Le Marais/Paris - The Historic, Trendy, Jewish, LGBT district
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
The Le Marais / Paris Tour is a cultural journey through one of the city’s most historic and vibrant districts, blending art, history, architecture, and cultural diversity.
Walk through narrow medieval streets and discover elegant "hôtels particuliers"— grand mansions once home to French nobility and royalty. Explore the iconic Place des Vosges, one of Europe’s most beautiful squares, where Victor Hugo lived and wrote "Notre-Dame de Paris".
Beyond the main landmarks, the tour reveals hidden courtyards, secret gardens, art galleries, and authentic corners of Le Marais. You will also explore the rich history of Paris’s Jewish community and the lively LGBTQ quarter.
Includes: French history, Jewish settlement history, and LGBTQ culture.
Please note: synagogues are NOT accessible, and the tour does NOT include shopping, food tastings, restaurants, or museum visits.
Ready to explore? Come and enjoy this vibrant neighborhood!
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Place des Vosges
You admire the unique in Europe ‘Place de Vosges’ former ‘Place Royale’, where French writer, Victor Hugo lived and wrote the romantic novel ’Notre-Dame de Paris’ and the modern art galleries around it.
Le Marais
You explore the beauty of French architecture of the aristocracy and royalty of France, waking in the narrow streets, along typical ‘Hotel Particuliers’- French urban ‘mansion’.
Options
Le Marais
Duration: 2 hours: Le Marais/ Paris tour is to discover the secrets of one of the most exciting old area of the city.
What‘s Included
Tour Guide
Snacks
Coffee and/or Tea
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
368 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
dense history of Le Marais
O5198IPmegand,Jun 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My time with Jill was wonderful. I felt I was walking around a neighborhood I would remember afterwards, and I did notice that we covered the district really thoroughly, sometimes crossing the same street but not repeating locations, so I could see how it fit together. It was good to hear the deep history of the quarter and see how that was expressed in the buildings and streets. Jill did her tour route but also got a sense of my interests and took me to some really special places that I would not have found on my own. It was delightful.
Excellent tour guide
lillis186,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My tour with Jill was excellent. She is so knowledgeable, patient, and engaging. The details she provided painted a story for us as we walked through Le Marais that let me really imagine the history and the people living there. She has a real talent for this. Plus a good dash of humor. I would recommend her to anyone.
Should have booked with a Jewish co
Linda K,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00I was disappointed . She told a few stories about some homes. It was a very hot day. I really wanted to see synagogues. It was at end of tour I didn’t feel well so I left. Hard for me to understand with her accent. Hard of hearing with the speaker. I wanted to see
Tour guide Jill, was a...
Wendy M,Jun 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Tour guide Jill, was a wonderfull teller of historical facts in the area. She took us back and forth time in and was a wealth of colourfully descriptive knowledge explaining different periods of time in Marais. Fascinating tour. Highly recommend.
Excellent
Aileen S,Jun 10, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00So educated and knowledgeable. Jill was fantastic. Could of spent all day with her just to hear history
Walking Thru French History in Le Marais
S7820NItoms,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were fortunate to be the only two on the tour, so we had Jill all to ourselves. We chose to focus on the ancient and Jewish history of Le Marais. Jill clearly had an extensive understanding of the region and was able to lay the key events that took place in Le Marais in order to create a historic narrative of the region. We learned that the Romans were building roads through "the swamp" as early as 50 BC! We visited the grand former homes of the aristocracy and learned about their fates during the French revolution. Jill explained the history of the thriving Jewish community in Le Marias, and how it was nearly destroyed by the NAZI invasion, with the collaboration of the Vichy French government. Overall the tour provided a nearly 2000 year-long slice of French history as seen from Le Marais.
Best Paris Guide 🥰
Jamie G,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jill was our guide for a tour through Le Marais when we first arrived in Paris. It was a perfect way to be introduced to Paris, and we loved it so much that we’ve signed up for more and more tours with Jill. A tour with Jill feels like spending a day with a friend who has lived in Paris for a long time — and she knows everything, and is happy to share her knowledge with you. Who wouldn’t feel lucky to have such a friend (and now I do consider Jill a friend ❤️)? Sign up for a tour with Jill, you’ll be so happy you did! (Posting a couple of photos from a tour in Auvers-sur-Oise, ask her about that one too, was wonderful if you love art and absolutely stunning small towns.)
Best Guide Ever!
Maps777418,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is our third consecutive year visiting our favorite city and third time we booked a tour with Jill. Walking the streets of Paris is magical and it is even better when you do so while learning all about it. Jill is brilliant. Whether you are interested in art, current events or history, geogrphy or the economy Jill’s knowledge is extensive and can explain how Paris fits into all of these areas. Jill is a wonderful guide but she went beyond the typical and we now consider Jill a dear friend. We will book a day with Jill every year as we return time and again this Paris. P.S. If you love art and Van Gogh in particular, book her all day in Auvers-Sur-Oise tour. It’s a beautiful and quaint town located on the river Oise outside the bustle of Paris. Jill will walk with you as you follow Vincent’s footsteps.
Uncover the medieval Marais
drkeller1234,May 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an enlightening and fun tour of Le Marais with Jill. It was a drizzly day so I lucked out and had Jill to myself. She has a wealth of knowledge of history that illuminated the medieval streets we walked. She brought me to a as yet undisclosed vetted garden which was a delight. I highly recommend Jill
Jill was extremely...
heidi c,May 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Jill was extremely knowledgeable about the history or Les Marais and Paris in general. We loved having her as our guide.
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