Tour Details
Duration
2.5 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Various specialty food shops
Photos & Highlights
- Taste your way through Marais as you sample modern Parisian cuisine
- Led by a chef or food writer
Select a date
Tour Description
The quiet side streets of the Haut Marais, as the upper part of the 3rd arrondissement is known, form the backdrop to one of Paris' most exciting gastronomic neighborhoods. With an influx of innovative bistros, specialty shops, and boulangeries, the Marais lures the fashion-forward Bobo folk—Bobo being short for bourgeois-bohemian—and the tourists alike. In this 2.5-hour Le Marias Food Tour led by a local chef or food writer, we'll get a taste of Paris by diving into this exciting neighborhood, exploring innovative trends in Parisian cuisine, visiting hip cafés, and learning about the gastronomic life of Bobo Paris.
Bobo Paris
A mixture of old-fashioned markets and wine bars (the subjects of our Paris Market Tour and our Paris Wine Tour and Tasting, respectively)—along with cutting-edge boutiques, hip cafes, and innovative food shops—make the haut Marais emblematic of what's being called the Parisian Bobo. Their nickname proves an apt description: their bourgeois sensibility wants the highest quality, while their inner bohemian craves contemporary flair and international originality. As we stroll through the quartier, we will take in the city from the perspective of the Bobos. Living in small apartments on these narrow, winding streets and forced to adapt to the pressures of busy lifestyles, it's difficult to find the time and space to cook. Relying more on the myriad of cafés, épiceries, and restaurants than other Parisians, the Bobos put the Marais' culinary offerings to the test. Perhaps this is why the Haut Marais boasts an ever-increasing number of hip eateries.
Le Marais Food Tour
Stopping in at their haunts, we will—in essence—be learning the intimate details of the Bobo diet, and gathering the items for a typical Bobo apéro. An apéro, or small pre-dinner snack with friends, is a common Parisian social gathering, though few practice it with as much panache as the Bobo. To execute our apéro, we will make use of the Haut Marais' specialty shops. We may stop by an excellent modern purveyor to select some wild smoked salmon or top-grade Iberian ham. We will visit one of the hottest chocolate makers to select jewel-like bonbons from their bountiful display cases (also a stop on our Paris Chocolate Tour). We'll also stroll through Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris. Established by royal decree in 1615, it has changed considerably since its inception. Now mostly filled with trendy ethnic food or organic stands, the Marché des Enfants Rouges will help us understand how traditions endure and evolve while remaining relevant today. We may also see some of the newer restaurants and shops offering inventive dishes and drinks that showcase new culinary trends and fresh takes on traditional cuisine.
Sated
As our Paris culinary tour comes to a close, we will grab a seat at a small wine bar, order a small glass, and sample our wares. Coming full circle in our discovery of the Parisian Bobo, we'll consider the varied gastronomic landscape of the quartier, and maybe even discuss the difference between the Bobo's preferred cuisine to typical French bistro fare, which can be tried on our Paris Food Tour. Hungry travelers should also take a look at our full list of food tours in Paris.
Further Reading
We're loving The New Paris, the first release from journalist and Lost in Cheeseland writer Lindsey Tramuta. The book details exciting new ideas coming from Paris's creative class, which fits right in with the theme of this Marais food tour. Order here!
What is the difference between your Baguette to Bistro walk and your New Parisian Palate walk? These walks are complementary, and both can be taken if you have a strong interest in cuisine. The Baguette to Bistro walk is more about the foundation of Parisian gastronomic traditions, while the New Parisian Palate is about new trends, often stemming from traditions or international influences.
Can I participate in your small group food walks if I have food allergies? Yes, but if you have any specific allergies/intolerances, please indicate these in the Travel Notes section when you book, and your expert will keep these in mind. Our Chocolate walk is not the best option for anyone with nut allergies.
Is this tour wheelchair accessible? Some of the shops we visit are small, and many will have a step up to access them. The general route may include small streets with narrow sidewalks; please contact us if you have any questions regarding accessibility.
Why does this tour not run in August? Most shops close for vacation during this period, and we, therefore, do not offer this tour during this month.
Why does this tour not run in August? Most shops close for vacation during this period, and we, therefore, do not offer this tour during this month.
Where You'll Start
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144 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Camille was fabulous. She is knowledgeable, engaging, and very fun to be with. She picked up on our interests and likes/dislikes and could tailor the tour to our kids "on the go". That is a great talent for a docent, to be able to read your audience and adjust in real time. Camille is such a wealth of information on food and trends and shops, and for a family like ours that loves food and learning about it, it was a highlight of our trip. We also really enjoyed her company!
Sheri
Reviewed on:
Mar 29, 2013
It was a great tour and wonderful to see the amazing chocolate shop....what the locals are eating for holidays, parties, etc -- and it was interesting to see some wonderful local shops! The tour description below was a little different than what we experienced. We were hoping to see some chefs, bakeries and explore the changes and learn more about the gastronomic traditions in restaurants as it had described. The tour was still outstanding and our guide was exceptional, however the description of the tour should be changed to represent more of the local area -- and less about the new food trends -- and exploring restaurants and meeting chefs/bakers etc.
"we will explore the newest frontier of the Bobo and discuss how gastronomic tradition and change are colliding in Paris today.....We will observe the cross between traditions and modernity in such places as an award-winning bakery where we can watch the bakers at work via live TV transmission or at the ultra-trendy and much talked about tart-maker, who takes a new look at the traditional quiche and dessert tart. Here we can also see the chefs at work or peruse a variety of international culinary publications.....(The spice bar) A highlight is its unique scent bar where aromes of exotic spices take us on a sensory voyage around the world. Another stop, at an up-and-coming chocolatier, will also illustrate the evolution of trends and new perspectives on tradition. We may also be able to have a look at their chocolate laboratory"
We didn't get to see the spice bar or peer into the chocolate laboratory because of the days we visited, or get to see any of the bakers or chefs in action and based on the description of this tour we thought it would be a little more of an opportunity to see the "locals" in action. However, our visits with the locals at the small specialty food market & the spice market was a wonderful experience and again we can not put a price tag on the chance to spend time with our tour guide who was beyond lovely, extremely informative and utterly delightful! We will recommend this to friends and family! We had our sights set high on visiting bakeries while in Paris, but next time I will try the bakery tour or mention this request as a desired highlight. We will be back! :) Thank you!
Elizabeth
Reviewed on:
Oct 29, 2012
Everything worked for me. I enjoyed the selection of gourmet shops we visited, found Lise to be very accommodating and knowledgeable, and thought the food we sampled was delicious. This walk was exactly what I'd hoped it would be.
Michelle
Reviewed on:
Sep 26, 2012
