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The oldest planned square in Paris, and what many tourists as well as locals consider the heart of the Marais area.
The Place des Vosges, originally the Place Royale, is the oldest planned square in Paris, just before the Place Dauphine. It is located in the Marais district, and it straddles the dividing-line between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. It is an enclosed square, accessible via a main street on one of its four sides and two streets running beneath pavilions. It was a fashionable and expensive square to live in during the 17th and 18th centuries, and one of the main reasons for the chic nature of the Marais among the Parisian nobility. Along with the Place des Victoires, the Place Dauphine, the Place Vendôme and the Place de la Concorde, it is one of the five royal squares in Paris.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The house in which the famous French novelist Victor Hugo once lived.
Built in 1625, the Hotel de Sully is an interesting house with some sculptures in a beautiful courtyard. The house features special exhibitions, so check listings when in Paris.
Enter Bastille station through any entrance or on any train and then make your way to the Bobigny/Pablo Picasso-bound platform. All that's left of the fortress whose front steps used to lead up from place de la Bastille are some foundation stones which you can see while waiting for a north bound train on this metro platform. There are maps and explanations showing where the fortress used to be relative the place and surroundings (basically the location of the old front steps are now occupied by Café des Phares).
Gallery of photography. The MEP collection spans the history of international photography from the 1950s to the present.
The Jewish quarter, with many small delis and shops. Lively on most days except for Saturdays.