The Jetpacker

It’s easy to overlook the Marais district on a visit to Paris.  There’s no major tourist draw.  There’s no clear identity.  It’s like the Marais is the middle child in a family of 7 — not noticed, but crying for attention.  So, what’s there to see in Le Marais?

Place de la Bastille

Remember reading about the infamous Bastille in high school?  Well, it doesn’t exist anymore.  The castle-slash-fortress-slash-prison was destroyed not long after the people of Paris raided it on July 14th, 1789, effectively inciting the French Revolution.  In its place stands the Colonne de Julliet, a 154-foot tall green column that commemorates the July Revolution of 1830.  The square is also home to Opéra Bastille.

Place des Vosges & Victor Hugo’s House

Paris’ oldest square is a quaint, comforting little place to take a break before checking out a free museum dedicated to one of Paris’ most famous authors.  Here’s another flashback to those dreaded high school tests — recall the name Victor Hugo?  He’s the guy who wrote “The Hunchback Of Notre Dame” and “Les Miserables” (only the French can make the word “miserable” sound sexy).

His former residence is at #6 and it still looks the same today as it did when he lived there.  The man knew who to write… but he really didn’t know how to design.  The carpets match the wall paper and the wall paper match the curtains.

Carnavalet Musuem

The Musee Carnavalet is essentially two giant mansions filled with artifacts and paintings that chronicle the history of Paris from its origins to today.  The best part?  It’s one of the few museums in Paris that’s free.  (Only the permanent exhibit.)

Archives Nationales

The French National Archives is one of the largest archives in the world, containing over 226 miles of documents, some dating back to the year 625.  If you can read French and you’re idea of fun is reading old papers, then knock yourself out.

Hotel de Ville

Again, another place called “hotel” that is in fact not a hotel.  This beautiful building is instead the City Hall of Paris.  Most of the building is off-limits to the public, but the information center has free exhibits about Paris in the lobby.

Rue des Rosiers

If you’re tired of French food and you just need to eat some matzah ball soup or potato latkes, rue des Rosiers is the place for you.  This street runs down the center of Paris’ old Jewish quarter and it still contains many Jewish restaurants and shops.

Musee Picasso

The Pablo Picasso Museum contains over 3,000 of his works (including scrapbooks, paintings, etc.) as well as paintings he collected from other artists.  Of all things, Picasso was obsessed with African masks, and his personal collection is also on display.

There are many other sights worthy of your attention in the 3rd and 4th arrondissement on the right bank, but those are the highlights.  It’s best to simply stroll through Le Marais, admire the architecture and get a feel for laid back Paris.