A local’s guide to Le Marais, Paris; a historical neighborhood in the center of the city, filled with unique shops, beautiful streets and wonderful coffee shops!
Out of all the gorgeous neighborhoods Paris offers tourists and locals, like the famous Montmartre and the more secret village of the Quartier des Peupliers in the 13th arrondissement, Le Marais is a place you just can’t miss.
It is close to posh places like Rue de Rivoli, many great shopping streets, and more historical sites than you would suspect ever.
Since I worked on the edge of Le Marais for months and then lived really close to this super instagrammable area, I thought a full guide to activities and must-visit places would come in handy.
Le Marais, Paris: 11+ Amazing Things to Do and Places to See
Whoever is as in love with hidden gems as I am will definitely love this guide – in Le Marais neighborhood, you’ll find lots of secret gardens, for starters.
One of the cheapest breakfast places in Paris is also located there, just 5 minutes from the Hôtel de Ville station, in the midst of the beautiful Rue des Archives.
And did you know that the same street also houses a secret cloister? Well, it does.
Without further ado, discover here all the best things to do in Le Marais!
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Breakfast at Le Ju’, Rue des Archives
From spring to fall, I love having breakfast at Le Ju’ on Rue des Archives as they have everything I love: a spacious terrace, colorful umbrellas towering over said terrace, and various breakfast options from about 6 euros.
I usually order the English breakfast; a hot drink, a freshly-pressed orange juice, bread tartines with Nutella, butter and jam, and either a pain au chocolat or a croissant – all that for just 9 euros.
Read: The Best Free Things to Do in Paris
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Musée des Archives Nationales
Nestled inside the sophisticated Hôtel de Soubise, the Musée des Archives Nationales is one of the free museums I love visiting whenever I’m in the area.
The elegant interiors, carved, painted and colorful, are reason enough to visit.
This is one of the museums to visit if you’re interested in learning about French history; many artifacts, historical documents and even royal decrees are exhibited there.
Plus, before making your way to the grand salons, you’ll see that the stairs leading to the heart of the collection make for a beautiful place for pictures – as does the manicured garden at the entrance.
Read: Floral Paris: Pretty Places in Paris From Spring to Fall
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Secret Garden Behind the Musée des Archives Nationales
Just before you enter the Hôtel de Soubise, take a right through the gate and that will take you to one of the most secret gardens of Paris.
There are a few benches there, along with a couple of sculptures hidden here and there and great views on the surrounding historical buildings – very pretty, and a great place for a romantic date and a picnic.
Read: Fall in Paris: The Most Secret Places to Visit
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Le Griffon
Almost opposite the garden of the Musée des Archives Nationales is established a secret courtyard, and inside, Le Griffon, a coffee shop and restaurant whose beauty is one that blew me away when I first saw it.
Beyond Le Griffon, whose terrace is a great spot to hang out if you’re visiting Paris in the spring, the courtyard itself, with the Philippe Auguste Tower built as part of the city wall in the 12th century, is an interesting place to discover.
Read: 14 Best Cafes To Work in Paris & Study (Laptop Friendly!)
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Shopping in Rue des Francs-Bourgeois
The Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is one of the longest and prettiest streets in Paris; in my opinion, you can do all kinds of shopping there.
Want perfume?
Penhaligons, one of my already favorite perfume shops in London, has a shop there with all the newest scents and exclusivities.
Many beauty shops are also located on the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, along with lots of clothing stores like Zadig & Voltaire or Sandro.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookstores in Paris
There are also plenty of instagrammable cafes in the surroundings, like La Favorite closer to Saint-Paul station, along with some properly French coffee shops à la parisienne, perfect for a morning espresso.
Read: The Best Makeup Stores in Paris For Beauty Addicts
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Rue des Rosiers and the Jewish Quarter
The historic Jewish Quarter is one of the best hidden gems of Le Marais, and in this little village-like area, you’ll find a couple of gorgeous streets like Rue des Rosiers and Rue du Marché des Blancs Manteaux.
Street art covers many walls in these streets, which are otherwise dotted with small, independent shops – from Smith & Son, a beautiful bookstore, to L’As du Fallafel, one of my favorite restaurants in Paris, you’ll find oh-so-many must-visit places along those streets.
We’re also a stone’s throw away from one of the prettiest squares of Paris, Place des Vosges, where the fountain and historic buildings are all the more reason to pop by the area.
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Jardin Joseph Migneret, Off Rue des Rosiers
When you’re walking around the famous Rue des Rosiers, and if you’re one to enjoy the sight of secret gardens, you’ll find just off this street the Jardin Joseph Migneret.
This hidden garden offers views on historic buildings towering over it, with sculptures, patterned lawns and an overall soothing vibe.
Named after Joseph Migneret, a local school principal who helped save Jewish children during World War II, this small garden is one of the best hidden gems in Paris, tucked behind a very, very unassuming gate.
Read: The Best Free and Unique Things to Do in Rome
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Discover Aesthetic Streets
There are some overly aesthetic streets in Le Marais I urge you to walk around to catch a glimpse of historical sites, cute cafes and restaurants, and other independent boutiques.
We’ve already seen the Rue des Rosiers and the Rue du Marché des Blancs Manteaux, along with the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois with its plethora of stores.
On top of these, do visit the Rue des Archives, which you’ll walk if you choose to have breakfast at Le Ju’, as well as the famous Rue Vieille du Temple for more vintage shops, art galleries, cafes, and gorgeous buildings.
The Rue des Barres, the Rue du Trésor, the beautiful Rue du Roi de Sicile, along with the Rue de Bretagne, are other streets of Le Marais to tread absolutely to get blown away.
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Passage de l’Ancre
Located close to the Rue Saint-Martin, the Passage de l’Ancre is one of my favorite colorful alleys in Paris, one that feels very much secret, what with its shops lined with greenery.
We’re also close to the Rue de Turbigo, and this picturesque passage is one where almost no tourist can be found – almost no Parisian person, either.
Simply gorgeous, with the same kind of vibe I felt when visiting the Cour d’Alsace-Lorraine, all colorful and filled with workshops: a really instagrammable place where peace and quiet contrast the very colorful shopfronts!
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Bibliothèque Historique de Paris
Close to the Musée Cognacq-Jay I’ll talk about further down this guide, the Bibliothèque Historique de Paris is one place to visit that you don’t really know of unless you’ve passed by it before.
Located on Rue Pavée in a 17th century mansion, the Bibliothèque Historique de Paris is as beautiful out as it is inside: the cobblestone courtyard is, in my opinion, the first reason to visit.
Inside the library, which focuses on the history of Paris, you’ll be able to consult rare books and archives, see one of the free, temporary exhibitions, and enjoy sights of one of the most beautiful libraries of Paris.
Read: The Most Beautiful Bookshops in London
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Musée Carnavalet
Even if I lived for five years in Paris, and then some no earlier than this year, it’s only a few weeks ago that I first visited the Musée Carnavalet – and I fell utterly, deeply in love with this place.
Looking for a historical place?
A free museum?
A manicured, secret garden two steps away from the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois?
Opulent decor?
You’ve literally got it all there.
Housed in 16th-century mansions, the Musée Carnavalet is dedicated to the history of Paris, from prehistory in the basement to the French revolution, the Siècle des Lumières, the Belle Époque…
The grand staircase makes for a perfect photo spot, and for lovers of the past, the period rooms should tug at one heartstring of yours… or two.
Read: The Best Free and Secret Museums in London
Best Things to Do in Le Marais: Cloître des Billettes, Off Rue des Archives
Walking around Le Marais neighborhood, if you’re into history, you might quickly put two and two together, and notice glimpses of the medieval area.
One free place to visit, and one I urge you to visit, actually, as soon as you get the chance, is the Cloître des Billettes, right off the Rue des Archives.
We’re really close to that breakfast place I mentioned earlier, Le Ju’, and Les Marronniers, just next door, another spot where I often get a proper Parisian breakfast.
The Cloître des Billettes is the only remaining medieval cloister in Paris, originally built in the 14th century, and a place that often serves as an exhibition space, blending ultra-modernity with austere architecture.
The well-preserved gothic arches, the paved courtyard and the proximity of this secret cloister to some of the liveliest parts of Le Marais make it one of my favorite places in the area; one I try to spend time at whenever I’ve got some time on my hands.
Read: The Prettiest Palaces in Rome
Best Hidden Gems in Le Marais Paris: Musée Cognacq-Jay
Recently, as I was looking for new, free and kind of more secret museums than the Petit Palais (which I love, by the way – a neoclassical building located near the Champs-Elysées), I came across the Musée Cognacq-Jay.
Located just two streets away from the Musée Carnavalet, another must-visit museum to learn about the history of Paris, the Musée Cognacq-Jay revolves around the personal collection of Ernest Cognacq, founder of the La Samaritaine department store.
If you’re not acquainted with La Samaritaine, it’s one of the places to get high-end anything in Paris, from perfume to makeup, clothes and handbags – located on Rue de Rivoli, it’s accessible from Le Marais in about 5 to 10 minutes.
The Cognacq-Jay collection, filled with decorative arts, paintings, sculptures and period furniture, provides a glimpse into French nobility, all rolled into a stunning 16th-century townhouse complete with a secret courtyard worth a glance or two!
Le Marais, Paris: 11+ Amazing Things to Do and Places to See
There you have some of my favorite things to do in Le Marais; mostly beautiful and secret spots to visit at any time of the year.
I usually walk around the area a lot, allowing myself to get lost and come across other hidden gems – same thing I do whether I’m in Paris, Rome or London, to be fair.
Now, whether you’re looking for free museums, secret gardens, or places to absolutely blow your mind, you’ll hopefully have found what you need here!