Paris’s oldest streets, its best falafel, and the one neighborhood where the shops open on Sunday. Here is the walk.
The short version
- Start at metro Saint-Paul and walk north. The whole neighborhood is flat and fits in a square kilometer.
- Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris, finished in 1612. Walk the arcades, then sit on the grass in the middle; it is allowed here.
- The Musée Carnavalet, the museum of the history of Paris, is free for the permanent collection, closed Mondays, at 23 rue de Sévigné.
- Rue des Rosiers is the old Jewish quarter. The falafel lines are long at lunch and move fast.
- The Marais is a tourist zone, so the shops open on Sunday. Sunday afternoon is the busiest time of the week here.
- The Marché des Enfants Rouges on rue de Bretagne, the oldest covered market in Paris, burned down on October 12, 2026. Until its stallholders reopen, eat on rue des Rosiers or rue de Bretagne.
The walk
From Saint-Paul, cut through the Village Saint-Paul courtyards to rue des Jardins-Saint-Paul and the stretch of Philippe Auguste’s wall from around 1200. Then up rue de Birague into the Place des Vosges through the King’s Pavilion. Victor Hugo lived at number 6.
Leave by the northwest corner for rue des Francs-Bourgeois, the main shopping street, and turn right on rue de Sévigné for the Carnavalet. It is free, so go in for half an hour even if museums aren’t the plan: the Revolution rooms and the Mucha jewelry shop are enough.
Back down to rue des Rosiers for lunch, then north on rue Vieille-du-Temple past the Hôtel de Soubise, and up to rue de Thorigny for the Musée Picasso if you want a second museum. Finish on rue de Bretagne, the food street of the upper Marais.
Or walk it with us: our private Marais food tour meets in front of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church on rue Saint-Antoine, two and a half hours, ten tastings and a full bistro lunch, every day.
Where to eat
Falafel on rue des Rosiers. There are three or four counters side by side; pick the one with the line, eat it in the Jardin des Rosiers behind the street, and you have lunch for under €15.
The Marché des Enfants Rouges at 39 rue de Bretagne, the oldest covered market in Paris and the best lunch in the Marais, was destroyed by fire on October 12, 2026. The city has said it will find temporary spots for the stallholders. Until they reopen, rue de Bretagne itself has the cafés and bakeries for lunch.
For dinner, the streets north of rue de Bretagne, toward the Haut-Marais, have the bistros where Parisians actually book. Book a day ahead for Friday or Saturday.
When to go
Weekday mornings for the squares and the architecture; the streets are quiet until 11:00. Sunday afternoon for the energy, when the Marais is the only neighborhood in central Paris with every shop open and it feels it.
Monday is the quiet day: the Carnavalet and the Picasso are both closed. Plan the Marais for Tuesday through Sunday.
Saturday is Shabbat on rue des Rosiers, and the Jewish bakeries and shops there close until evening. The falafel counters on the street mostly do too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the shops in the Marais open on Sunday?
Yes. The Marais is a designated tourist zone, so the boutiques, chains and galleries open on Sunday, most from late morning. It is the busiest afternoon of the week.
How long does the Marais take?
Half a day for the walk above with one museum. A full day if you do the Carnavalet and the Picasso, lunch at the market and the shops.
Is the Marais safe at night?
Yes. It is one of the busiest evening neighborhoods in Paris, with bars and restaurants open late around rue Vieille-du-Temple and rue des Archives. Watch your phone on the crowded Sunday streets, as anywhere in the center.
What is free in the Marais?
The Carnavalet’s permanent collection, the Place des Vosges, the Victor Hugo house’s permanent rooms, and the courtyards of the old mansions, which you can walk into when the gates are open.
Is there a tour of the Marais?
Yes, two. Our private Marais food tour is two and a half hours of tastings and a bistro lunch. Our half-day Paris walking tour runs a Marais route with a private guide, about three hours, start times from 9:00 to 18:00, through the medieval streets to the Place des Vosges.
Our Most Popular Day Trips From Paris
Explore the Marais through its flavors! Sample French delicacies while strolling historic Jewish quarters and chic boutiques.
Half a day on foot with a private guide, routed around what you want to see.
Louvre, Montmartre and Notre Dame in eight hours with a private driver-guide.
