Beaubourg is considered part of Le Marais, but is not quite Le Marais. It is the petrol factory-like Georges Pompidou Center that separates the popular but garish district of Les Halles and the Chic-issimo Marais.
Heading east across rue Saint Martin, the Plaza Beaubourg and rue du Renard will bring you to a different world. Just past the Pompidou Centre you enter “gayland.” Rue Saint Croix de Bretonnerie is the safest place on earth for single women – even those who resemble Claudia Schiffer. Explore the narrow streets with charming little houses, elegant people and an informal atmosphere, and you will feel like you’re in a village.
West of the Georges Pompidou Center you are connected with BIG city life, and the thousands of suburbanites who travel through the enormous, crowded Chatelet-Les Halles metro station. Safety is not an issue in central Paris, but you should still keep an eye on your wallet and bags at all times, just as you would anywhere else. When in Paris you must visit the Georges Pompidou Center, modern art museum. During his time in power, President Pompidou left Parisians with a number of unfortunate souvenirs including the motorways by the side of the Seine and that blight on the skyline, the Montparnasse Tower. But he did leave one of the best cultural tools we have, which is now the most visited monument in the city. If modern art is not your cup of tea, you will still want to buy a ticket and have a drink at the top in The Georges Bar with a terrace that overlooks the rooftops of Paris – definitely one of the best views in the city. The southeast section of Le Marais close to the Hotel de Ville is often packed with tourists. We recommend that you plan your visit during off hours to avoid lining up at restaurants and the many exhibitions at the Pompidou Center. The museum is closed on Tuesdays but open every day until 10 p.m. Treat yourself to an evening visit when you can enjoy the sunset over Paris and the view of Notre Dame. The area around the Georges Pompidou Center is also full of many cultural choices The St. Merry Church built in the 15th century is a beautiful example of gothic style, and offers free classical music concerts every Saturday evening at 8 p.m. The musicians are often amateurs, but these young talents have never disappointed us. We encourage you to spend an evening enjoying Mozart, Bach or Handel masterpieces – well worth a tip of a few euros after the show.
When dining after the concert, you may have a difficult time choosing from the many restaurants you’ll find in the narrow streets nearby. Take a look through our restaurant guide to help you decide – but you’re sure to find great value at Le Pavé, La Table des Gourmets, and Spanish tapas bar Les Piétons, all located on rue des Lombards.
If you’re lucky, you could book a room at the Hotel St. Merry (see our hotel pages for details). This building is pure neo-gothic style – you’ll sleep under the arches of the church in what was formerly the presbytery. If you love all things medieval, you’ll also find in our Apartment pages a number of flats for rent in this style – guaranteed to be ghost-free!
And speaking of gothic style and dungeons … you can shop for goth-themed stuff when strolling down rue Quincampoix, Paris’ oldest street. Remember, you’re in Paris, city of fantasy and freedom….
Prefer to stay somewhere more modern? You may want to consider the 4 star Hotel Duo (see our hotel pages for details). Located on rue du Temple, this lovely designer hotel even has air conditioning – a rarity in Paris worth mentioning.
The favorite department store of Le Marais is BHV or Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville, located on rue de Rivoli between rue du Temple and rue des Archives. The store was established more than 100 years ago and is now part of the Galeries Lafayette Group. It is best known for its basement, an absolute paradise for decorators and do-it-yourselfers. If you’ve purchased your own Paris pied-à-terre, this is the place to go! If you’re just visiting, go to the rooftop terrace for the best view of City Hall.
If you can put together a group of ten people, you can arrange for a visit to the magnificent Renaissance City Hall and visit the enormous ballroom. This room is comparable to Versailles’ Galerie des glaces (Hall of Mirrors), even if its heavy 19th century style is closer in design to Opera Garnier than the palace of Versailles. You may even have a chance to enter the congress room, Le conseil de Paris, where local politics are voted on. Apparently most Parisians are satisfied with the alliance of the Green Party and the Socialists, and are especially pleased with the work done in the environment and solving traffic issues.
In July and August, no trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to Paris-Plage – Paris Beach – in the south of the Marais. Cars are banned from the roads on the banks of the Seine, and motorways are replaced by sandy beaches and palm trees for an entire month – unbelievable! A hit with Parisians and tourists alike, this is just one more reason to discover Paris in August, a great time to get the best deals for hotel rooms and apartment rentals.
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