The Marais

After a long period of decay, the district has undergone transformation in recent years and is now once again amongst the more fashionable areas of Paris,[1] known for its art galleries, upscale restaurants and museums.

[2] In 1361, King Charles V built a mansion known as the Hôtel Saint-Pol, in which the Royal Court settled during his reign (as well as his son's).

As of today, the rue des Rosiers remains a major center of the Paris Jewish community, which has made a comeback since the 1990s.

The museum conveys the extensive history and culture of Jews in Europe and North Africa from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

[4][5] Cnaan Lipshiz of Times of Israel wrote that in previous eras the district was "the beating heart of French Jewry".

[6] In 1982, Palestinian extremists murdered six people and injured 22 at a Jewish restaurant in the Marais, Chez Jo Goldenberg, an attack which evidenced ties to the Abu Nidal Organization.

In 1964, General de Gaulle's Culture Minister, Andre Malraux, made the Marais the first secteur sauvegardé (literally translated as safeguarded sector).

The site of Beaubourg, the western part of Marais, was chosen for the Centre Georges Pompidou, France's national Museum of Modern Art, which is widely considered one of the world's most important cultural institutions.

Following its restoration, the Marais has now become a popular and culture-defining district, home to many upscale restaurants, museums, fashion houses, and galleries.

The Marais' Chinese community has mainly settled in the north of the district, particularly in the vicinity of Place de la République.