The best of Le Marais in Paris

 
Situated on the Right Bank of the Seine, Le Marais stretches across the 3rd and 4th districts of Paris and is home to famous landmarks such as the Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum. A hive of history and culture, it also offers a cutting-edge dining scene, with many fine dining establishments dotted around the area. Our culture lover’s guide explores ten must-try restaurants in the ever-trendy Le Marais.


Luxury stay !
 
The term boutique hotel actually makes sense at the Hôtel du Petit Moulin (1) (29 rue de Poitou; 00 33 1 42 74 10 10; https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/du-petit-moulin.en-gb.html?aid=327561), since the reception, still with its painted ceiling, was once a baker, frequented by Victor Hugo. It’s now the frontispiece to a small hotel, brilliantly decorated by Christian Lacroix. With just 17 rooms, it is intimate, full of luscious fabrics and patterns. Double rooms from €194, not including breakfast.

We also love this beautiful Paris Loft for rent on airbnb or here at maraisloft.com

Luxury Shopping
 
 Suffering from IKEA fatigue? Don’t panic, there is furniture made outside Sweden. Spread over nearly 350 square metres, Fleux offers a plethora of decorative and colourful design pieces. Opened in 2005, Luc Moulin’s and Gaétan Aucher’s boutique focuses on two key concepts: the superfluous and the luxurious. So rather than practical flat pack, expect to find anything from ceramic owls to green deer heads and paper lanterns. But it’s not all impractical gewgaws – even if the keyword here is derision, many pieces also serve a purpose, such as bird hooks (€15.50 for two), lamps in old jars and hand-shaped bookends (€24.90).

Luxury dinner: Chez Julien


Overlooking the Seine and the Ile Saint Louis, and facing the Saint-Gervais church, Chez Julien is an idyllic place to stop and soak up the historical atmosphere of Le Marais. A former bakery, the restaurant has retained its original features including an ornate tiled ceiling and glass panels on the façade. Candles and candelabras are infinitely reflected in the huge mirrors of the ground floor. Guests can either dine al fresco with the magnificent views or in the privacy of the cosy upstairs quarters. The menu promises flavoursome food including whole lobster salad in a mango dressing or a rack of lamb accompanied by couscous with dried fruits and fresh herbs.

Chez Julien, 1 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, Paris, France, +33 1 42 78 31 64