Le Marais

The street where our apartment is located bears the name of François Miron, provost of merchants of Paris from 1604 to 1609 — the equivalent of the mayor of Paris under the Ancien Régime.

Nicknamed 'the father of the people' by his contemporaries, he was a close associate of King Henri IV and devoted his personal fortune to the beautification of Paris.

He is credited with the façade of the Hôtel de Ville, the first Samaritaine (water pump near the Louvre), and the renovation of Parisian aqueducts.

Rue François Miron is one of the oldest streets in Paris. It follows the route of a 2nd-century Roman road that connected Lutetia (Paris) to Melun and Sens.

Renamed in 1865 by Louis-Philippe in honor of the provost, it houses medieval half-timbered houses (nos. 11 and 13), among the last in Paris, dating from the 14th century.

The building housing our apartment dates from the 17th century, with its characteristic exposed beams and stone walls.

Its name comes from the marshes that occupied this area until the 12th century. Drained by monks, the neighborhood became in the 17th century the residence of Parisian nobility.

Spared from Haussmann's 19th-century renovations, it retains its medieval architecture and private mansions, many of which have become museums.

Today, it is a vibrant and cosmopolitan neighborhood: LGBTQ+ community, historic Jewish quarter, art galleries, designer boutiques, and lively nightlife.