Le Marais

Covering part of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris and bordered by Rue Beaubourg, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Rue de Bretagne, and the banks of the Seine, the Marais district was, in the 12th century, a marshy area home to religious institutions. In the 17th century, Place des Vosges was built and the Marais became the residential district of the nobility, with its grand private mansions. After the French Revolution, the neighborhood filled with artisan and worker workshops. Today, it's one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Paris, both historic (with museums such as the Musée Picasso, the house of Victor Hugo, and the Jewish quarter known as Le Pletzl) and creative (France's largest gay district, fashion designer boutiques, clubs).

Highlights

The Centre Pompidou

On the border between the Les Halles neighborhood and the Marais, the Centre Pompidou impresses with its glass-and-metal architecture and its famous façade of colorful pipes. On its forecourt, you can catch a show by the caricaturists and street artists who perform there. This modern art museum, commissioned by President Georges Pompidou, houses works by Miró and Warhol and offers a magnificent view over Paris from its top floor. Don't miss the statues by Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely, set beside the Stravinsky fountain on the side of the museum.

Place des Vosges

Place des Vosges, built during the reign of Henri IV, is ringed by 36 colorful pavilions whose arcades house cafés, art galleries, the home of Victor Hugo — where the author lived for 16 years and which offers a stunning view over the square — and the Hôtel de Sully, a private mansion that hosts the Jeu de Paume photography exhibition space.

Musée Carnavalet

A visit to the Marais is also a great opportunity to discover the history of the city of Paris at the Musée Carnavalet, located on Rue de Sévigné. Sculptures, paintings, and furniture bear witness to Parisian life from its origins to the present day, from the Middle Ages through the French Revolution and on to the Roaring Twenties.

Nearby

Carnavalet Museum The Carnavalet Museum tells the story of Paris from its origins to the present day,... 2 min à pied

Picasso Museum Housed in the Hôtel Salé, a 17th-century mansion in the heart of the Marais, the... 3 min à pied

Nuit Blanche Nuit Blanche is a free, public arts event. This all-night celebration draws millions of... 7 min à pied

Centre Pompidou Located in the Beaubourg neighborhood, between the Les Halles and Marais districts, the... 8 min à pied