French Fridays: Checking out the “Gourmet Marais” with Urban Adventures

Wine store on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comOk, so you know what a huge fan of Paris walking tours I am and it’s been a while since I took one… On my recent trip, I was thrilled to be invited to check out Urban Adventures’ latest tour offering – the Gourmet Marais.  The Marais is one of my favourite neighbourhoods to wander and I mean, “gourmet”? Sign me up!

Notre Dame de Paris on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comStarting out at Notre Dame, this tour takes you through some of the best preserved medieval streets in Paris with a fairly equal focus on food/ architecture/ history (though each Urban Adventures Paris guide will put their own spin on the basic route of the tour based on their interests and those of the group which makes each tour really unique).

Charlemagne on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comOur guide, Alix, was leading this tour for the first time but you wouldn’t have known it. She was SO knowledgeable about anything we asked her – from food and wine to French culture and history down to architecture, she really knew her stuff.

Paris Hôtel de Ville on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comSince mum and I were the only people on the tour, Alix soon learned what we were interested in (um, food?!) and was able to really customise the information she shared. Mum got very excited at the first food stop…

Au Petit Versailles du Marais on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comThis boulangerie was the winner of Paris’ best baguette contest in 2014 and we picked one up to eat with our snack later on. But also couldn’t keep our eyes off the beautiful and tasty display of goods…

French patisseries on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.com Palmiers on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comOh, and Alix reminded us to look up…

Inside Au Petit Versailles du Marais on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comBeautiful decor as a bonus!

Since we weren’t eating our baguette at that point, we headed on over to a new addition in the Marais – Au Merveilleux de Fred – to pick up something to fortify us for our walk…

Merveilleux on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comYes, those ARE meringues sandwiched with cream and coated in more cream then rolled in hazelnuts. Spectacular…

With a bit of a sugar buzz, we continued on our way…

House in the Marais on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.com Lycee Charlemagne on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.com Old Wall of Paris on on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comThe streets of the Marais are full of history – including remains of the old city walls of Paris – this tour has a lovely leisurely pace because there is literally SO much to see and talk about in every street!

French coutryard on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comAs well as soaking in all the history, we also got to sample some of Paris’ finest macarons

Pierre Herme Jardin Japonais on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.com tasting Pierre Herme macarons on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comAnd yes, the boutique in the Marais will allow you to take photos as long as you ask nicely 😉

We did a little charcuterie shopping at the local traiteur

Charcuterie in Paris on on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comCharcuterie Plate on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comAnd headed to a nearby wine store to enjoy…

Wine tasting in paris on on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comWe spent a lovely 30 minutes or so in the wine store, welcomed by the owner who also schooled us in wine tasting. We had some white, some Cognac and some plum brandy to go with our charcuterie and baguette.  Alix walked us through the various items on the plate – it’s certainly a generous sample platter!

With full bellies, we bid adieu to the wine store then wandered a little more through the gorgeous streets of the Marais…

In the Marais on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comEnding our tour in the Place des Vosges…

Place des Vosges on Urban Adventures Gourmet Marais on eatlivetravelwrite.comIf you’re a fan of Paris architecture and history with a taste for the good things in life, this tour is for you. While it covers a fairly small footprint in terms of how much you will be walking (compared to some other tours I have done in Paris), it is definitely not short on information. For anyone who wonders what can someone who lived in Paris and who visits often possibly learn on a tour like this, I say “Lots!”  I think I know more about Paris now I don’t live there, actually, thanks to activities like this!

I always recommend taking a tour like this at the start of a visit to the city – it’s a great way to get your bearings and make notes of places you might want to go back to and spend a bit more time.

Want to learn more about Urban Adventures Paris?

Read about my experience on the Urban Adventures Secret Paris tour here.
Read about my experience on the Urban Adventures Bohemian Paris tour here.

Disclosure: I was a guest of Urban Adventures on this tour.  I was not asked to write about the tour and am not being compensated for doing so. All opinions 100% my own.

8 thoughts on “French Fridays: Checking out the “Gourmet Marais” with Urban Adventures”

  1. This is wonderful! On my last stay in Paris, I stayed in the Marais just steps from Au Petit Versailles du Marais. We grab breakfast there every morning! And Au Merveilleux de Fred! Amazing little treats. Great post!
    Bises, Kimberly

    Reply
  2. What a great walking tour, Mardi! I’m bookmarking this for my next trip to Paris. I adore walking tours, and you’ve inspired me to take another!

    Reply

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