The Marais

A trendy neighbourhood on the Right Bank of the Seine, Le Marais is one of the few central areas of Paris to have been only minimally affected by the 19th-century transformations carried out by Baron Haussmann. The name "Marais" means "marsh" in French, but the neighbourhood does not owe its name to boggy ground — quite the contrary, its soil was very fertile and encouraged the development of agriculture. In the 12th century, religious orders including the Knights Templar settled here and began building up the neighbourhood.

Since 1962, thanks to the efforts of André Malraux, Le Marais has gradually revealed itself to the curious visitor. A fashionable aristocratic neighbourhood in the 17th century, this walk will allow you to identify architectural styles through a selection of hôtels particuliers — the private mansions of the Parisian aristocracy that remained in the area before the Sun King moved to Versailles in 1682.

We will stroll along the most elegant street in the neighbourhood, the rue des Francs-Bourgeois, to reach the harmonious Place des Vosges, the city's first royal square. Its construction began in 1612 under Henry IV and it was inaugurated to mark the engagement of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. The tour will conclude at the splendid Baroque church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, built by the Jesuits with the support of Louis XIII.

If you fancy a snack, don't miss the chance to try one of the best and most famous falafels in the city: L'As du Falafel, right here in Le Marais.