Le Marais · Paris, on foot
Ten-plus tastings and two half glasses of wine, from a warm croissant to the last cheese, in one morning’s walk.
Likely to sell out: a croissant still warm, a bistro lunch and a flight of cheese, in a group of twelve at most.
The morning in four numbers
Why the Marais
The Marais is a historic district on the Right Bank, spread across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. It was once an aristocratic quarter and still holds many buildings of historic importance, which is why a food walk here doubles as a short history lesson.
The market this tour walks through is the Marché des Enfants Rouges, opened in 1628 as the petit marché du Marais and a listed historic monument since 1982. The guide uses its stalls of produce and multicultural street food to show how the French shop and how street food was adapted to Parisian tastes.
The Pletzl, around Place Saint-Paul, became predominantly Jewish in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A short historical walk through it ends at a family-run bakery, where the tasting is a warm pastrami sandwich.
Meilleur Ouvrier de France is a craft competition held every four years, and winners receive a medal. The chocolatier on this route holds the title, so the sweet stop comes from a craftsman at the top of his trade.
From the first croissant to the last glass
How the three hours usually unfold, from a croissant in a family bakery to a glass of natural wine.
You meet the guide at a small square in the 3rd arrondissement, then walk to a loved local baker for a flaky butter croissant made fresh that morning and a taste of homemade sourdough, with the story of the family who runs the shop.
Next comes the oldest covered market in Paris. You follow the guide through stalls of fresh produce and multicultural food, learning how the French do their grocery shopping.
A stop with a master chocolatier who holds the Meilleur Ouvrier de France title. The chocolates are the first sweet note of the morning, and guests also mention macarons on this stretch.
A short historical walk through the old Jewish quarter, ending in a beloved family-run bakery where you eat a warm pastrami sandwich.
You sit down at a classic French bistro where everything is made from scratch. French onion soup is one of the dishes on offer, and the guide shares the habits of dining bistro-style.
A French-Syrian baker’s pastry nests, a flight of artisan cheeses from an up-and-coming cheesemaker, then a last stop that specialises in natural wine, where you meet the owner.
The order follows how the tour is described; the guide sets the pace, and what lands on the plate can shift with the season and the day.
On the plate
Ten-plus tastings and two half glasses of wine add up to a full meal; these are the plates and glasses guests mention most.
The opening bite: a flaky butter croissant from a baker the neighbourhood loves, with homemade sourdough beside it.
Treats from a chocolatier who carries the Meilleur Ouvrier de France title, with macarons mentioned by guests.
Eaten in the old Jewish quarter, from a family-run bakery that the guide walks you to on foot.
A sit-down lunch cooked from scratch at a classic bistro, with French onion soup among the dishes and, guests say, a beef bourguignon on some days.
Syrian flavours folded into French patisserie technique, from a baker who makes pastry nests.
A flight of artisan cheeses, then natural wine from a spot whose owner tells you about that world. Non-alcoholic options are available.
Butter, brine and pastry
The Marais streets and the kind of food the morning passes through.
Which tour
| Tour | What it covers | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Le Marais, 10 tastings and wine | Three hours on foot with a live English-speaking guide in a group of up to twelve, or a private group: a croissant and sourdough, the covered market, a master chocolatier, a pastrami sandwich in the old Jewish quarter, a bistro lunch, then pastry nests, cheese and natural wine. | First-timers who want lunch built into the walk and a full meal’s worth of tastings. |
| Le Marais, guided tastings | Three hours through the Marais with a guide in English or French, in a group limited to ten. The tastings run from croque monsieur and poutine à la française to chouquettes, macarons, French toast and ice cream, and you finish with a list of other foodie places. Shown as wheelchair accessible. | Travellers who prefer a lighter run of small bites and a list of places to come back to. |
| Montmartre cheese, wine and pastry | Three hours climbing from Place Blanche to Sacré-Cœur, with seven tasting stops of pastries, cheese, wine, charcuterie and chocolate, and a guide leading groups of up to twelve in English. Not for children under four or wheelchair users. | Anyone staying north of the centre who wants a hillside food walk rather than the Marais. |
Booking for a private party? See private dates on the main tour’s page ↗
Three food tours in Paris
The full Marais tour, a lighter Marais tasting walk and a food walk up Montmartre. A card sends you to that tour’s own page, and further down are more ideas for Paris.
Three hours on foot with a live English-speaking guide in a group of up to twelve, or a private group: a croissant and sourdough, the covered market, a master chocolatier, a pastrami sandwich in the old Jewish quarter, a bistro lunch, then pastry nests, cheese and natural wine.
Check this tour’s dates ↗Three hours through the Marais with a guide in English or French, in a group limited to ten. The tastings run from croque monsieur and poutine à la française to chouquettes, macarons, French toast and ice cream, and you finish with a list of other foodie places. Shown as wheelchair accessible.
Check this tour’s dates ↗Three hours climbing from Place Blanche to Sacré-Cœur, with seven tasting stops of pastries, cheese, wine, charcuterie and chocolate, and a guide leading groups of up to twelve in English. Not for children under four or wheelchair users.
Check this tour’s dates ↗More to do in Paris
Before you set off
The group gathers at the small square at 111 Rue de Turenne, 75003, and the guide waits by the statue holding a yellow sign. Arrive 15 minutes before the start.
The tour lasts about three hours and covers a full meal. Morning start times change with the date, and the booking box lists the ones still open for yours.
Vegetarians, pescatarians, pregnant guests and anyone wanting non-alcoholic drinks can be catered for, though there may be no replacement dish at every stop. The tour is not suitable for vegans, not recommended for lactose intolerance and cannot be adapted for coeliac disease because of gluten cross-contamination.
Guests with dietary restrictions or food allergies need to email the operator’s Guest Experience team after booking so the ingredients can be arranged.
It is a walking tour at a moderate pace, so you should be able to walk without difficulty. It is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs or strollers.
Groups are small, up to twelve, and the guide speaks English. A private group is available, and the tour offers more than one option, so choose the one that suits you when you book. Bring a passport or ID card, children’s included.
Notes from a pastry cook on the rue de Bretagne
The three hours stop by stop, with something to look for at each.
Read the Marais guide → the marketA market from 1628 on the rue de Bretagne, and the lessons in French shopping that it hosts.
Read the Marais guide → the quarterThe Pletzl, why it has that name, and what the tour tastes there.
Read the Marais guide → before you bookA plain answer on vegans, gluten, lactose, allergies and pregnancy before you pick a date.
Read the Marais guide → the bistroWhat a made-from-scratch bistro lunch means, and how to order at one.
Read the Marais guide → choosingThree three-hour walks compared by route, size and what is on the plate.
Read the Marais guide →FAQ
Yes. It covers ten-plus tastings and two half glasses of wine, described as enough for a full meal, and one stop is a sit-down lunch at a classic bistro. Eat a light breakfast or skip it.
No. The tour is not suitable for vegans, cannot be adapted for coeliac disease because of gluten cross-contamination, and is not recommended for lactose intolerance. Vegetarians, pescatarians, pregnant guests and non-drinkers can be catered for, though not every stop will have a replacement dish.
Email the operator’s Guest Experience team after booking so they can arrange the ingredients. The tour cannot promise a replacement at every stop.
About three hours, starting at the small square at 111 Rue de Turenne, 75003. The guide waits by the statue with a yellow sign, and you should arrive 15 minutes early. Start times vary by date.
It is a walking tour at a moderate pace, with some stops for sitting down to eat. It is not suitable for wheelchairs, strollers or guests with mobility impairments.
Two half glasses of wine come with the tastings. Non-alcoholic options are available, so a non-drinker can still do the tour.
The group is limited to twelve, and a private group is also available. Choose the option that suits you when you check dates, since the tour offers more than one.
Cancel up to 24 hours before the start and the whole fare comes back. If you would rather not pay yet, reserve now and pay later.
The fare shown at checkout depends on the day and the number of guests, appears in your own currency and is final before you press confirm.