the Marais during its Golden Age and learn about the conservation laws that prevented them from being demolished
• Stroll along Rue des Francs Bourgeois, the border between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, lined with trendy boutiques and historic mansions
• Behold the grandeur of the largest private mansion, the Hotel Salé, an embodiment of elegance that whispers tales of its aristocratic past
• Find out why the Marais was previously known as the breadbasket of Paris
• See where the largest Jewish population in Paris lived until the Nazi deportation
• Learn about the dozen monasteries and convents that dotted the Marais, and their role within the city
• Explore Hotel de Sens and its Gothic features
• Gaze upon the Hotel Hérouet, a simple country home that gradually turned into one of the era‘s most beautiful and prestigious residences
• Pop into famous (and historical) eateries like Carett, Ma Bourgogne and L‘As du Fallafel, which makes Lenny Kravitz‘s favorite sandwich in the world
• Discover Hotel Saint-Paul’s castle complex
• Visit Place des Vosges and learn how King Henri IV had vacant land transformed into this elegant square, the very first planned public square in Europe
• Observe Hôtel Carnavalet, one of the very first Renaissance-era mansions built in the Marais
• Discover how Madame de Sévigné‘s became one of France‘s first female writers

After this 90-minute tour, you‘ll go home with a better understanding of how the Marais, once the breadbasket of Paris and now a cultural haven, refused to succumb to time‘s relentless march. So come, wander its cobblestone streets, and immerse yourself in tales of triumph, tragedy, and the timeless allure of the Marais.