Paris, France

Hands down, no contest, in so many ways, Paris is the best place in the world to seek out what qualifies for many as a rich and full life.

Café afternoons and Michelin-starred nights… gallery openings and museum exhibitions… seasonal celebrations and centuries-old festivals… bookstores and antique shops… luxury brands and farmers markets… fashion weeks and dance clubs… conversation groups and cooking classes… live theater… live music… movie cinemas showing first-run and foreign flicks (in English)… an active artist community… specialty food shops… spas and salons…

All in a setting of architectural delights and historic landmarks… shady squares and well-tended parks…

Today, the Marais is one of Paris’ most trendy and desirable neighborhoods. The Marais is also home to many restaurants, cafes, and boutiques, many of which stay open on Sundays, an unusual practice in France.

The Marais still retains so much of the medieval character that was bulldozed in the 19th and 20th centuries for bigger and better structures in other parts of the City of Light—but thankfully not the medieval smell.

The most prevalent smell these days emanates from the numerous seductive boulangeries (bakeries) and pâtisseries (pastry shops).

To live in the Marais is to live in the heart—geographic, cultural, historical, architectural, and social—of this city that is considered by so many to be the ground zero of refined western culture. The Marais oozes culture and history. The neighborhood has an excess of historical sites and museums.

Cost Of Living In The Marais, Paris

Of course this could-be utopia is not without its drawbacks. Paris is an expensive city and the Marais is one of its most expensive neighborhoods. For access to the heart of Paris, there is no better location. The cost of living for this prime location amounts to 2,860 euros per month.

Apartment or HouseOwnershipBudget(fora couple)

Apartment or HouseRentalBudget(for a couple)

Penny-Pincher’s Budget (for a couple, bare minimum costs for all)

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Real Estate In The Marais, Paris

The Marais is also a breeding ground for cafe culture, an epicenter of fine cuisine, and home to many a cozy bistro and open air market. Foodies will not be disappointed with the offerings within a stone’s throw of their front door.

Property prices, both for owning and renting, are sky high for very little space. With these heightened prices come more expensive groceries, boutiques, dry cleaners, restaurants—you name it—than in most other neighborhoods, with the notable exception of the other expat-invaded Parisian neighborhood, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Expats In The Marais, Paris

Roughly a quarter of the Marais’ population was born outside Metropolitan France, so as an expat living in this neighborhood, you will certainly not be alone. For some, it’s actually a negative that so much English can be heard in the streets, cafes, and restaurants of the Marais. But aside from the sheer numbers, the organization of the expat community is impressive. Few foreign cities have as strong and as established an Anglophone expat community as Paris.