In the heart of Paris (3rd and 4th arrondissements), the Marais is one of those neighborhoods that look like no other. Its name « marais » litterally means « swamp », which it used to be until the XIIIth century, when the Seine banks were reinforced to keep the water out of the area. As from then, it started to grow into one of the most interesting quarters of the capital. It first became the neighborhood of choice of the nobility (and the royalty!) to settle, and of the tradespeople to do business. In the seventies, during the big sexual revolution, the Marais started to be the favorite area of the gay community of Paris, which it still is to this day. But the Marais is also a unique cosmopolitan place, where hipsters walk along fashion designers, Orthodow Jews and artists. It is a lively, highly colorful neighborhood, filled with small paved streets, centuries-old mansions, religious buildings, museums and shops to discover. In short, an unavoidable step in your trip to get to know the Paris of today, of yesterday … and of tomorrow.
While traveling as a family, it is not always easy to find activities that will please the little ones as well as the adults. It is true that Paris is packed with various museums, historical museums and possible walks that could well fill one's entire life (and a busy one, that is). But at the intensive pace of a week of tourism, you will often find that the little feet of children get tired along the many staircases of Montmartre, and that their attention starts to fail at some point in one of the Louvre rooms. Remember...
