Paris Marais Walk

The Marais is one of the few areas that Baron Haussmann largely ignored when he was tearing up the rest of the city; for that reason, it still retains a medieval feel. Though very few buildings actually date from the Middle Ages, this warren of narrow streets and picturesque squares is layered with a rich history, which is apparent in the pleasing hodgepodge of architectural styles. The neighborhood’s glory days date from the 16th and 17th centuries, when anyone who was anyone simply had to build a mansion or a palace here. Though the area fell from grace in the 18th and 19th centuries, many of the grand hôtels particuliers (private mansions) survived the slings and arrows of time and were reborn as museums and public archives when the neighborhood was restored in the latter half of the 20th century. Today, the Marais is a fascinating mix of hip gentrification and the remnants of a working-class neighborhood. It is at once the center of the city’s gay life, as well as the historic Jewish quarter, even if a much larger community lives in the 19th arrondissement. Some of the city’s best museums and boutiques are in the Marais, so you could easily spend an entire day here.