Steeped in history, the Marais is the most evocative quarter of Paris with its homogeneous architecture of brick town houses, narrow passageways and medieval streets.

In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, it was the centre of elegance and festivities, attracting nobility and high society in general. They built splendid golden-stone mansions between courtyard and garden, externally discreet, but lavishly decorated inside.

Much damaged during the French Revolution, the Marais has been restored to its former grandeur in the recent years after an extensive renovation plan.

At the centre of it all lies the oldest monumental place in Paris, Place des Vosges, which is easily our favorite. The perfectly arranged park of linden trees and lawns is surrounded by thirty-six impressive Renaissance town houses, a harmonious masterpiece of red bricks and stone arcades. Officially opened in 1612 as Place Royale, it was constructed under the orders of King Henri IV, who died before he saw it completed. Victor Hugo once lived here at number 6, which has become a museum dedicated to his life and work. Other famous people had also taken residence here: Madame de Sévigné, Bossuet, Cardinal Richelieu and Alphonse Daudet, to name just a few.

You should also visit some of the Marais private mansions, which have become interesting museums:

Hotel Salé (Picasso Museum) Built in 1656 for salt-tax farmer Aubert of Fontenay, it now houses the Picasso Museum, an exceptional collection of the artist's works: 203 paintings, 158 sculptures, as well as ceramics, drawings, sketches, etc...

Hotel Carnavalet (Museum of the History of Paris) This 17th century dwelling features, in combination with Hotel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau, collections from Paris origins to these days with a particularly wide section on the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era.

Hotel de Soubise (Historical Museum of France) Home to the Rohan-Soubise family until the downfall of the Old Regime, it is now occupied by the Historical Museum of France with important documents from the 7th to the 20th century. The apartments are magnificent.

Hotel de Donon (Conacq-Jay Museun) Built in 1575, it displays an exceptional collection of 18th century art: paintings, porcelains, and original furniture.

Hotel de Guénégaud (Museum of Hunting and Nature) Mansart designed this marvelous mansion in 1650 with an ornate stairways and a typical small French garden. Inside are weapons from all eras, as well as trophies of exotic animals and paintings by famous artists, such as Rubens and Brueghel.

Hotel Libéral Bruant (Bricard Museum) This unusual museum presents keys, locks and door knockers that highlight the work of past crafstmen.

Hotel de Sens Dating from 1507, it is one of the two remaining medieval mansions in Paris, the other one being the Cluny Museum in the Latin Quarter. It bears witness to the intrigues of the Catholic League during the Religious Wars and the amorous passions of Queen Margot.

Hotel de Sully Parisian home to the Duke of Sully, this 1625 classical dwelling features a remarkable Louis XIII courtyard with direct access to Place des Vosges. It is presently inhabited by the National Society of Historical Monuments.

Hotel de Rohan Built in 1705 for the archbishop of Strasbourg, it boasts a beautiful wall sculpture called "Chevaux du Soleil" in its right courtyard.

But even all these historical mansions will not let you escape from the fact that the Marais is nowadays a young and lively area of Paris with schools and playgrounds, where it is a pleasure to browse in art galleries and boutiques.

Do not miss the church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis, built by the Jesuits at the beginning of the 17th century, the Village Saint-Paul with its courtyards surrounded by antiques shops, the remains of King Philippe Auguste's wall constructed between 1180 and 1210, the picturesque rue des Rosiers, heart of the Jewish quarter, and the lovely Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine with its terrace cafés and restaurants.

At night, you will feel especially the magic of the Marais and the mystery of a bygone era.

Next to the Marais stands the Bastille area, which has a completely different mood and attracts night birds from all over Paris with its exotic restaurants, cafés, discos, wine bars and pubs, on rues de Charonne, de la Roquette, de Lappe, Saint-Sabin and Keller.

Start with Place de la Bastille, once the site of the infamous prison whose storming started the French Revolution and which has been totally destroyed. Now stands a column erected in the memory of Parisians killed during the July 1830 days, and the Opéra Bastille, a surprisingly modern structure inaugurated in 1989. From the Paris Arsenal marina you get a spectacular view on both of them.

Outside the area but within easy reach, you will find the eastern counterpart to Bois de Boulogne, the Parc de Vincennes. Formerly a royal forest, it now holds a zoo and the Floral Park of Paris, a wide valley surrounded by woods with a huge monumental lake at its centre. Especially worth a visit is the medieval Château de Vincennes, completed in 1396. The dungeon represents military art at its best.