Marais District and Jewish Quarter Exclusive Guided Walking Tour

Meeting point

Where

Meet your guide 10 minutes before the tour starts by metro exit Saint Paul (Line 1) outside of the exit of the metro station on the opposite side of the stairs next to Metro sign SAINT PAUL. By car: 125 Rue Saint-Antoine, 75004 Paris, France · Open in Google Maps

Departure

10:00, 13:30, 17:00 daily; scheduled through September 2027 (operator schedule, seats confirmed at checkout)

Pickup

No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point

Operator

Babylon Tours Paris; booking and payment are completed on Viator

1. 1
   Le Marais

   Start by understanding the historic importance of the Marais, which once laid beyond the center of Paris. Today, it is at the heart of the city. Discover the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Louis before walking through the courtyard of the majestic Hotel de Sully. Continue experiencing the royal history of the Marais by exploring the pristine Place des Vosges, a public square with unparalleled beauty in Paris. Afterwards, move forward in time to learn all about the bustling Jewish community that put the Marais on the map through the 18th and 19th centuries. Wander the bakeries and boutiques of the Pletzl before strolling the shop-laden rue des Francs Bourgeois. All the while you’ll discover mansion after mansion, former homes to the nobility that once called the Marais home. Some are now museums, like the highly worthwhile Musée Carnavalet. The tour may also introduce you to both the Hotel de Ville, or City Hall, and the Pompidou Center, both architectural masterpieces from very different periods.

   2h 30m
2. 2
   Eglise Saint-Paul Saint-Louis

   We will start our tour by visiting the 17th century St-Paul-St-Louis church, which was built by the Jesuits after a design inspired by that of the Gesù church in Rome.

   10 min
3. 3
   Cour et jardin de l'Hotel de Sully

   We will then pass by the Hotel de Sully, a building built between 1624 and 1630. Designed by architects Jean 1er Androuet du Cerceau and Yves Boiret in the Renaissance style with Baroque elements, the construction of the hotel fits in a larger movement of monumental building in this part of Paris.

   10 min
4. 4
   Place des Vosges

   Next we will make our way to Place de Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris. A stroll in the Marais without admiring Place des Vosges is like a walk on the Champs Elysees without seeing the Arc de Triomphe!

   10 min
5. 5
   Rue des Francs Bourgeois

   We will then walk along Rue des Francs Bourgeois, one of the longer and more interesting streets in the Marais district, known for being trendy with its numerous fashion boutiques.

   10 min
6. 6
   Musee Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris

   Following on, you will see the Hôtel Carnavalet, one of the rare examples of Renaissance architecture in Paris, along with the Louvre’s square courtyard. Along with the Hotel Carnavalet, you will discover the Musée Carnavalet, a museum which highlights the Paris’ past and reveals the city’s diverse personality.

   10 min · Admission not included
7. 7
   La Rue des Rosiers

   We will then walk along Rue des Rosières, a little street which lies at the center of the Jewish quarter.

   10 min
8. 8
   Jardin des Rosiers - Joseph-Migneret

   Next you will see the Jardin des Rosiers, a little garden tucked between hotels and hidden behind boutiques. This hidden place is named to honor Jospeh Migneret, a school principal who helped dozens of students by hiding them in his home during WW2 and who was eventually arrested and killed.

   10 min
9. 9
   Centre Pompidou

   Coming close to the end of your tour, you will make your way to the Centre Pompidou, the infamous contemporary museum known for its exterior that was designed in the style of high-tech architecture. The idea for this multicultural complex was to bring together different forms of art and literature in one place, as part of the ideas from France’s first Minister of Cultural Affairs.

   10 min · Admission not included
10. 10
    Hotel de Ville

    We will end our tour at Hôtel de Ville, the building housing the city’s local administration. It has been the headquarters of the municipality of Paris since 1357.

    10 min
11. 11
    Eglise Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais

    Just next to Hôtel de Ville, you will catch a glimpse of the Église Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais, the first example of the French baroque style in Paris. A parish church until 1975, it is now the headquarters of the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem.

    10 min

About this tour, from the operator