Where to Stay in the Marais, Paris, in 2024 + Maps
Hugo Kennedy
The Marais. The Marsh. The Jewish Quarter. The Fashion District. The LGBT+ quarter. From narrow medieval streets, to beautiful churches, historic synagogues, boutique fashion outlets, and great eateries. That said, where should you stay in la Marais?
Where is the Marais, Paris
The word Marais comes from the French word for a marsh or swamp. Perhaps not a word that conjures charm and beauty, but nonetheless, the Marais possess them both in spades. It is situated in parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements on the right bank of the Seine. So you will find it just north of the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité.
Western Marais – Hôtel de Ville you will find Paris’s buzzing LGBT+ quarter
Southern & Eastern Marais – full of medieval streets and churches and the Place des Vosges
Central Marais – Rue des Rosiers is the Pletzl, or the heart of the Jewish district
Visitors to the Marais today will find some of the best restaurants in the city, along with some beautiful streets and great museums.
I have been giving tours of the Marais for over seven years and like Parisians and visitors alike, I love the district. Here are 5 great hotels in le Marais that are my top recommendations for visitors.
Amazing location in la Marais twenty seconds from the Rue des Rosiers for your obligatory falafel lunch. It’s got spacious and comfortable rooms, some with terraces, and friendly staff. An excellent choice for anyone looking for a 5-star hotel with a smaller and more personal experience.
It is hard to overstate how unique and interesting this hotel is. It is more expensive side and if you look at the photos you can see why. Named for one of France’s greatest writers, Marcel Proust, whose greatest work, In Search of Lost Time, is autographed on location. Just on the northern end of the Marais and a great location.
Named for Napoleon’s fiery wife Joséphine (check out the painting of her coronation in the Louvre on one of our tours), this hotel has a great look to it. With a fun take on imperial French opulence and situated in an old 17th-century convent its got character. It is also very handily located just beside the Saint-Paul metro stop, so it is in the center of the Marais. You can do much worse than this 4-star hotel.
As its name implies, this hotel is situated in an old presbytery, which gives it a fairly fun gothic interior. Some of the rooms have beautiful exposed wooden beams, including one with a somewhat hilarious flying buttress over the bed (watch your head). It is a few steps from the Pompidou Center, which means it is also very close to the Louvre and the lively Les Halles Neighborhood. Good value for money, and this would be one of my top places to stay when you are in the Marais.
This would be a great option for people who are looking for a more self-catering experience in the Marais. A really top apartment with modern but stylish decor. It is on the Rue des Archives, which is just a great location. A few minutes from the Rue des Rosiers and also right in the heart of the LGBT+ neighborhood. It is a really good option for couples or a family of three or four.
The Jewish history in the city of Paris stretches back to the days of the Roman Empire. In that period, the community was focused around the streets that would later on become known as Saint-Michel beside the Latin Quarter. Although it is not particularly clear exactly when, definitely parts of this community moved over onto the other bank of the Seine as it was built up from the 11th century AD. Despite going through periodic expulsions and repressions throughout the Middle Ages, notable in 1181 and in 1306, the Marais has been a predominantly Jewish neighborhood since the 19th century. While there are other large Jewish communities in other neighborhoods of the city, the Marais is the most prominent.
The Marais is home to three synagogues, with one of the most interesting architecturally being the Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue (sometimes called the Pavée, after the street it is in). It was built by Hector Guimard, the art nouveau artist responsible for all the funky metro station entrances you can see in Paris. Most of the bakeries, delis, Jewish bookshops, and restaurants are focused around the Rue des Rosiers. There, you can find L’as du Falafel, the most famous falafel joint in the city. Many of the traditionally Jewish restaurants are being bought up, however, as the Marais becomes more and more gentrified.
An important memorial on any visit to the Marais is the Shoah Memorial, located to the south of the Rue des Rosiers. This pays tribute to the over 76,000 Jewish people, including many from the Marais, deported from France and murdered during the Second World War. It is an affecting and important place to visit.
2. Conjure your inner D’Artagnan at the Place des Vosges
King Henry IV of France built the Place des Vosges (in his day, it was the Place Royale) in 1605. Suddenly, on constructing one of the most elegant squares in Europe, it became the height of fashion to live in the Marais, particularly on the Place des Vosges. Before it was built, the site was the Palais de Tournelles. One of Henry IV’s predecessors, Henry II, had taken a lance to the eye in a jousting competition in the grounds of the palace, and so distraught was his wife, Catherine de Medici, that she had it torn down. So, Henry IV had an empty tract of land to construct this wonderful square.
Finished by his son Louis XIII (the king in The Three Musketeers), it remains one of the most expensive and fashionable places to live in the city. Once home to the great Victor Hugo, you can still visit his house and museum. Nowadays, an airy and beautiful park where Parisians eat their lunch on a sunny day. Its alcoves house art galleries and restaurants, including the famed L’Ambroisie, which is the owner of three Michelin Stars. Visit Place des Vosges, it’s really one of the most beautiful squares in all of Europe.
The Marais is home to some great museums. The most important for contemporary art is just on the western edge of the Marais at the Pompidou Center. While its architecture might not be to everyone’s taste (I think it’s great), it is an impressive place to see. The inside-out building built in 1977, with its vents and brightly colored piping on the outside, has become an iconic building in modern art and architecture. A great visit for something wholly different to the Louvre museum.
Other museums include the recently restored Musée Carnavalet, housing the history of Paris. They have Robespierre’s briefcase and an amazing art nouveau jewelry shop designed by Mucha, and its free! How could you say no? Down the road from that, you will find the Picasso Museum and the National Archives, which are both set in stunning Hôtel Particuliers (noble mansions) and are both worth visiting.
There is a long list of smaller museums to explore in the neighborhood, including the museum of Jewish art and history and of course, the house of the great Victor Hugo. This is a neighborhood that rewards visits back to it, you are always going to find something new in the Marais!
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Apart from the major museums to visit and iconic squares, the Marais rewards time spent exploring its medieval streets. Head down the Rue des Barres, where you will find the church of Saint-Gervais, built half in the flamboyant Gothic style and half in the Baroque style it is famous for its organ music. If you can catch a mass or concert, it is very impressive. On the street leading to it you can find some great examples of collombage (timber-framed houses) on the Rue Francois Miron. They give you a hint as to what large parts of the city used to look like before the 19th century.
While the church of Saint Louis Saint Paul is hardly a hidden gem, inside, you can find something really curious. On one wall is revolutionary graffiti dating from the Communard rebellion of 1871. This church also was Victor Hugo’s parish church, and the end of Les Misérables is set here if you feel like getting in touch with your inner Jean Valjean, maybe leave the rendition of “Do You Hear the People Sing” until you get outside the church…
The Marais is famous for its aristocratic mansions and townhouses, with the Hôtel de Sens being one of the most impressive. Look closely, and you can find a small cannonball that is lodged in the wall from one of Paris’s many rebellions. 28 July 1830, the student rebellion which Victor Hugo was writing about in his great novel. It is an oddity and quite fun. Lots to see, but as always, a tour is your best option for getting the best of your visit to the Marais!
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Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Night Tour with Seine River Cruise
Sometimes the most amazing moments happen by chance. Other times, they are orchestrated by professionals. Our Eiffel tower tour cruises by the famed monument as it lights up and you drink champagne. After, you’ll have tickets to enter the tower and ascend to the 2nd level with an elevator.
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Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa
The Louvre is the largest art museum on Earth and the crowning jewel of Paris. It embodies the French vigor for life. Join a passionate English speaking guide for a tour of the most famous artwork. Skip the line admissions included.
The Marais is one of the most interesting and diverse neighborhoods for food in one of the world’s culinary capitals. Combining a legacy of traditional Jewish cuisine and modern French in an upmarket neighborhood. Not only will you be able to find Michelin-star restaurants, some of the most prestigious in the world, but also simple quality brasseries and delis. Below, I have listed some of my personal top recommendations for different budgets and different experiences. However, you can spend years in the Marais exploring the culinary delights of this most mixed of neighborhoods.
There are many culinary delights in the Marais from the simple to the exquisite. L’Ambroisie is quite a special place. Run by Chef Bernard Pacaud, it has maintained three Michelin Stars for thirty years. Located on the Place des Vosges in an old noble mansion, it couldn’t possess a more upmarket and prestigious location. Barack Obama was brought here by Francois Hollande for dinner a few years ago and it is clear that if you wanted to get a table you should book well in advance. Diners will be rewarded with one of the most consistently excellent restaurants in the world.
This place lies just around the corner from the Place des Vosges. It is a great option for those looking for a mid-range restaurant that offers French classics with great quality. If I can recommend anything, it is the Magret du Canard (duck breast), or the slow-roasted lamb. It is a small place, so come early or book ahead but it’s just a nice and homey experience that I cannot recommend more.
The Marais has many charming squares and parks to sit and enjoy your lunch, combined with some fabulous options for street food. With its many falafel joints and delis, this is one of the best things to do when in the Marais. The most famous falafel restaurant in the city is in the Marais, L’As du Falafel. Proudly “recommended by Lenny Kravitz”, it still (despite being on all the tourist guides) is a really good address. However, one of my favorite places is Sacha Finkelsztajn, which opened just after the Second World War on the site of an old Jewish bakery from 1851. It offers Yiddish specialties and simply awesome pastrami from a historical setting. Top!
Paris, in general, is a Mecca for wine lovers. Featuring some of the best wine bars in the world. If you are like me, however, and are looking for a simple and fun experience with some great wines, then look no further than Le Baron Rouge (The Red Baron). Situated just to the east of the Marais beside one of Paris’s great covered markets is this whole in-the-wall place. It serves Oysters on a Sunday and closes fairly early, but it is charming, unpretentious, and a great price. Friendly staff always with good recommendations and a buzzing atmosphere. You can also buy pitchers of great wine from their many barrels to take away. Brilliant place.
We all know that feeling; it’s 4 a.m. and all you want to do is listen to some smooth jazz in an underground cavern! Well, maybe not all of us have that feeling, but for those who do, this place is great. Open super late, but if you come in the evening, it’s a really nice little spot featuring some of the better jazz musicians in the city. Fun atmosphere and really a place you can go into and forget about the streets above, for music lovers, this is a great option.
Map Of The Marais, Paris
The Marais covers most of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris. It is bounded by the river to the south, Les Halles to the west, and Bastille to the east. The Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum are a very easy walk from the Marais. The neighborhood is served by Metro Lines 1, 3, 4, 7 and 11. It is also right beside Chatelet and Bastille, which are both major transport hubs for the city.
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Where To Stay in Paris
With a city as magnificent as Paris, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in Paris.
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