Paris Marais Tour: 1600s Mansions & Place des Vosges

A resident of 20 years walks you through Paris's oldest neighborhood

You walk the Marais with a 20-year resident who points out 1600s mansions, Place des Vosges, galleries, and the Jewish Quarter's history and food shops. The route includes a bakery stop and covers the neighborhood's oldest streets without rushing. Free admission, wheelchair accessible, small groups.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Bois de Boulogne5m
2. Place des Vosges15m

Explore historic Marais district

• Meet at famous neighborhood bakery
• Visit Place des Vosges garden
• Walk along falafel and Jewish deli street

The experience

He stops in front of a wrought-iron gate, points to the carved stone above it, and tells you the year, 1623. That's Richard Nahem, who has lived in the Marais since 2005, and he's about to spend the next few hours showing you the neighborhood the way someone actually knows it. The Marais tour starts at a neighborhood bakery, and from there you move through streets that haven't changed much since the 1600s. Place des Vosges, built in 1605, sits at the heart of it: the first public square in Paris, and the one Nahem will walk you through slowly, pointing out the arcades, the symmetry, the way light falls on the gardens at different times of day.

The route takes you past private mansions with courtyards you'd never see from the street, through galleries and small museums that locals actually visit, and into the Jewish Quarter. You'll walk down the street famous for falafel: L'as di Falafel is there, and so are the delis and food shops that have been feeding the neighborhood for decades. Nahem stops here too, talks about the history, takes you to the Shoah Memorial and the synagogues. It's not a rushed thing. It's the pace of someone who knows the place and wants you to see what he sees. The tour includes a stop at an award-winning bakery for a pastry and coffee, though that's paid separately.

Boutiques line the streets: the kind of home and clothing shops that Paris is known for, the ones that don't advertise much because the people who need them already know where they are. Patisseries and chocolate shops appear as you walk, and Nahem mentions which ones matter and why. The whole thing is wheelchair accessible, and there's public transportation nearby if you need it. Small groups, no admission fee, just a few hours of someone who actually lives here taking you through the Marais at a human pace.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a guided walk through the Marais with Richard Nahem, who has lived in the neighborhood since 2005.
• You'll visit Place des Vosges, private mansions from the 1600s, galleries and small museums, the Jewish Quarter with its synagogues and Shoah Memorial, and the falafel street with L'as di Falafel and other food shops.
• A stop at an award-winning bakery is included, though pastry and coffee are paid separately.
• Free admission to the walking route, wheelchair accessible, suitable for all fitness levels.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30 and 14:30

Book up to12h before

AgesUp to age 90

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Eye Prefer Paris Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the Marais explained by someone who actually lives there rather than a script: Nahem's 20 years in the neighborhood is what makes the details real and the pace unhurried.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I bring children?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes the guided walk with Richard Nahem. A pastry and coffee at the bakery stop are not included in the price.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby.

What is L'as di Falafel?

It's a legendary falafel and Jewish deli on the street famous for falafel in the Marais's Jewish Quarter.

When does the tour start?

The meeting point is at a neighborhood bakery in the Marais. Contact the provider for specific start times.