Le Marais is my absolute favourite neighbourhood in Paris. Without a doubt, it’s the area we would live in. The 3rd & 4th Arrondissement encompasses this district. It’s funky and hip. I don’t mean “hipsters” hip (although this is where they’d be drawn to), I mean Paris hip. Once you go there, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Le Marais is chock-a-block with boutique hotels, shops, cafes, museums and markets. And if you’re looking for a good nightlife vibe that’s also LGBTQ-friendly, this is the place.
Shop Le Marais
Spend an afternoon popping in and out of the vast assortment of clothing and boutique shops. Look around and be delighted by the beautifully procured goods. Paris is known for its style. It doesn’t just belong to the rich either. You can acquire some stylish threads at any price point. If you’re looking for the best deals, check out one of the many Vintage clothing shops, where “one’s man’s trash becomes another man’s (or woman’s) treasure”. They even have 1 Euro bins and purchase by the kilo. Time will pass you by as you rummage through the countless gems at your fingertips.
Jewish Quarter
Make your way to the Jewish part of the neighbourhood. The Yiddish traditions and culture are still represented here. You can visit some of the most beautiful Synagogues in Paris. The stained-glass windows and ornate design are sure to impress.
Take some time to visit The Mémorial de la Shoah. It is the Holocaust Museum in Paris. The directive is to educate people, so they can better understand the history of the genocide and to further the fight against racism (it is free to enter). Near the entrance stands the Wall of Names. Engraved on the walls are the names of 76,000 Jews who were deported from France and murdered in the Holocaust. Pause and take a moment and give respect for these men, women and children.
Here in the Jewish district, you will be delighted by the ample number of Boulangeries, Pâtisseries, delis and Kosher Restaurants. The hardest part is deciding which flavoursome thing to try… or just do what we did, and taste as many as your belly will allow! If you are a falafel lover, head right on over to L’As Du Fallafel and be prepared to have your mind blown. We just happened to stumble upon it, not aware of its huge popularity. Its reputation precedes itself. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
BrewDog
If you’re a beer lover, like my husband, then BrewDog is for you! We found this brewery only a few minutes walk from our Airbnb in Le Marais. They have 22 lines of craft beer including one-offs and small-batch brews. The table room is spacious, which is unique in Paris. This leaves plenty of room to order up a couple of their delicious pizzas and do a flight tasting.
Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum resides in a mansion, the Hôtel Salé (5 Rue de Thorigny). The mansion has an expansive collection of his life’s work. Besides being a painter, he was a sculptor, photographer, ceramicist, and writer. It’s as though, his imagination was limitless.
Pompidou Centre
Let your eyes be mesmerized by the Pompidou Centre. The doors opened to the public on January 31st, 1977. The entire building is over 1,100,000 square feet. It’s known as the “inside-out” building. It was designed to showcase all the building’s functional features on the outside of the building through colour-coded pipes.
Inside the building lives the largest museum for modern art in Europe (Musée National d’Art Moderne). There is also a large Public Library and the IRAM- the centre for music and acoustic research. The area outside has an alluring presence of street performers, mimes and artists. It has even hosted skateboarding competitions.
Eataly
Are you a person who enjoys scouting out grocery stores in new cities? Eatatly will make you, oh so very happy and maybe a bit overwhelmed by the abundance. They have taken all the scrumptious things from France and Italy and dropped them onto 3 floors expanding over 26,000 square feet! Eatily has a cooking school open to all and a beautifully designed area to sit and wine & dine. Did I mention they have the largest Italian wine cellar in Paris? The foodie in you will be happy.
Big Mama
30 Rue Debelleyme
Another favourite in the foodie department would be eating at Big Mamma or any of the Big Mamma restaurant Group restaurants. There are a few scattered over Paris, each with its charm. The food there is Italian and incredible. Make sure to make a reservation.
La Mezcaleria Paris
This speakeasy has a creative Mexican flare. The unique design and eye-catching tasty cocktails, make this Speak Easy one of the best in Paris. It is in the heart of Le Marais, secretly tucked inside Hotel 1K, in the back of the Inka restaurant. Open the door and enter a new exotic universe!
Little Red Door
60 Rue Charlot
Little Red Door is a cozy candlelit bar that continues to make the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars. They pioneered a Farm to Glass concept, where they work with fresh producers to highlight their ingredients in a well-constructed and artistic cocktail.
Thanks for stopping by!
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