The Templars: Once an area of marshland, in the 13th century the Knights of the Templars drained and cultivated the Marias, constructing a huge fortified Temple outside the Parisienne city wall.

The Templars became powerful and rich, so, the well named Philip the Fair (above) had the 56 members of the Paris Order of the Temple tried and convicted on trumped up charges ranging from blasphemy, sacrilege and even sodomy, to ensure that the order was destroyed. Whilst doing so, he acquired most of the Order’s wealth and property. All that was left was the Temple building in the Marais. It was used as a prison, and during the Revolution in 1792 Louis XVI and his family were imprisoned there. The King was taken to the guillotine from there the next year. However, Napoleon, fearing that this Temple building might become a Royalist shrine, began its destruction in 1808. Rue de Temple and Rue Vieille du Temple (Old Temple Road) bear witness to this history.

Old Aristocratic Quarter of Paris: The construction of the Place de Vosges at the beginning of the 16th century became a prototype for residential squares yet to be built in the great European cities. The Place de Vosges created a fashionable polularity for the area and produced the elegant architecture that gives Le Marias its distinct character today. Steeped in history, French royalty lived and died here. King Charles VI (Charles the Mad) assassinated his brother the Duke of Orléans for sleeping with his brother’s wife. Cardinal Richelieu, Victor Hugo, and a fleet of women who slept with French kings all resided in these narrow streets. This made the Marias essentially the Aristocratic Quarter of Paris. They leave their mark with a fabulous collection of grand houses, many of which are now museums.

Rue Rambuteau: Paris suffered, like all the large cities around the middle of the 19th Century, from the absence of a coherent pattern of urban roads. The Prefects of the Seine, including Rambuteau (1833-48), were appointed directly by the King. They began the work of opening some of the narrow alleyways of Medieval Paris, and 175 streets were created between 1815 and 1853. The most important of these was rue Rambuteau in 1838, as it was the first to be cut into the densely interwoven Medieval city center.

Les Miserables: The climax of this novel takes place near the ill-fated barricade in Rue de la Chanvrerie. Victor Hugo, because he lived in the Marias at Place de Vosges (where his house and museum is) meant he experienced the revolution first hand. In the book he describes the precise location of the climax which is between Les Halles and the rue Saint-Denis. However, reconstruction during the 19th century obliterated the original maze of tiny alleyways. Today, what was once the Rue de la Chanvrerie is Rue Rambuteau.

The site of the barricade in 1907, after the rue de la Chanvrerie was destroyed and replaced by rue Rambuteau.

It is impossible to show you everything about this amazing area of Paris, Le Marais. We have chosen a few of our favorite things that are close to our luxury rental apartment. If you are interested in shopping look here. For eating and drinking here. For museums and art here. For history of the area here. Other attractions you can stroll to from the flat, including Notra Dame:
Within 15 minutes walk