Locals’ Paris: Hot Spots of the Haut Marais

When you think of the Marais, big name boutiques and small historic streets come to mind. Not to mention the cultural appeal as the neighbourhood houses numerous museums within an old-world Parisian setting, untouched by Haussmann. This makes the Marais a haven for tourists and the only Paris quartier that buzzes with life on a Sunday. It’s also the arrondissement that attracted me as a student many years ago, and has kept me loyal to the rive droite.

The Marais, however, is much more than a chic outdoor shopping mall set amidst museums. Venture north of rue de Bretagne and there exists another world, one which only in the last six years has found its place on the map. From here to newly renovated Place de la Republique, you find Jacques Genin and Poilâne, some of Paris’s most coveted chocolate and bread, respectively, set amidst a sea of restaurants, bars and galleries, seemingly popping up overnight. Trendy is an understatement, as French celebrities and bobos mix with international expats, filling the terraces of local haunts like Café Charlot and Le Progrès.

Having lived in the North Marais for the last four years, I have witnessed the growth and resulting gentrification of what I often refer to as NoMa. The neighbourhood which was once filled with traditional bistros and fashion fournisseurs (“suppliers”) has recently become one of the most evolving ‘hot spots’ in Paris.

0fr. boutique and gallery, located at 20 Rue Dupetit-Thouars, along with nearby Café Crème, were the first to open in a still non-descript neighborhood, known only to its budget-seeking locals. Little by little, independent boutiques and lesser-known galleries started to appear, their owners taking advantage of affordable rents coupled with a central location.

By 2011 the Haute Marais was just that, haute. Cocktail bars made their way into the neighborhood, beginning with Mexican-themed Candelaria, drawing on the fashion-forward crowd and redefining the 3eme as Paris’s new hot spot. Little Red Door and Le Mary Celeste soon followed suit.

Trendy dining options have also found their home in the North Marais. Traditional French bistros like Le Bougnat now seem out of place in this bobo enclave, as diners head to à la mode restaurants L’aller Retour and Pramil. These days, Italian trattorias and Asian eateries are neighboring stylish lunch spots like Café Pinson, Loustic and Jolideli, attracting a young, hip and often international crowd. The Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris’s oldest covered market, discreetly lies in the heart of the North Marais, offering a selection of foreign tastes within a historic setting.

What certainly keeps the North Marais buzzing is the coffee. Café aficionados who live in Paris know a good cup of coffee is hard to find. Café-cum-boutique The Broken Arm opened in 2012 setting the taste for a desirable café creme. Aforementioned Loustic too makes a good brew, as does the latest arrival, Fondation Café.

The North Marais has also become a shopping destination for the effortlessly well-dressed Parisian. When Isabel Marant opened her doors on rue Saintonge, indie fashion designers quickly followed. The pioneer Paris shop for all things yoga related, Yoga Concept, found a home on rue de Turenne, across the street from chic consignment shop Violette et Léonie. Paris-based mens’ and womens’ label FrenchTrotters has recently expanded and remained loyal to its locale.

I feel privileged to live and work in such an uber-cool yet understated arrondissement, and to witness its growth. Paris does not change in its landscape nor in much else, perhaps this is what we all love about the City of Light, but certainly it evolves.

Kasia Dietz is a handbag designer from New York, with a passion for art, travel and writing, who followed her heart (and an Italian) to Paris. She resides in the North Marais where she has been featured as a local designer by Lonely Planet and KLM’s iFly Magazine. Her handbags are available online and sold at fashionable boutiques around the world. You can read about her life and travels on her blog.