During the mid-13th century, the King of Naples and Sicily, built his residence near the current n°7 rue de Sévigné. In 1361, King Charles V built the Hôtel Saint-Pol, a mansion where he resided during his reign as well as his son’s. Today’s Place des Vosges was teh 17th century Royal Square, and Le Marais became the French noble’s favorite place to stay.
This area is called Le Marais. It is also an old Jewish quarter. I've never been in to the little streets on my previous trips while I was in Paris. And the first time I visited there, I got so lost in the streets there. To be honest, After 3 months staying paris, I always take the same paths so I don't get lost in there.
Walking there feels like walking at Sohos of both London and Manhattan, which you can find lots of boutique, cafes and pubs. Great art works are everywhere over there. I can feel the city. How Parisians live there life in the City. I didn't see that many tourists in Le Marais, at least there aren't that many Chinese tourists there, which usually you see us everywhere. Also I had the best fallafel ever. (L'As Du Fallafel)
You can see the oldest private house of Paris on rue de Montmarency. There are lots of museums in these areas, such as Musee Picasso, Les Archives Nationales, Pompidou. You can also see Hotel de Ville and Notre Dame de Paris in the 3rd and 4th arrondissement.
I agree, I loved walking around the Marais. It was fun the first weekend on our walking tour, so a month later when my mom came to visit I made a point to bring her there. I wish I would've explored it more than I had. Each time I wandered those streets I saw a new shop or building that made me more excited to be in Paris. I can't wait to go back to Paris, and when I do this neighborhood will definitely be one of the top places on my list.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Le Marais is one of the best places to spend some time in during one's stay in Paris. The architecture as well as the rich history that is present in this district makes it an interesting place to explore. While one can certainly sense the antiquity of this neighborhood, it also has a sense of modernity to it with all the shops, restaurants and galleries. This is due to the rehabilitation project that took place after World Ward II which thanks to General de Gaulle's Culture Minister Andre Malraux made sure that the cultural landmarks in this neighborhood were protected. When I return to Paris, I need to visit some more of the museums in this district as well as dine at more restaurants! L'as du fallafel will without a doubt be first on the list of places to go to again!
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