Le Chic En Rose

Here’s another instalment of our wanderings round the charming streets of Le Marais district of Paris. I wrote quite a bit about the historical context in my last post here.

We headed away from the Rue St Martin down the Rue de la Verrerie in the direction of the Place des Vosges. By this stage our early start and snack lunch were getting the better of us so we stopped by “Le Second Empire” cafe for a late lunch or very early dinner – there always seems to be a cafe/bar/restaurant serving food and beverages on every street corner in Paris! You can read more about the epoque of the French Second Empire (1852-1870) here.

The area is multicultural and diverse. We walked past an old synagogue, kebab & felafel shops, vintage clothing boutiques and, if we’d had time, could have gone to one of the many art galleries and museums in the area. You can find more information about the cultural diversity in the different Parisian neighbourhoods here.

We ended up at the elegant Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris. Originally known as the Place Royale, it was built by Henri IV of France from 1605-1612. It’s a beautiful and impressive piece of architecture and built as a true square,

“It is an enclosed square, accessible via a main street on one of its four sides and two streets running beneath pavilions“

The square and its environs became a favoured place of residence during 17th- and 18th-centuries for the French nobility. Some of their beautiful mansions now house museums and art collections such as the Musee Picasso Paris, the Musee Carnavalet and Maison de Victor Hugo.

After a pleasant stroll round the beautful gardens in the square we found a spare table on the terrace of the Serpent a Plume bar and restaurant, which in fact is best known as a very trendy jazz club. It was quite quiet when we were there but it was an excellent spot in which to enjoy an early evening aperitif before heading back to our hotel across the river.

Copyright © 2025 Rosemary Thomas Le Chic En Rose