Don’t Miss This Overlooked Neighborhood in Paris

Despite its colorful history and present-day attractions, much of the Marais is overlooked by many visitors to Paris.

A cafe in the Marais area of Paris is a good spot to relax while taking in this part of the city. Photo courtesy of Victor Block

The twisted streets are lined by a city planner’s nightmare of buildings in a jumble of architectural styles and conditions. Crumbling mansions that cling to memories of past glory days are neighbors to trendy shops. Bustling restaurants abut small, offbeat museums. One small section of the enclave has been a Jewish quarter since the 13th century. Another encompasses what many people consider to be the most beautiful square in the city and perhaps in all of Europe.

This eclectic neighborhood in the heart of Paris has been called the Marais (“marsh”) since Roman times. The name described the swamp that was created by a fork of the Seine River. The marsh was drained in the 12th century to provide more living space as Paris grew, but the name—like the oozing mud that once covered the area—stuck.