Walking through the windy cobbled paths of the historic Marais district on the Right Bank, just east of Paris’ central Seine River, the Renaissance era comes to life through ancient architecture, cozy hidden passages, and a well-preserved Jewish heritage, best experienced through the traditional boulangeries, restaurants and artisanal shops. It’s hard to believe this beautiful quarter was once a swampland.
When you visit, be sure to arrive on an empty stomach as a gastronomic tour is a must. Start at the hard-to-miss La Boutique Jaune, also known as the Yellow Shop (yes, it’s literally canary yellow) on Marais’ main street, Rue des Rosiers. Get ready to be squeezed, squished, and then sumptuously satisfied in this tiny bakery that is infamously disproportionate to its wildly popular reputation.
Its irresistible treats, such as the melt-in-your mouth Viennese strudel and the classic chocolaty Sacher Torte, have been seducing many a sweet tooth since the 1930s when Polish immigrants Dora and Itzik Finkelsztajn first fired up its oven. Their granddaughter, Sacha, who inherited the booming family business rooted in Ashkenazi Jewish traditions, has run it for the last 15 years.
After the Yellow Shop, continue to brave the shove through this famous road where lines and lines of people can be seen waiting for hours on behalf of their growling stomachs, whether it be for falafels or Vatrouchka cherries. Once you have your food, head southeast about a half mile to the city’s oldest residential square called Place des Vosges (pictured above). Built in the 1600s at the request of frequent visitor King Henry IV, its a great spot to have an impromptu picnic while people-watching.
Walk up another appetite—you’ll need it soon enough—with a stroll back towards the Yellow Shop, then north on Rue Vielle du Temple, a popular street lined with high-quality designer clothing, such as Vanessa Bruno, A.P.C., Antik Batik, Surface to Air (very in vogue!) and Zadig et Voltaire. You also find a few shoe shops and vintage stores. Turn left on Rue des Quatre Fils and right on the hidden Rue Charlot, which boasts a cluster of chic boutiques and amazing cafes.
While on this street, swing by Fabien Breuvart’s Images et Portraits photo shop, a shrine to heritage and family through hundreds of framed and unframed photos, ranging from the classic to contemporary. As for who exactly are the people—such as children at play and a couple wandering along a coast—in the photos, Breuvart won’t say. “It’s a question of emotion,” he tells us about his work, which focuses on drawing out our feelings through powerful imagery.
Next cut through Breuvart’s store, which serves as a perfect passageway to the famous Marche des Enfants Rouges, the oldest food market in Paris. Built in 1615, countless stalls line the market teeming with intoxicating foods and delightfully pushy merchants who evidently take great pride in their craft.
Delicacies from around the world allow you to mix and match your meal, from enticing Italian olives and meats to creamy French camembert. Fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers also pave the way to comforting picnic tables in back, where you can enjoy your custom-made dish that, for a moment, renders restaurant cuisine obsolete. Or simply sit back and relax after a pleasant afternoon in Marais.
[Photography courtesy of Wikimedia. Image of the Yellow Shop courtesy of Dicktay2000]
Published on July 14, 2010
While there are many sites today dedicated to the pursuit of fashion and style, here at MRK Style we approach these subjects through a collector’s lens. Through exploring how people relate to Art, Family, Fashion, Food, Film and Travel—essentially life’s various, everyday obsessions—we reflect on how we all live with the things we love. 
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