Le Marais: Mansions, Masterpieces & the Best Falafel in Europe
A teenage forger who saved fourteen thousand lives because he knew how to remove an ink stain. A family who paid the biggest tax bill in art history in Picassos — France lets you do that — and the state hung the payment in a mansion Parisians nicknamed Salted after a skimmed salt tax. Marcel Proust's cork-lined bedroom, where he wrote a million words lying down. The prettiest neighborhood in Paris is named after a swamp, its poshest square has been wearing fake painted brick for four hundred years, and the loudest fight on its oldest street is over falafel. Most of what the Bad Historian tells you on this walk is true. Some of it he made up — you find out which at the end.
What You'll Experience
Plan your walk
Know the route before you buy
- Starts at
- Introduction
- Ends at
- The Reveal
- Walking plan
- 33 min · ~1.3 miles
- Schedule
- Start, pause, and resume anytime
Included in the app
- Professional narration
- GPS-triggered stops
- Downloadable tour audio
- Ask the Historian Q&A
- Optional end-of-tour reveal
- All 9 story stops
A taste of what you'll hear
9 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"The prettiest neighborhood in Paris is named after a swamp. Marais means marsh. For centuries this was mud and market gardens. Then a king built a square on it and the aristocracy stampeded in. The bog became the best address in Europe."
"You've reached the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, the main shopping spine of the Marais. If the street seems to bend for no reason, that's because it does. This is what Paris looked like before Paris looked like Paris."
"You made it — from Victor Hugo's red room to the beach in front of city hall. Time to settle accounts. I told you I'd slipped a few forgeries into the record. In this neighborhood, that's practically a tribute act. Let's see how your eye did."
Tour itinerary
Every stop on this walk
Explore the route before you go. Each stop has its own story preview, location details, and place in the larger tour.
- 11IntroductionThe prettiest neighborhood in Paris is named after a swamp. Marais means marsh. For centuries this was mud and market gardens.48.8556, 2.3655 Read this stop
- 22Place des VosgesThis is the Place des Vosges — thirty-six red brick houses, four stories each, arranged in a perfect square around the park.48.8556, 2.3655 Read this stop
- 33Musée CarnavaletBehind that gate is the Carnavalet — two Renaissance mansions stitched together, holding the museum of the history of Paris.48.8571, 2.3626 Read this stop
- 44Musée Picasso — Hôtel SaléThe tall slate roofs and carved gate ahead belong to the Hotel Sale. The name means the Salted Mansion, and it was an insult.48.8598, 2.3625 Read this stop
- 55Rue des Francs-BourgeoisYou've reached the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, the main shopping spine of the Marais. If the street seems to bend for no reason, that's...48.8582, 2.3585 Read this stop
- 66Rue des Rosiers — The PletzlThe narrow street ahead is the Rue des Rosiers, the street of the rosebushes. What it usually smells like is frying chickpeas, cumin, and...48.8572, 2.3590 Read this stop
- 77Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme — Hôtel de Saint-AignanThe great carriage door at seventy-one Rue du Temple hides one of the finest mansions in the Marais.48.8611, 2.3555 Read this stop
- 88Hôtel de VilleThe enormous wedding cake of a building in front of you is the Hotel de Ville — the city hall of Paris.48.8566, 2.3517 Read this stop
- 99The RevealYou made it — from Victor Hugo's red room to the beach in front of city hall. Time to settle accounts.48.8566, 2.3517 Read this stop
Stories first
Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.
Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
Get the AppBefore you go
Quick answers
How much is this tour?
$9.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The Paris city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.
Can I use it with spotty cell service?
Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.
Do I have to start at a specific time?
No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Are admission tickets included?
The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.
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Le Marais: Mansions, Masterpieces & the Best Falafel in Europe
$9.99 · one-time