Discover your neighborhood: Le Marais in Paris

Le Marais is one of the most beautiful places to live in Paris. Learn more about Le Marais’ infrastructure, culture, and rental prices!

Jale

5 minute read

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Updated on 12 Aug 2024

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Living

You’ll want to live in the Parisian neighborhood of Le Marais if you’re seeking a multicultural community and a historic neighborhood with a trendy touch.

Home to the biggest Jewish, Chinese, and LGBT communities in Paris, Le Marais is one of the most multicultural and inclusive neighborhoods. Besides its lovely people, it’s impossible not to admire how Le Marais is rich in art, architecture, and history. Its cobblestone streets are filled with trendy boutiques, local cafes, breathtaking galleries, museums, and historical buildings that date back to before the revolution.

Find out below what Le Marais offers in terms of leisure activities, dining options, amenities, connectivity by public transport, and rental prices.

Le Marais is in the heart of Paris and living here is exciting because it’s got a fantastic array of museums and galleries, restaurants, boutiques, courtyards, and night venues.

On any day of the week, there’s so much you can see and do in charming Le Marais. You can take in the beauty of the magnificent mansions, gaze into galleries, shop in trendy boutiques, smell the aroma from the local bakeries, or people watch from Place de Vosges, the oldest square in Paris.

With everything at your fingertips, living in Le Marais is fun and super convenient! Use the map below to locate every place we mention in this guide.

Art and entertainment in Le Marais

Le Marais is best known for its extensive collection of museums and galleries within its borders. For contemporary and modern art lovers, Pompidou Centre is the ultimate place. Then there’s Musée Picasso-Paris with the most extensive collection of Picasso's work, and Musée Cognacq-Jay with 18th-century French art pieces. Photography lovers will enjoy visiting Maison Européenne de la Photographie as they host exhibitions featuring artists from all over the world.

Where to shop in Le Marais

You’ll find the biggest department store in Paris in Le Marais: Le BHV Marais. Here, you can shop from a diversity of stores under one roof, from top fast fashion and designer brands to small home appliances and accessories. Some good alternatives to Le BHV Marais are the 2 most popular shopping streets: rue Francois Miron and Rue du Roi de Sicile. For more luxurious boutiques and high-end brands, check out Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and Rue Vieille du Temple, 2 intersecting shopping districts.

Le Marais is also a great place for second-hand furniture lovers. Check Espace Kiliwatch for chic and contemporary streetwear and the Lapin Boutique for high-end second-hand products.

For food shopping, visit Marché des Enfants Rouges, a 400-year-old covered food market. Whether you want to buy fresh produce or dine in at a stall, this is a great place to visit!

Eating out in Le Marais

And now let’s talk about the best part of Le Marais, its endless food options for every taste. Try:

• For a French brunch experience, Bar du Marché des Blancs Manteaux on Rue Vieille du Temple street.
• For a quick but tasty lunch, cafes at the Rue des Rosiers and the Rue des Écouffes streets ( L’As du Fallafel is a local favorite).
• For delicious vegan burgers and homemade desserts HANK.
• For the best seafood Sybaris and Les Pinces.
• For an unforgettable dining experience accompanied by the best selection of French wines, L’Aller Retour or Gaspard de la Nuit.

Bars and clubs in Le Marais

Whether you’re a jazz lover, a party animal, or someone who enjoys sipping a cocktail with friends, you’ll find one of the best nightlife in Paris in the Le Marais neighborhood.

Rue de Poitou street has the trendiest and liveliest venues. La Perle, Candelaria, and Le Progrès are the top bars in the area. Go to Candelaria for delicious cocktails, Sherry Butt for a generous selection of whiskey, and Le Mary Celeste for tasty wines accompanied by their famous oysters. Le Marais is also known for its gay bars on the Rue du Temple and the Rue des Archives streets.

From supermarkets and gym facilities to pharmacies and hospitals, Le Marais has everything you’ll need in your daily life within short distances.

The neighborhood has more than 5 fitness facilities like yoga and dance studios, a good number of hairdressers, parks and courtyards, pharmacies, and grocery stores like Carrefour, Franprix, and Monoprix_. You can also reach the closest hospital, _Hôtel Dieu Hospital, within 20 minutes by walking or 15 minutes by bus (N75) and metro (line 11).

One reason why living in Le Marais is popular is because commuting to and from this neighborhood is simple. The entire neighborhood is well connected with public transport.

The entire arrondissement is surrounded by 10 metro stops and several bus stops. You can easily reach:

• The north- metro lines 3, 5, and 9
• The south- metro lines 1 and 7
• The east- metro line 11
• The west- metro line 8
• The centre- bus 29, 75, and 96

Students living in Le Marais and studying at either of the top 2 Paris universities can easily reach their campus within 20-minutes by public transport.

• Take metro line 4 from Étienne Marcel for University PSL
• Take bus N38 from Grenier Saint-Lazare for Sorbonne University

Need the airport? The best way to get from Le Marais to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is via train, which takes 38 minutes and costs €9. Alternatively, you can take the bus for a cheaper (€6) but longer route (1 hour and 20 minutes).

Le Marais is also very well connected to the other arrondissements of Paris. On the left bank of the Seine River is the Latin Quarter, 10 minutes away with metro line 4 and bus 38. This lively and vibrant area is the perfect neighborhood for students and young professionals.

On the east is the 11th arrondissement called Popincourt, 10 minutes away with metro lines 11 and 9 or bus 69. This neighborhood, mostly full of young working residents, is a dynamic residential area with popular restaurants and night venues.

Le Marais is a stunning, safe, and popular place to live in as it’s centrally located, well connected, and offers plenty of leisure, shopping, and dining options to its residents. Many of the buildings here are historic yet well-maintained, making it possible to live out your Parisian dreams as well.

But all this makes Le Marais one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Paris. For your reference, the average rental price in Paris is around €789 for a furnished private room and €1,101 for a furnished studio. If you choose to live in Le Marais, you’ll pay higher than the average since rental prices are higher in this neighborhood.

The cost of living in Paris is high and no matter which arrondissement you live in, you’ll spend most of your budget on rent.

Here’re some tips for housing in Le Marais:

1. If you’re on a tight budget, look for newer-built houses in the North of Le Marais as the South has more of the older, expensive buildings.
2. If you prefer quiet neighborhoods, pick the North, which lies in the 3rd arrondissement. The South of Le Marais is the livelier side with more amenities and entertainment options.

Overall, start to search for apartments in Paris at least 3 months in advance to find something that will please you and fit your budget. To do this from abroad, using an online rental platform that lets you book in advance is super helpful.

You can do a few things to smoothly move to your apartment in Le Marais.

First, if you can’t visit the neighborhood physically, use Google Maps__ to get a feeling of the community. Check the surroundings of the apartment you want to rent to see if it has everything you need.

Second, before signing a contract, make sure you’re familiar with the French rental market by learning your tenant rights. Understanding your rights can prevent you from being scammed or paying unnecessary costs because of a language barrier with your potential landlord.

Lastly, check Facebook groups to see if there’s an event you can join in the neighborhood. Getting to know your neighbors and mingling with the community is the best way to make new friends and create a sense of safety in a new city or neighborhood.

Once you find your place, don't forget to open a french bank account to set up automatic payments for your rent and utilities every month. This will make administrative tasks much easier!