Neighbourhood Watch: The Fourth Arrondissement

In the last instalment of Neighbourhood Watch, we travelled through the third arrondissement – also known as the New Marais, the Haut Marais, or, in this household at least, the Big Gay Marais. That slightly less touristy, very LGBTQ+ friendly district is one of our favourites in the city, and as we head into its non-gender-specific-sibling, the fourth, we’ll find lots more of the same – a buzzy, vibrant nightlife, tonnes of art and culture, a younger, progressive vibe, and a multicultural milieu of people. The fourth, which also expands over part of the Île de la Cité and the teeny, cute Île Saint-Louis, tends to be more tourist-heavy, thanks to some heavy-hitters in the attractions department, but there’s gems to be found even within some of those guidebook standbys.

It's also the home of the largest Jewish community in the city, and in travelling terms, that translates to one crucial thing: you’re going to find some absolutely unreal street food here. The most perfect sort of day in the lower Marais goes something like this: you walk, and walk, and walk some more, along the Seine and through the Îles, and you contemplate buying some chickens, and you go see some art almost solely for the excuse of cadging a great view from the top of the Pompidou Centre, and then you get yourself an absolutely stacked falafel and you walk some more until you find yourself in a bar making a random assortment of new friends. At some point, you end up in a jazz cave at 2am.

Sound good? Let’s dive in. 

Main attractions of the 4th arrondissement:

• Notre Dame cathedral
• The Centre Pompidou
• The Hôtel de Ville
• Rue des Rosiers
• The Îles 

You’ll find it:

On the Right Bank of the River Seine, just east of the first arrondissement. It also continues into the middle of the Seine: the eastern half of the Île de la Cité and the entirety of the Île Saint-Louis are in the fourth arrondissement.

Olympic sports held here:

The marathon begins in the fourth at the Hôtel de Ville, which is going to be an incredible hub for Olympic fans throughout the Games. The mens’ marathon begins on August 10, and the womens’ on August 11, so on those days, you can realistically expect a fair amount of disruption and closed roads in the area. On other days, though, definitely head over to the Hôtel, where one of Paris’s biggest fanzones is being hosted.

Olympic fanzones in the neighbourhood:

Funny you should mention it! There are so many fanzones around Paris and beyond, but a few are particularly whopping enterprises, and the Games Terrace at the Hôtel de Ville is one of them. Here, you’ll find two big screens broadcasting each day’s major competitions live; six different have-a-go sports areas, including a rock-climbing wall; a performance stage, where you can catch musicians, dancers, cultural shows, and more; as well as additional entertainment and food and drinks options. It’ll be very, very buzzy and really good fun, and it’s free to enter, as are all the fanzones. It’ll be open every day throughout the Games, 10am to midnight, as well to and through the Paralympics.

• Hôtel de Ville (Metro: Hôtel de Ville, lines 1 and 11)
• Académie du Climat (Metro: Hôtel de Ville, lines 1 and 11, or Saint-Paul, line 1, or Pont Marie, line 7)
• Parc Rives de Seine (Metro: Pont Neuf, line 7, or Cité, line 4)

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So what's the vibe, anyway?

The Marais is, like, secondary-level Paris tourism. It’s not primary-level, which is first-timer queueing to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and potentially needing to call a hotline to help them deal with the fact that Paris is a bit stinky and weird. It’s Paris tourism for people who’ve read a few blogs and watched a few vlogs and listened to a few Yann Tiersen albums. (We’re not knocking Yann Tiersen, here. We would never knock Yann Tiersen.)

There’s plenty of tick-box sites here, most notably Notre Dame, which sits on the eastern end of the Île de la Cité and casts a pretty imposing, quite remarkable shadow. She’s still looking a little bit well-loved after her run-in with a fire a few years ago, but even with some scaffolding and ongoing reparation work underway, she’s so worth a visit. For now, you can still only take in the sights from the outside – do the full loop, because each part of the Cathedral has something different and interesting going on, including gargoyles. While you’re there, keep your eyes on the ground in front of the cathedral for a small inlaid bronze denoting Point Zero – the exact centre of Paris. Supposedly, if you spin on one foot atop the marker while making a wish, it’ll come true. Maybe this should be a necessary stop for competitors during the Olympics?

While you’re on the Île de la Cité, take yourself for a little walk, because it’s such a sweet, special spot that you probably owe it to yourself to just soak it up with a mooch. If you need an end destination, though, one of the more unsung, but picture perfect, stops on your itinerary should be the marché aux fleurs – the flower market, which is open daily just outside the Cité metro station. It opens at 9.30 a.m. every day and feels like stepping back into the Belle Epoque, thanks in no small part to the glass and steel market pavilions that date back to the 1800s. Pick up an armload of eucalyptus wrapped in brown paper for your hotel room (a really easy way to feel like you’re that girl) or a little lemon tree to take home with you.

Until 2021, Sundays here used to play host to a bird market; as you stepped up out of the metro, you’d be met with the mixed songs of thousands of caged birds, from amongst which you could also take home, say, a goldfish in a baggie or a forlorn-looking rabbit. It’s probably for the best that the city called time on this tradition a few years ago, but those of us who lived in Paris during the market’s heyday will always hear faint birdsong on the Île.

Next on your tour through the Île, head down the Rue de la Colombe for a glimpse of some of Paris’s oldest buildings – here, you’ll find houses built in the 13^th century and drenched in local lore, as well as rare remnants of the Roman city of Lutetia, around which the street’s buildings have been crafted. At some point on your wanders, you’ll probably pass Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole on the rue Chanoinesse. It’s probably one of the most Instagrammable little restaurants in the city, and is tucked within a wisteria-drenched 16^th-century building – but you’ll find better food elsewhere. It’s cute, and we’ll never judge if you want to get a drink so you can sit out front and get a few photos, but with all the food options of the Marais on your doorstep, save your money and your hunger for something better.

The Île de la Cité is calm, reasonably quiet, and full of historical buildings – and the little Île Saint-Louis, is, too, but it’s so worth wandering over. You can cross over from the back end of Notre Dame, which will take you to the Square Bayre, a small public garden on the tip of Saint-Louis. Then, head to the main street on the island, the rue Saint-Louis en l’Île, where you’ll find plenty of little boutiques and restaurants, as well as the original shopfront of the ice cream maker Berthillon. There’s nearly always a queue here on a summer day, but it’s well worth the wait – their ice creams and sorbets are made with fresh, natural ingredients and really are gorgeous. Get a scoop of rhubarb sorbet and you’ll be well fuelled for the rest of your walk.

Once you’re ready for a bit more buzz after the village vibes of the Îles, cross back over to the mainland and take your pick of a variety of museums – the Maison Européene de la Photographie, just north of Pont Marie metro on the Seine, is great if you’re into photography, and the Centre Pompidou further north is a bit of a must, even if you’re not that into art, because it has such a great view of the city from its top floor. Ride the escalator up, take it all in, and then commit to a bit of contemporary art. The Pompidou Centre has some of the Weimar Republic’s best pieces on show, including some impeccable Otto Dix pieces, and also – if you can stomach it – Gloria Friedmann’s Bonjour Tristesse, a deconstructed, skinned horse replete with wires and circuits. There’s a metaphor there in amongst the shock factor (and you’ll be delighted to hear that the skin was sourced ethically, so no horses died in the making of the artwork).

Then, wander down the predominantly Jewish rue des Rosiers to find lunch, as well as a selection of interesting boutiques, a segment of the oldest wall in Paris, and a memorial to the children who lost their lives in the Holocaust, before heading to the Place de Vosges to picnic in one of Paris’s prettiest parks. It’s surrounded by 17^th-century red-bricked mansions, one of which used to be inhabited by the author Victor Hugo. You can wander around it for free, and even if you’re not an ardent fan of Les Miserables, it’s fascinating to see the interior of one of these beautiful buildings.

If shopping is a key part of travel for you, you can’t go wrong with either the Old or New Marais. We love trawling through the vintage offerings here – Alternatives on the rue de Roi de Sicile is a tried-and-true spot for picking up a discarded designer find, and Palace Callas is much the same but with a particular focus on 90s and noughties high-end pieces. It’s basically a Sex and the City fan’s wet dream, and if you’re ever going to get your hands on a Dior saddle bag, this is probably how you’ll do it. Kilo Shop Kawaii on rue de la Verrerie also offers you the chance to dig out some gems and buy them by weight, not by item, so if you're happy to hunt out your treasures, you can do exceptionally well here.

Finally, just as in the New Marais, you'll be able to finish your day in the Old Marais with a stonking great big night out. There are plenty of friendly, vibrant gay bars here, too, and that progressive feel continues on apace – just follow the crowds and pick your vibe to craft your perfect evening. Our primary recommendation, though? If you're not in the mood for, like, a dance floor at a club, end your night in the jazz cave at 38 Riv', drinking cheap red and feeling like you're in a Woody Allen movie, if Woody Allen was a bit less naff and a bit more cool and French. 

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Where to stay:

• Paris apartments don't come much more spacious than this two-bed, which has gorgeous wooden floors, open-plan, pretty living spaces, and – best of all – views over the quays so you can eat croissants in bed and soak up the best of the peaceful bit of the Marais. It's available throughout the equestrian disciplines at the Games for around £500 per night – split across two couples, or four friends, it's a really great, relatively inexpensive option in the heart of the city.
• Want something even more friendly on the wallet? You can fit six people in this apartment, which has a double bed, two single beds, and a sofa bed that'll sleep two, and that's just £330 per night during the Games. It's also got a nice big dining table for those post-competition debriefs over a few carafes of wine. 
• If there's just two of you and you'd like to live in luxury while also getting the best of the Marais, this gorgeous one-bedroom apartment just by the Hôtel de Ville couldn't be much better. It's so well-located for making the most of the fan hub at the Hôtel, and it's available throughout the equestrian dates from £359 per night – we just wish there was a slightly more expansive kitchen for the price. 
• Another one-bed, this time at a very cheery price: for the entirety of the equestrian events (that's eleven nights!) it would run you just £2,298. It's a simple studio with basic kitchen facilities but it's cute, clean, and so well-located – you're in the midst of all the action without it being loud at night, which is a rare find. Per night, it works out to £230-ish for two people. 

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Where to eat:

• There are few better places in Paris for a walk than the Île Saint-Louis, and few better things to do aftersaid walk than stop for a great meal. Le Saint-Regis, on the west side of the island, is the perfect spot to refuel. It looks and feels like classic Paris, and the menu is straightforward, good French fare. Start with the French onion soup, get the duck confit – always our recommendation at any decent French restaurant – and finish up with a Tropezienne, and then roll back to your hotel, happy and full.
• If you’re on the Îles earlier in the day and just need a bit of a pick-me-up, Noir is Saint-Louis’s best coffee shop and well-located on the western end of the rue Saint-Louis en l’Île. If you drink in, try to grab a seat down in the stone-lined cellar, which you get to via a slightly terrifying set of spiral stairs – or grab and go, which you actually really can ‘get away with’ in Paris, despite what guidebooks might try to tell you.
• The Rue des Rosiers is at the centre of the Marais’s Jewish community, known as the Pletzl, and it’s an absolute must-do in the Marais. Here, you’ll find a number of falafel spots – most of them just holes in the wall with queues of people waiting for their stuffed pitta – and the king of them all is l’As du Fallafel. There’ll be a throng of people waiting but the lines always move fast here. Spend €9 on the falafel special with extra harissa – it’s a pitta packed with tahini, aubergine, crispy, fluffy fists of falafel, and pickled red onions and cucumbers. You’ll dream about it for weeks thereafter.
• Michelin-starred meals come at a reasonable price tag if you head to Capitaine, on the Impasse de Guéménée, for lunch. You can get fixed-price menus there for a scant €29, which covers an appetiser, a main course, and a dessert or cheese course. The menu is the best of French food, with gorgeous Middle-Eastern touches.
• The Jewish bakery Sacha Finkelsztajn, with its distinctive sunflower-yellow shopfront, is a staple of the fourth and can be found on the rue des Rosiers. Pop in to get Bulgarian boreks, fat pastry parcels stuffed with ewe's cheese, and challah bread and freshly-baked bagels by the boatload. 
• Babka Zana is a sweet little canteen-style bistro near the Place des Vosges, is an unmissable spot for challah brioche sandwiches, but we love it best as a breakfast stop: get the granola, which is sprinkled over whipped labneh with dates, nuts, dark chocolate flakes, and figs. Get a babka roll to take away with you, if you can – they're so good that they tend to sell out pretty quickly.