Bravo! Wow! Thank you for bringing me a Paris that I want but can't find. Your thoughts about Paris are insightful in a way that I can never get inside of as a tourist, making your videos what I am looking for when I need a virtual dose of Paris. Your video presentation is beyond words, highly skilled, beautiful cinematography, showing off Paris and her abundant diversity. You sharing the blessings and curses of the tourist Paris versus authentic Paris is unique and special... please explore that more. Your views of Paris I don't see from the outside and it's so interesting to a Paris enthusiast. Here is Tremendous creativity. Here is a great learning experience for Parisophiles in love with this city. Please...More of intimate Paris hosted by a Brilliant Creative Philosopher Resident 🎉✊👏👏👏👏👏🌞🌹 Subscribed.🌹
You offer some high praise there - thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love that you liked the substance as well as the style of the video - a reward for the work I put into it.
@@amusingaida I don't know who is doing your incredible camera work but high praise to that person also. Very wise to get someone else to do it so you can focus on your wonderful presentation. I'm sure your channel is going to take off! Gratitude!
@@amusingaida You say you are not a philosopher, but you really are, you cannot escape it. This is what gives your videos great depth beyond others and why I'm thrilled to discover your channel and subscribe. Thank you for sharing a deeper picture of Paris and of Parisians and of the French, just what I've been looking for. You are invited to our homestead for dinner, any time. Bravo!
I live in Le Marais, since 2 years. It can be touristy but even just today as I was coming back from getting groceries, I said to myself how much I love my neighbourhood.
I agree, it really does grab you sometimes. But those sometimes I find are often when you're in a quieter street or enjoying a quieter moment. I've lived there for a long time, and I have to say the street noise under my place is starting to wear me down.
@@amusingaida Luckily, for me, i'm tucked away on the top floor away from the street, so no noise there (just heat in the summer). My street, however, is quite busy, especially Sundays, and that can be annoying when I'm dodging people taking selfies and instagram photos, and I just want to do normal life.
@@forrestsmith5549 That's where I'm at. If I had the Marais to myself and a few thousand Parisians, all would be good. But my favorite restaurant has gone, a funky café with lots of plants has been taken over by a clothing chain store, the bars I used to know have all closed, and Sundays is Instagram Day. I still love the place, and still recommend it as an ideal spot for first-time visitors to Paris, but I'm also very much aware of how other parts of Paris are changing, and how some now have the inner-urban fun vibe that I used to find in the Marais years ago but which isn't really there anymore (for me, anyway).
Love the pussycat and you looked very stylish. As I get older, I tend to stay away from crowds and traffic, I treasure the little museum and uncrowded green spaces off the beaten track. I live in London and it's a luxury to be alone in a little park or on a path, everyone tends to go to the same places, which I avoid as much as possible. Lots of cities/areas are losing their individuality and pandering to the instagram/social media crowd.
I suspect that as I get older I might look for quieter spots too. I do think though that I'll always be an urbanite - I love the variety of stimuli a city offers.
Phenomenal, The streets of Paris with the background voice of yours; explaining the details and perspectives. Its truly a magical place called Le Marais, Paris.
Been coming to Paris for the last four years every summer and I can't make myself stay anywhere else but Le Marais :-) summer 2025 again for several weeks! I also feel like it is so easy to explore the rest of Paris, and all the other arrondissements from here... Not to mention all the free art galleries you can pop in ... Superb !!!
You're right: the Marais is ideally located to walk to the rest of central Paris. I still recommend it for people who want convenience or are new to Paris. Just the day-to-day living there is changing a bit in ways I'm appreciating less. A fairly personal take from a resident. But it's an incontournable part of Paris!
Wonderful essay. Thank you! And great to meet Calvin. I never meta a musing Aida vid I didn’t enjoy. Fascinating to see what you’ve chosen to highlight-I love wandering and finding eccentricities like the centuries old button store across from the Cambridge Bar
I have to say that the Marais - my old neighbourhood - was at its most magical during the lockdowns: you could walk along its streets in the evenings and be the only person around. It truly felt like entering another time, free of disneylands and instagrams. :)
So true, I felt that “togetherness” in the Marais as well, this past June when visiting Paris. So much going on in the Marais, and definitely the “go to” place. Thanks for live streaming. I love to be surrounded by beauty, and Paris is the place. Parisians should not take beauty for granted. 🙋♀️ Great replay 😊
Bonjour Aida, I discovered your channel and sincerely enjoy the content. When we return to Paris, we'll be sure to take a few hours to stroll the streets of the Marais and enjoy a cup of fine coffee.
Thank you for the update on the Maris! I used to live near Place de Voges on rue Pas de la Mule and love the area. Also, I appreciate the tips on France, never know it all even after 5 years there.
Merci, Aida! Discovered yours videos about Paris yesterday and come back for more. Your content makes me think about a good writers who become video-creators, Anthony Bourdain, for example. Well, we'll see how good you're outside of France, I just spotted your creations about Brussel ( which no one called " excellent " before) and Australia. Au revoir!
That is some extraordinarily high praise, thank you! And to make a reference to the great Anthony Bourdain makes my cheeks glow - I may never reach his lofty standard, but it is still something to aim for. Let me know, if you can, what you think of the Brussels and Australia videos....
I love le Marais, my sister in law stays there. I get a sense of what you are staying. I stay in 5eme so we still have places that are quietly pretty😅 and overlooked by many.
Yes, the 5th had its wave of tourism in the 70s-90s and found a way to still keep delightful streets preserved for locals (though the density of cafés and shops is a lot lower than in the Marais, outside of areas such as around St Michel or rue Mouffetard)
Aww sweet kitty. I have a boy orange tabby like yours. I also lived in Paris - years ago - age 18-20. It was very different then. Tourists were there, but not noticed much. Now it’s so crowded unfortunately- but still special and worth the hassles. I’m going again soon - can’t wait!
Orange tabbies are great. Your Paris days must have been enjoyable back then. But I still relish the time in which we live now. Yes, much of central Paris these days is given over to tourism but there are still so many places to build your own experiences away from all that. It's still a living city.
You say you are a 'content creator,' not a 'philosopher.' My dear Aida, you are, in fact, the resident 'philosopher' of Le Marais. It flows magically as you speak and guide us along on your enchanting travels across Paris. I believe I relish this aspect of your blogs more so than the actual places you take us. In the least, I cherish when you slide into a philosophical aside. I must visit Paris soon to see it through what you have shared AND to experience the philosophical transits along the way. Thank you, Aida for both aspects!❤️
It makes me so happy that you enjoy the, well, 'philosophical' side to my videos. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I do like to put that element in there... because the videos I enjoy myself are the thought-provoking ones
Intimate and captivating.... Brought back memories of my short stay in a lovely 18m2 tiny central Paris flat many moons ago. Can''t remember the area called but probably not far from Le Marais! :)
You say, you are a "content creator," not a philosopher. My dear, Aida, you are, in fact, the 'Philosopher of Le Marais.' As you take us along on your traverses of Paris, your philosophical side magically emerges. It flows with the scenery and, indeed, enhances it. I must visit Paris soon to see and feel and breath the essence of this city AND be inspired as you clearly are toward philosophical introspections. Thank you, Aida., for each of these aspects!🤎
I have no doubt you will live up to my "kind words" in upcoming videos. You seem to do it naturally as all the positive comments from your subscribers indicate. I'm just curious, Aida, do you write your philosophical (and other creative) thoughts down? Just wondering if, in addition to your vlogs, does your artistic side emerge in other ways? Apologies for my inquisitiveness. You don't really need to respond to the above.
In the few times I've been to Paris I didn't even know that the Marais was a neighborhood to see. In my last visit I just walked around the outskirts of it to see Hôtel de Ville. I was going to go to Maison Européenne de la Photographie but couldn't make it. Next time. Glad kitty is ok.
The charm of the Marais is that it's not segmented by public transport - but it also means you have to know you need to dive into the maze of streets on foot to get inside it. It's an ideal district to wander around
@amusingaida oui, madame Aida. I was born in an Anglophone English speaking world, already been to Montréal in Canada 🇨🇦, a French speaking city in North America 2 times in my life, Paris is the real thing.
All over the place... even different countries. I don't have a label in particular that I follow, and never follow trends. But I'm glad you like thme -- thanks!
Thanks again Aida. Your videos are always very well made. I’ll be in Paris again in about 10 days from now. I buy my marionettes on the Isle Saint-Louis (@ Clair de Rêve), and will be staying at Montmartre. The Marais is lovely, but so is the wider neighborhood, Quartier Bastille, Jardin des Plantes et cetera. Cheers, Koen from Brussels
Well done, you should be just missing most of the Olympic congestion. Montmartre is great too (I'm sure if I lived up that way I'd have a lovely video from it). But you can't really lump the Marais in with the 11th and the 5th like that.... you're just saying that a quarter of Paris looks the same. I disagree!
@@amusingaida I did not say these arrondissements look the same, but as they are on walking distance they could also be part of a journey. Anyway, lucky you, living in Paris 🌸
Your videos are… inspiring. If I went back to making videos, I would try to follow your formula. But even if I did my best, I couldn’t match the quality of the shooting. The editing is also very well done, particularly the audio. And then there is the content. Simply put, so much to admire.
Thank you, those are kind words indeed. Even more valuable is that they come from an expert eye. But as for 'formula' -- let me know what my formula is! I have no idea; I just do what feels right for me
@@amusingaida Your approach is very empathetic and thoughtful. Quite intimate in a friendly way. You tell a well defined story. There is no waste, repetition, wandering off topic. Because you are not filming you are most often in the frame, you and the message you convey remain the subject. The cherry on the sundae are the cinematic camera angles, occasional drone footage, but those tricks never become the focus, they always serve the narrative. Finally the soundtrack and the audio are very well managed throughout. Many RUclipsrs struggle with audio. For me that is one of the trickiest bits. But where you truly excel, is as the storyteller, the actress, the narrator. Actress seems a wrong, trivial characterization, but I can’t think of a better word for your screen presence. Does that begin to answer your question?
Yours is one of the most indepth and incisive comments I've had on my little channel, so it is very precious to me. Thanks! I appreciate the feedback on both the approach and the style I convey. As a contentmaker yourself you'll know just how hard it is to realize a production - and the compromises made along the way. And I especially appreciate falling into the category 'actress' (rather than influencer or the like) as I feel that is more fitting. With your expert eye, I wonder if you could point out an area I should work on? I've made only around 30 videos, so am still learning this RUclips thing.
I feel the need to be creative. Perhaps our conversation will help us, and those who see it as well. I will return with more thoughts. May I suggest some reading? Rick Rubin - “The Creative Act a way of being”
Le Marais still has that unique, cozy feeling with cafes and gardens and mini-plots to relax...only thriving in a Parisienne district. I can ignore the gawdy stuff..and maybe they'll go away. But the buildings, mansions, walkways, alleys belong only to that district. Nice visit! 😊
In 2006, we stayed on Rue du Foin. Far fewer tourists so more authentic at the time…most of the shop signs were still en français. So glad we did it then, rather than now. We started most days with a stop at Le Moulin de Rosa (or whatever boulangerie was there in 2006) and managed to close Royal Turenne a couple of times.
The signs are still in French, the Royal Turenne is still here. As I said, physically the Marais still looks mostly the same (brighter street lights in parts, many more clothing chain stores than in the past, cleaner), but the character has changed. It's certainly become a lot more geared to tourism. Which has its plusses and minuses.
Excuse me how do you capture this 2000's ass TV PROGRAM ass EURO TV feeling in your productions?? Your camera movement and aesthetics and editing is so early 2000's mtv its crazy
Last winter, I rented an apartment in Le Marais for a month from December into January. It was a few steps from St. Paul's Church on Rue Sevigne, and it had a very neighborhood vibe. It was so much different from this summer video. I walked my dog around the Place de Vosges every morning. Don't worry. We stayed on the sidewalk outside the fence where dogs are not prohibited. I loved that Marais. This one not so much.
I think it's great that you brought your dog to Paris. Next time - if in the Marais - you'll find all the Marais dog owners in the Square Georges-Cain. Even some actresses you might recognise. Their dogs are let off the leash in there (it's not technically allowed, but shhh -- all the owners do it)
@@amusingaida,mthank you for the hint. We will definitely be back. And thank you for replying to me!! Question: If you did decide the Marais had become too touristy for you, where would you go?
@@billcolvard good question. I love the 11th, but only the northern part - but the Marais has basically spread that way too. I think for a longterm view of Paris the creative, individualistic life of the city has shifted to the 19th. Maybe parts of the 20th too. But that would be to live... for visitors I'd still say the Marais is a good choice: close to the sites and landmarks they like to visit.
The 4th is extremely touristy (but has many good things in it), the 3rd is slightly less so. For a visitor there's not much difference to see. For living - and this is my opinion only - I'd say the 3rd is better.
hey thx !! comin to ya from a searing place inland from the coast with a wee comment...bein the star of the show,,,here in ca,,its been millennial~fied,,,,and not for the better!! stay cool!:)
Sounds like you're dealing with extreme heat. Probably nothing a margarita can't fix. What sort of approach to other videos do you see as millennial-fied? Superfast cuts?
Thumbs up ! Merci . I ‘ve counted 42 different very elegant and cute dresses , looking forward to your next great video from Paris , how about the Night Life ?)
Its all there for you ) You aint come this far for nothing . And please keep on making more good and funny , deep and creative and eazzzy videos ! Merci .🍾🍷👍
@@amusingaida Absolutely! Though he has another apartment where we lived in 19th, so maybe he's moved there and rents out the Marais apt. I LOVED the Marais in the 90s, now I am trying to figure where I should buy/rent myself.
I just got back from Paris and took the entire 3 weeks just walking to all of the arrondissements and getting the vibe from all of them. Needless to say, each day. I clocked in over 30,000 steps. I was really intrigued to discover some of them, Le Marais being one of them. Once there, it didn’t take long to be a bit disappointed because of all of the obvious tourists. Yes, I too was a tourist, but I wasn’t there to hit the highlights and move on. I wanted to see the hideaways and the architecture and find a quaint cafe. After walking around most of the day, I was ready to head back to the 17th where I was staying and I finally found the Marais I was hoping for. Please don’t allow it all to be sold out to the tourists.
30K steps is a lot! But a great way to create a calorie deficit to make way for French food! I think what you found was the authenticity that many tourist-leaning parts of the Marais lack, so great you found your quaint cafés in the 17th. There are many in Paris, just more likely to be found outside the inner eight arrondissements.
Paris has been my first and last stops when visiting France and Italy since I was able to start traveling in 2022. (And Paris as a child, then as a young man...) So yes, I cry when I leave, I cry when I arrive, my eyes mist up even thinking about returning. Salut
I had the privilege of visiting Paris and the Marais about 30 year ago. It is an astoundingly beautiful area. Maybe even then it was a bit "trendy." I suppose every place has its problems. To be ugly is a curse, but to be beautiful can also be a curse. I'm from a part of the USA that has been frequently described as the most hideous place on Earth. We have, to my knowledge, never had a single solitary tourist in our entire history. So I suppose, different places, different problems.
30 years ago, my friends who were there tell me, it was trendy in a local way: graffiti in parts, some dive bars, hidden away restaurants, a very cool vibe. More like what you'll find these days in the 19th (but better, because it was in a dense maze of streets). Sorry to hear your US locale is so badly regarded. But sometimes an external lack of aesthetics can drive personal creativity and community.
How about a vlog only on Pere Lachaise, some of the people buried there, why they were famous, etc. Most people don't know Abelard and Heloise but they're buried there. Tragic love story?
Sound clips (Piaf, Morrison, Callas, Chopin) quotes from writers-you gotta admit Oscar Wilde was witty-video clips/pictures/narration, where they lived in Paris, reflections on memory (Proust) how we can’t function without memory, pleasant memories/haunting ones, eat a madeleine while you’re at it (!), know anyone who can mime? (Marceau) etc. I need to be in Paris again, sigh.
@@amusingaida yup. Good one. You could go to the cemetery in montparnasse and do something on Beckett. Waiting for godot is the greatest play of the 20th century. But you might lose followers as he’s not exactly tourist fare, except me. Lucky’s speech before he collapses pretty much sums up the mess of the world today. lol
Beckett is one of the greats, it's true. And part of me would love to delve into the works and lives of writers past -- but I'm not sure I'd reach much of an audience on RUclips....
As a french boomer, I think "Le Marais" is a "zone interdite" (forbidden area) between june 15th to september 15th. Too many tourists ... For me, Paris without its students is a sad place. Perhaps that state of mind comes from too good memories as a student between 1964 and 1975?
You'd be lucky to find students living in the Marais these days. Even the chambres de bonne are expensive to rent. But, yes, a quartier with students has a life of its own.
Great video! Will be going to Paris for the first time in September! Where would you recommend staying for a first timer? I am debating between oberkampf and marais 😅
Either is good! For a first-timer -- depending on what you like to see -- maybe the Marais, because you can basically walk to every attraction you want to see from there (except the Eiffel Tower, where you might want to take the métro)
@@amusingaida Hi! I have 1 more question if you do not mind! We found a place in the foli mericourt neighborhood in the 11th. Do you have any insights about this area? is it safe?
That's a GREAT part of the 11th. Very recommended: lovely cocktail bar and wine seller and other things on that street, and all the streets around have good cafés and bars... good choice!
Social media and smartphone cameras have ruined most formerly best kept secrets everywhere. There have always been a lot of tourists in Paris but they tended to go to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Ile de la Cité for Norte Dame. Once a sleepier area becomes "hot" and economically dependent on tourism, there goes the neighborhood!
Luckily France isn't dependent on tourism. That accounts for just 7% of GDP -- significant, sure, but not dealbreakingly so. Still, there are a few areas in Paris that, yes, lean very heavily on tourist euros.
The centre is very original, the number of foreigners of course is a blessing and a curse. I am very fond of the early architecture that wasn't bombed during the second world war. It's an interesting place to visit, but maybe a little too large as a city to reside permanently.
I'm biased of course, but I think Paris is the perfect size: compact enough to walk just about everywhere, but varied and differentiated so that each day offers something new
"I'm a content creator, not a philosopher." I beg to somewhat disagree. I mean, it is obvious that you are a content creator on RUclips. But you're also a bit of a philosopher and a delightful story teller. 🐱
Lovely scenery accompanied by a good story telling. I adore your neighborhood, but like you, I am not a fan of those “Instagrammable” cafes with all the fake flowers and Versace-themed interiors. And, if I lived there, I would be annoyed with the crowds, and especially by the noise. I hope it doesn’t get worse.
Well, I think increased tourism is inevitable. But I have hopes tourist management will develop (showing visitors that shoulder seasons are delightful, and that places like Paris have much to see outside the worn paths)
Bravo! Wow! Thank you for bringing me a Paris that I want but can't find. Your thoughts about Paris are insightful in a way that I can never get inside of as a tourist, making your videos what I am looking for when I need a virtual dose of Paris. Your video presentation is beyond words, highly skilled, beautiful cinematography, showing off Paris and her abundant diversity. You sharing the blessings and curses of the tourist Paris versus authentic Paris is unique and special... please explore that more. Your views of Paris I don't see from the outside and it's so interesting to a Paris enthusiast. Here is Tremendous creativity. Here is a great learning experience for Parisophiles in love with this city. Please...More of intimate Paris hosted by a Brilliant Creative Philosopher Resident 🎉✊👏👏👏👏👏🌞🌹 Subscribed.🌹
You offer some high praise there - thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love that you liked the substance as well as the style of the video - a reward for the work I put into it.
@@amusingaida I don't know who is doing your incredible camera work but high praise to that person also. Very wise to get someone else to do it so you can focus on your wonderful presentation. I'm sure your channel is going to take off! Gratitude!
@@amusingaida You say you are not a philosopher, but you really are, you cannot escape it. This is what gives your videos great depth beyond others and why I'm thrilled to discover your channel and subscribe. Thank you for sharing a deeper picture of Paris and of Parisians and of the French, just what I've been looking for. You are invited to our homestead for dinner, any time. Bravo!
@@kentbyron7608 well thank you most kindly. I'm trying to put out videos of the sort I would have liked to see but didn't find a lot of...
Your channel is the enriching and personal side of RUclips. I’m so happy I found it. Please continue making videos, they are amazing!!❤
Thank you - the words I need to hear right now. I'll make time to get to work on another video...
I live in Le Marais, since 2 years. It can be touristy but even just today as I was coming back from getting groceries, I said to myself how much I love my neighbourhood.
I agree, it really does grab you sometimes. But those sometimes I find are often when you're in a quieter street or enjoying a quieter moment. I've lived there for a long time, and I have to say the street noise under my place is starting to wear me down.
@@amusingaida Luckily, for me, i'm tucked away on the top floor away from the street, so no noise there (just heat in the summer). My street, however, is quite busy, especially Sundays, and that can be annoying when I'm dodging people taking selfies and instagram photos, and I just want to do normal life.
@@forrestsmith5549 That's where I'm at. If I had the Marais to myself and a few thousand Parisians, all would be good. But my favorite restaurant has gone, a funky café with lots of plants has been taken over by a clothing chain store, the bars I used to know have all closed, and Sundays is Instagram Day. I still love the place, and still recommend it as an ideal spot for first-time visitors to Paris, but I'm also very much aware of how other parts of Paris are changing, and how some now have the inner-urban fun vibe that I used to find in the Marais years ago but which isn't really there anymore (for me, anyway).
You are literally the most enchanting woman on RUclips.
I'm happy to hear you enjoy the videos
Well done video-classy, interesting and thought provoking. Same can be said about the presenter.
Merci, c'est gentil !
@@amusingaida bonne vidéo! Hi five 🖐🏼
Love the pussycat and you looked very stylish. As I get older, I tend to stay away from crowds and traffic, I treasure the little museum and uncrowded green spaces off the beaten track. I live in London and it's a luxury to be alone in a little park or on a path, everyone tends to go to the same places, which I avoid as much as possible. Lots of cities/areas are losing their individuality and pandering to the instagram/social media crowd.
I suspect that as I get older I might look for quieter spots too. I do think though that I'll always be an urbanite - I love the variety of stimuli a city offers.
Your lovely and transparent and poetic in your realistic honesty. Well realized personal extracts of your place. A pleasure....
That's a lovely comment -- thank you! I really appreciate those words
😅Ah yes, it’s the little hidden gems that make our days brighter. Merci
Lovely and poetic content, as usual. Thanks for opening a part of your world for us 😊
Thanks! And thanks for watching along!
Thank you so much for a very wonderful insightful video. We very much like your style of describing the city. Very calming and honest.
Wonderful - and encouraging - comment, thank you!
Phenomenal, The streets of Paris with the background voice of yours; explaining the details and perspectives. Its truly a magical place called Le Marais, Paris.
That's a lovely comment, thank you!
Been coming to Paris for the last four years every summer and I can't make myself stay anywhere else but Le Marais :-) summer 2025 again for several weeks! I also feel like it is so easy to explore the rest of Paris, and all the other arrondissements from here... Not to mention all the free art galleries you can pop in ... Superb !!!
You're right: the Marais is ideally located to walk to the rest of central Paris. I still recommend it for people who want convenience or are new to Paris. Just the day-to-day living there is changing a bit in ways I'm appreciating less. A fairly personal take from a resident. But it's an incontournable part of Paris!
Wonderful essay. Thank you! And great to meet Calvin. I never meta a musing Aida vid I didn’t enjoy. Fascinating to see what you’ve chosen to highlight-I love wandering and finding eccentricities like the centuries old button store across from the Cambridge Bar
I see what you did there! I'm all phor the odd pun. I know the Cambridge pub in the Marais -- the button store though I hadn't really clocked.
Merci Aida for this holistic approach to Le Marais, it’s always on my “browsing list” when I’m in Paris. Will follow some of your tips as well. 🥰
Great! Glad to have been of help!
I have to say that the Marais - my old neighbourhood - was at its most magical during the lockdowns: you could walk along its streets in the evenings and be the only person around. It truly felt like entering another time, free of disneylands and instagrams. :)
Yes! It was! But it took exceptional circumstances to see it like that.
So true, I felt that “togetherness” in the Marais as well, this past June when visiting Paris. So much going on in the Marais, and definitely the “go to” place. Thanks for live streaming. I love to be surrounded by beauty, and Paris is the place. Parisians should not take beauty for granted. 🙋♀️ Great replay 😊
Believe me, we DON'T take it for granted - we do appreciate what we have!
Very well done, love the atmosphere there, always taking pictures in that area, perfect for street and fashion photography
@@MoiseLevi oh yeah, you're right: it is a great area for photos. Beautiful surroundings that elevate the subject so easily...
Bonjour Aida, I discovered your channel and sincerely enjoy the content. When we return to Paris, we'll be sure to take a few hours to stroll the streets of the Marais and enjoy a cup of fine coffee.
So happy to read this, thanks! Do enjoy coffee in the Marais - a prime people-watching spot
Thank you for the update on the Maris! I used to live near Place de Voges on rue Pas de la Mule and love the area. Also, I appreciate the tips on France, never know it all even after 5 years there.
It's still a lovely area, even if the character is changing. You used to live in the heart of it.
Many useful information about your beautiful nearberhood thanks
It's a place that holds a special place in my heart.
Merci, Aida! Discovered yours videos about Paris yesterday and come back for more. Your content makes me think about a good writers who become video-creators, Anthony Bourdain, for example. Well, we'll see how good you're outside of France, I just spotted your creations about Brussel ( which no one called " excellent " before) and Australia. Au revoir!
That is some extraordinarily high praise, thank you! And to make a reference to the great Anthony Bourdain makes my cheeks glow - I may never reach his lofty standard, but it is still something to aim for. Let me know, if you can, what you think of the Brussels and Australia videos....
I love le Marais, my sister in law stays there. I get a sense of what you are staying. I stay in 5eme so we still have places that are quietly pretty😅 and overlooked by many.
Yes, the 5th had its wave of tourism in the 70s-90s and found a way to still keep delightful streets preserved for locals (though the density of cafés and shops is a lot lower than in the Marais, outside of areas such as around St Michel or rue Mouffetard)
Beautiful video!
Thank you!
Aww sweet kitty. I have a boy orange tabby like yours. I also lived in Paris - years ago - age 18-20. It was very different then. Tourists were there, but not noticed much. Now it’s so crowded unfortunately- but still special and worth the hassles. I’m going again soon - can’t wait!
Orange tabbies are great. Your Paris days must have been enjoyable back then. But I still relish the time in which we live now. Yes, much of central Paris these days is given over to tourism but there are still so many places to build your own experiences away from all that. It's still a living city.
@@amusingaida great to hear!
You say you are a 'content creator,' not a 'philosopher.'
My dear Aida, you are, in fact, the resident 'philosopher' of Le Marais. It flows magically as you speak and guide us along on your enchanting travels across Paris.
I believe I relish this aspect of your blogs more so than the actual places you take us. In the least, I cherish when you slide into a philosophical aside.
I must visit Paris soon to see it through what you have shared AND to experience the philosophical transits along the way.
Thank you, Aida for both aspects!❤️
It makes me so happy that you enjoy the, well, 'philosophical' side to my videos. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I do like to put that element in there... because the videos I enjoy myself are the thought-provoking ones
Intimate and captivating....
Brought back memories of my short stay in a lovely 18m2 tiny central Paris flat many moons ago.
Can''t remember the area called but probably not far from Le Marais! :)
Glad to hear it evoked your stay in Paris - which you must hold dear, if an 18m2 apartment makes you fond for the city.
You say, you are a "content creator," not a philosopher.
My dear, Aida, you are, in fact, the 'Philosopher of Le Marais.'
As you take us along on your traverses of Paris, your philosophical side magically emerges. It flows with the scenery and, indeed, enhances it.
I must visit Paris soon to see and feel and breath the essence of this city AND be inspired as you clearly are toward philosophical introspections.
Thank you, Aida., for each of these aspects!🤎
Well, thank you jackj. Those are kind words indeed. I just hope I can live up to them in my next videos!
I have no doubt you will live up to my "kind words" in upcoming videos. You seem to do it naturally as all the positive comments from your subscribers indicate.
I'm just curious, Aida, do you write your philosophical (and other creative) thoughts down? Just wondering if, in addition to your vlogs, does your artistic side emerge in other ways?
Apologies for my inquisitiveness.
You don't really need to respond to the above.
In the few times I've been to Paris I didn't even know that the Marais was a neighborhood to see. In my last visit I just walked around the outskirts of it to see Hôtel de Ville. I was going to go to Maison Européenne de la Photographie but couldn't make it. Next time. Glad kitty is ok.
The charm of the Marais is that it's not segmented by public transport - but it also means you have to know you need to dive into the maze of streets on foot to get inside it. It's an ideal district to wander around
Thank you for sharing this
Beatiful video 💕
Thank you so much 🌞✨️✨️✨️
Thanks Dolores!
@@amusingaida
My pleasure 💕🌞
Stylish informative great content amusing , sorry I had to get that in 💥keep up the good work 👍
Many thanks! Glad you liked it (and glad you got the 'amusing' in)
Would like to go to Paris one-day. Need to brush up on mi francise.
You have to see the city at least once in your life
@amusingaida oui, madame Aida. I was born in an Anglophone English speaking world, already been to Montréal in Canada 🇨🇦, a French speaking city in North America 2 times in my life, Paris is the real thing.
@@MrDigitalman78 yes it is... go for it!
J’adore tes robes! Where do you get them?
All over the place... even different countries. I don't have a label in particular that I follow, and never follow trends. But I'm glad you like thme -- thanks!
Loving your content and this video is no different.
Thank you - that's good encouragement to keep putting them out
Thanks again Aida. Your videos are always very well made. I’ll be in Paris again in about 10 days from now. I buy my marionettes on the Isle Saint-Louis (@ Clair de Rêve), and will be staying at Montmartre. The Marais is lovely, but so is the wider neighborhood, Quartier Bastille, Jardin des Plantes et cetera. Cheers, Koen from Brussels
Well done, you should be just missing most of the Olympic congestion. Montmartre is great too (I'm sure if I lived up that way I'd have a lovely video from it). But you can't really lump the Marais in with the 11th and the 5th like that.... you're just saying that a quarter of Paris looks the same. I disagree!
@@amusingaida I did not say these arrondissements look the same, but as they are on walking distance they could also be part of a journey. Anyway, lucky you, living in Paris 🌸
@@koenvandaele8673 ah I understand. Yeah, flâner is one of the great pleasures of Paris
I am a connoisseur of your channel.
And you're the first to comment on this. video, just as I launched it!
Really great video. You are best
Thanks! Appreciate it
Your videos are… inspiring. If I went back to making videos, I would try to follow your formula. But even if I did my best, I couldn’t match the quality of the shooting. The editing is also very well done, particularly the audio. And then there is the content. Simply put, so much to admire.
Thank you, those are kind words indeed. Even more valuable is that they come from an expert eye. But as for 'formula' -- let me know what my formula is! I have no idea; I just do what feels right for me
@@amusingaida Your approach is very empathetic and thoughtful. Quite intimate in a friendly way. You tell a well defined story. There is no waste, repetition, wandering off topic. Because you are not filming you are most often in the frame, you and the message you convey remain the subject. The cherry on the sundae are the cinematic camera angles, occasional drone footage, but those tricks never become the focus, they always serve the narrative. Finally the soundtrack and the audio are very well managed throughout. Many RUclipsrs struggle with audio. For me that is one of the trickiest bits. But where you truly excel, is as the storyteller, the actress, the narrator. Actress seems a wrong, trivial characterization, but I can’t think of a better word for your screen presence. Does that begin to answer your question?
Yours is one of the most indepth and incisive comments I've had on my little channel, so it is very precious to me. Thanks! I appreciate the feedback on both the approach and the style I convey. As a contentmaker yourself you'll know just how hard it is to realize a production - and the compromises made along the way. And I especially appreciate falling into the category 'actress' (rather than influencer or the like) as I feel that is more fitting. With your expert eye, I wonder if you could point out an area I should work on? I've made only around 30 videos, so am still learning this RUclips thing.
I feel the need to be creative. Perhaps our conversation will help us, and those who see it as well. I will return with more thoughts. May I suggest some reading? Rick Rubin - “The Creative Act a way of being”
I'll see if I can squeeze that recommended reading onto my list.... but it's already long!
Le Marais still has that unique, cozy feeling with cafes and gardens and mini-plots to relax...only thriving in a Parisienne district. I can ignore the gawdy stuff..and maybe they'll go away. But the buildings, mansions, walkways, alleys belong only to that district. Nice visit! 😊
It is still a lovely neighborhood, even though it is more crowded on the sidewalks these days
Merci Aida !
In 2006, we stayed on Rue du Foin. Far fewer tourists so more authentic at the time…most of the shop signs were still en français. So glad we did it then, rather than now.
We started most days with a stop at Le Moulin de Rosa (or whatever boulangerie was there in 2006) and managed to close Royal Turenne a couple of times.
The signs are still in French, the Royal Turenne is still here. As I said, physically the Marais still looks mostly the same (brighter street lights in parts, many more clothing chain stores than in the past, cleaner), but the character has changed. It's certainly become a lot more geared to tourism. Which has its plusses and minuses.
@@amusingaida I'll be in Paris in late September. I'll be sure to check it out.
Another great content vid Aida
Thanks - happy to see you were back to have a look at it
Excuse me how do you capture this 2000's ass TV PROGRAM ass EURO TV feeling in your productions?? Your camera movement and aesthetics and editing is so early 2000's mtv its crazy
Huge compliment there. Nothing beats 2000s MTV (except maybe 1990s MTV)
Last winter, I rented an apartment in Le Marais for a month from December into January. It was a few steps from St. Paul's Church on Rue Sevigne, and it had a very neighborhood vibe. It was so much different from this summer video. I walked my dog around the Place de Vosges every morning. Don't worry. We stayed on the sidewalk outside the fence where dogs are not prohibited. I loved that Marais. This one not so much.
I think it's great that you brought your dog to Paris. Next time - if in the Marais - you'll find all the Marais dog owners in the Square Georges-Cain. Even some actresses you might recognise. Their dogs are let off the leash in there (it's not technically allowed, but shhh -- all the owners do it)
@@amusingaida,mthank you for the hint. We will definitely be back. And thank you for replying to me!!
Question: If you did decide the Marais had become too touristy for you, where would you go?
@@billcolvard good question. I love the 11th, but only the northern part - but the Marais has basically spread that way too. I think for a longterm view of Paris the creative, individualistic life of the city has shifted to the 19th. Maybe parts of the 20th too. But that would be to live... for visitors I'd still say the Marais is a good choice: close to the sites and landmarks they like to visit.
Living in the Marais, what's the difference between living in the 3rd and living in the 4th arrondissement? Which is preferable?
The 4th is extremely touristy (but has many good things in it), the 3rd is slightly less so. For a visitor there's not much difference to see. For living - and this is my opinion only - I'd say the 3rd is better.
hey thx !! comin to ya from a searing place inland from the coast with a wee comment...bein the star of the show,,,here in ca,,its been millennial~fied,,,,and not for the better!! stay cool!:)
Sounds like you're dealing with extreme heat. Probably nothing a margarita can't fix. What sort of approach to other videos do you see as millennial-fied? Superfast cuts?
Thumbs up !
Merci .
I ‘ve counted 42 different very elegant and cute dresses , looking forward to your next great video from Paris , how about the Night Life ?)
Oh how I wish I had 42 dresses! (Not that I'd ever have the place in a Paris wardrobe for all of them)
Its all there for you )
You aint come this far for nothing .
And please keep on making more good and funny , deep and creative and eazzzy videos !
Merci .🍾🍷👍
@@alexosminkine6044 many more are planned!
Another pretty film. Thankyou! Bonjour to my ex. He lives in the Marais.
Thanks. And I wonder if your ex would agree with the video...?
@@amusingaida Absolutely! Though he has another apartment where we lived in 19th, so maybe he's moved there and rents out the Marais apt. I LOVED the Marais in the 90s, now I am trying to figure where I should buy/rent myself.
If I were him I think I'd probably be living in the 19th too...
I just got back from Paris and took the entire 3 weeks just walking to all of the arrondissements and getting the vibe from all of them. Needless to say, each day. I clocked in over 30,000 steps. I was really intrigued to discover some of them, Le Marais being one of them. Once there, it didn’t take long to be a bit disappointed because of all of the obvious tourists. Yes, I too was a tourist, but I wasn’t there to hit the highlights and move on. I wanted to see the hideaways and the architecture and find a quaint cafe. After walking around most of the day, I was ready to head back to the 17th where I was staying and I finally found the Marais I was hoping for. Please don’t allow it all to be sold out to the tourists.
30K steps is a lot! But a great way to create a calorie deficit to make way for French food! I think what you found was the authenticity that many tourist-leaning parts of the Marais lack, so great you found your quaint cafés in the 17th. There are many in Paris, just more likely to be found outside the inner eight arrondissements.
Paris has been my first and last stops when visiting France and Italy since I was able to start traveling in 2022. (And Paris as a child, then as a young man...) So yes, I cry when I leave, I cry when I arrive, my eyes mist up even thinking about returning. Salut
That's a strong response. But completely warranted, I think!
I blame the vloggers who keep showing all these gems of a place and spoil it for the rest 😢. Can’t wait to get back to Paris again next year 🥰
Those vloggers giving up Paris' secrets are the worst 😂
Merci
Merci à vous
I had the privilege of visiting Paris and the Marais about 30 year ago. It is an astoundingly beautiful area. Maybe even then it was a bit "trendy." I suppose every place has its problems. To be ugly is a curse, but to be beautiful can also be a curse. I'm from a part of the USA that has been frequently described as the most hideous place on Earth. We have, to my knowledge, never had a single solitary tourist in our entire history. So I suppose, different places, different problems.
30 years ago, my friends who were there tell me, it was trendy in a local way: graffiti in parts, some dive bars, hidden away restaurants, a very cool vibe. More like what you'll find these days in the 19th (but better, because it was in a dense maze of streets). Sorry to hear your US locale is so badly regarded. But sometimes an external lack of aesthetics can drive personal creativity and community.
🙏
How about a vlog only on Pere Lachaise, some of the people buried there, why they were famous, etc. Most people don't know Abelard and Heloise but they're buried there. Tragic love story?
A lot of lovely stories to be told of the people there... but how to bring them to, ahem, life in a video?
Sound clips (Piaf, Morrison, Callas, Chopin) quotes from writers-you gotta admit Oscar Wilde was witty-video clips/pictures/narration, where they lived in Paris, reflections on memory (Proust) how we can’t function without memory, pleasant memories/haunting ones, eat a madeleine while you’re at it (!), know anyone who can mime? (Marceau) etc. I need to be in Paris again, sigh.
but... have you not seen my Madeleines and Memories video?
@@amusingaida yup. Good one. You could go to the cemetery in montparnasse and do something on Beckett. Waiting for godot is the greatest play of the 20th century. But you might lose followers as he’s not exactly tourist fare, except me. Lucky’s speech before he collapses pretty much sums up the mess of the world today. lol
Beckett is one of the greats, it's true. And part of me would love to delve into the works and lives of writers past -- but I'm not sure I'd reach much of an audience on RUclips....
As a french boomer, I think "Le Marais" is a "zone interdite" (forbidden area) between june 15th to september 15th. Too many tourists ...
For me, Paris without its students is a sad place.
Perhaps that state of mind comes from too good memories as a student between 1964 and 1975?
You'd be lucky to find students living in the Marais these days. Even the chambres de bonne are expensive to rent. But, yes, a quartier with students has a life of its own.
Great video! Will be going to Paris for the first time in September! Where would you recommend staying for a first timer? I am debating between oberkampf and marais 😅
Either is good! For a first-timer -- depending on what you like to see -- maybe the Marais, because you can basically walk to every attraction you want to see from there (except the Eiffel Tower, where you might want to take the métro)
@@amusingaida thank you so much 😊
@@amusingaida Hi! I have 1 more question if you do not mind! We found a place in the foli mericourt neighborhood in the 11th. Do you have any insights about this area? is it safe?
That's a GREAT part of the 11th. Very recommended: lovely cocktail bar and wine seller and other things on that street, and all the streets around have good cafés and bars... good choice!
@@amusingaida wow 🤩 thank you so much for your help! I’ll be sure to book the place. Again thank you so much! Always look forward to your videos
Social media and smartphone cameras have ruined most formerly best kept secrets everywhere. There have always been a lot of tourists in Paris but they tended to go to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Ile de la Cité for Norte Dame. Once a sleepier area becomes "hot" and economically dependent on tourism, there goes the neighborhood!
Luckily France isn't dependent on tourism. That accounts for just 7% of GDP -- significant, sure, but not dealbreakingly so. Still, there are a few areas in Paris that, yes, lean very heavily on tourist euros.
The centre is very original, the number of foreigners of course is a blessing and a curse. I am very fond of the early architecture that wasn't bombed during the second world war. It's an interesting place to visit, but maybe a little too large as a city to reside permanently.
I'm biased of course, but I think Paris is the perfect size: compact enough to walk just about everywhere, but varied and differentiated so that each day offers something new
"I'm a content creator, not a philosopher."
I beg to somewhat disagree. I mean, it is obvious that you are a content creator on RUclips. But you're also a bit of a philosopher and a delightful story teller. 🐱
Thanks! A content creator I certainly am. Storyteller and part-time philosopher remain ambitions!
OH MY GOD, Why you didn't tell that you're a "Zibaye Sharghi"? 😄
bien vu
Please send Hotels love cost for 7 days.Thank you VERY much
I'm not sure I understand the question
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
Lovely scenery accompanied by a good story telling. I adore your neighborhood, but like you, I am not a fan of those “Instagrammable” cafes with all the fake flowers and Versace-themed interiors. And, if I lived there, I would be annoyed with the crowds, and especially by the noise. I hope it doesn’t get worse.
Well, I think increased tourism is inevitable. But I have hopes tourist management will develop (showing visitors that shoulder seasons are delightful, and that places like Paris have much to see outside the worn paths)
Mon dieu! J’adore le Marais. Please don’t ruin it with capitalist US instagram vibe.🙏🏼
I think Instagram is a nationality unto itself. I guess people want an aesthetic version of their lives to share. Me, though, I don't do Instagram.
French actress Marion COTILLARD lives in Marais district and Marais is LGBT, Jewish district too !
Those roots are still there, yes. But diluted somewhat, and those communities have found homes in other parts of Paris as well.
Where’ your doggie?
My beautiful dog is no longer
We are so sorry to hear that.
Phoney bologni.
Which aspect are you referring to?
There you go, disrespect the Americans that liberated your country. Make us cow down to to the French!!
Independence merits liberation, no?
...lived on rue Beautreillis six years ago...miss living in Paris...😢
Ah... rue Beautrellis -- the street where Jim Morrison lived (and died in)!