About this experience
What is Marais hiding? You will see luxurious mansions, parks, and squares, and hear about the rise and fall of the Templar order, the amazing adventures of Marie Antoinette's necklace, and the unusual entertainments of the royal court. I will take you on paths unknown to tourists and tell you about the history of the district and its modern life.
What to Expect
Tracing History
Marais has seen the Templars and Catherine de' Medici, has witnessed the brilliant reign of Louis XIV and the French Revolution. Writers like Madame de Sévigné and Victor Hugo strolled its streets, heroes of Alexandre Dumas and Count Cagliostro resided here. You will visit all the iconic places: the town hall square of Paris, the Bové mansion, the Place des Vosges, the village of Saint-Paul, the Carnavalet, the church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis — and hear many amazing facts. We will talk about the secret amusements of the royal court of the musketeer era and the most scandalous criminal case that shook 17th-century Paris, about the real history of the storming of the Bastille and the famous prisoners of the royal prison.
Weaving through the labyrinth of picturesque streets and penetrating behind the scenes of the grand facades of mansions, we will bring to life events that forever changed the course of French history. I will tell you about the deliberations of a secret club whose members were the literary geniuses of the 19th century, and share a hilarious story about a clergyman of one of the French kings. You will learn what happened to Marie Antoinette's necklace and which predictions of Nostradamus turned out to be true.
Organizational Details
- Due to the abundance of spicy details, the tour is not suitable for children and teenagers
- I can take photos for free with a professional camera — please let me know in advance if you want to have snapshots as a memory of the walk
