After four days of alone time (punctuated by my day-brightening interactions with lost tourists), I finally spent today with a friend! A friend of mine from school has spent the past semester studying abroad in Paris and, luckily for me, she's hanging around for the summer! We met up for lunch in the Jardins du Luxembourg -- what a gorgeous place. (Molly and I spent time there last fall and absolutely loved it. It's not exactly a "secret" but it does feel somewhat isolated from all the hustle and bustle.) After lunch, we walked around the neighborhood, stopping by the Eglise de Saint-Etienne-du-Mont (where they filmed THE steps from Midnight in Paris) and the Institut du Monde Arabe. (They currently have THE Orient Express on display outside. I'll have to go back an check it out!)
We were headed for a photography museum, but wound up just wandering through Île Saint-Louis (where I took some of my photos yesterday) and back into Le Marais. Le Marais is one of "those" famous Parisian neighborhoods. Located within the third and fourth arrondissements, it has an incredibly rich history ... although not quite as rich as the people who now shop in its extremely expensive boutiques!
Although it's now home to posh boutiques and fancy scooters, the area's origins are pretty humble: it was originally a swampland on the outskirts of Paris. (The term marais means "marsh" in French.) The area first belonged to religious orders, who grew food in the fertile soil, but was eventually developed by nobles looking to expand. Le Marais first became truly chic in the 17th century, under the reign of Henry IV, who built a royal court in the center of the neighborhood.
Over the centuries, Le Marais has experienced several waves of decline and resurrection. Its "Pletzl" district was established as the Jewish Quarter in the late 19th century and although it was heavily affected during German Occupation in the 1940s, there are still streets bustling with kosher bakeries and falafel stands. In the 1960s, however, the area was in such bad condition that it was in danger of being entirely demolished! However, the city government decided to renovate and restore instead of tearing down. Now Le Marais is welcoming new populations, with a reputation as both an elite shopping/art gallery district AND as the home of Paris' gay community.
As you can see in the photos below, it also contains some of the only remaining medieval houses in Paris. The two in these paragraphs were only recently 'uncovered' -- their wooden beams had been plastered over centuries before!
As you can see in the photos below, it also contains some of the only remaining medieval houses in Paris. The two in these paragraphs were only recently 'uncovered' -- their wooden beams had been plastered over centuries before!
