My Perfect Paris Stay in Le Marais

My favourite way to truly experience Paris is to stay in a rented apartment. A place to call my own, even if for a few days, to come home after a long day exploring the beautiful City of Light. So when I stumbled across Plum Guide’s Beaming Green 1-bedroom studio in the 3rd arrondissement it was love at first sight. Here’s all about my perfect Paris stay in Le Marais.

First Impressions

The airport taxi pulls up in front of a small metal door that seems to get lost in a long line of storefront businesses. “Nous sommes ici Madame.” I step out and take a quick look at my surroundings. It’s a typical busy boulevard in Paris full of small businesses and services for everyday Parisians – a jewelry shop, a veterinarian, a travel agency, nothing that would drive tourists to this area. Perfect, I say to myself. I’ve visited Paris many times to know “don’t judge a book by its cover” as what often lies behind even the most modest doors, like this one, can be a pleasant surprise. Thankfully, I was right!

dried roses, painting antique decanter in apartment in Paris

I punch in the code and let the metal door slam behind me and just like that the sounds of Paris are gone. It’s a maze of the tiniest hallways and courtyards each with its own staircase to reach about 3-4 apartments. No lift or elevator, so be sure to travel light! At last, I find my way and take the old spiral staircase up lined with plants and antique objects haphazardly placed on the original wooden steps of this mid-19th-century building. I see the blueish-green door, this must be it!

Perfect Paris Stay

The “Beaming Green” apartment will immediately make you swoon. It features some gorgeous original features like a marble fireplace and a beamed ceiling. Yet, has a modern design with an eclectic mix of carefully selected fine antique pieces. It’s the perfect balance of new and old-world charm, wouldn’t you say?

Apartment rental in Le Marais Paris showing blue and green velvet chairs, sofa with marble fireplace and tables

The decor oozes sophistication. With its plush velvet fabric that feels so luxurious to the touch. It’s comfy, yet stylish. So stylish it looks like it was torn from the pages of Architectural Digest magazine.

apartment living room with fireplace in Paris

staircase to mezzaine in paris apartment

I now know why the apartment’s name is “Beaming Green” a very bold colour choice of emerald green – or historically called Paris Green. Let’s just say, J’adore!

Tour Beaming Green

The spacious Beaming Green apartment features three large windows with views of inner courtyards. It’s not a pretty street view, but the trade-off is it’s extremely quiet. The bathroom features a free-standing modern tub with a rainshower head and a wall-to-wall closet and storage space.

bathtub with rain shower head in paris apartment rental

This modern mezzanine bedroom built seamlessly into the eaves of this Paris apartment surrounded by Crittall windows is so cozy, almost like a cocoon. It gave me some of the best nights’ sleep as a result. The floating staircase is surprisingly easy to get up and down. However, during the night, I did use my iPhone flashlight just to be on the safe side.

bedroom in mezzaine in Paris apartment rental in Le Marais

1-Bedroom Studio Amenities

Your home away from home Beaming Green property rental includes:

fully stocked kitchen with appliances and cookware
pretty antique dishes and utensils
cooking essentials and beverages in the fridge
coffee and espresso machine with coffee (sadly, no tea bags were provided)
washing machine, dryer, iron, and lots of closet space
satellite and cable TV
no air conditioning

kitchen with stairs leading to bedroom in mezzaine in Paris apartment rental in Le Marais

Plum Guide Vacation Rental

Plum Guide is often referred to as the new rival to Airbnb. Yes, Plum Guide is a custom-curated marketplace of vacation rentals just like Airbnb, but that’s where the similarities end. What makes Plum Guide stand out from the rest is the meticulous vetting process representing the top 3% of all vacation rental sites. That means you might pay a little more, but you also can trust you are getting a far superior experience and quality property. Properties range from affordable luxury to luxury.

The Beaming Green apartment is a Plum Guide Award-Winner!

Vacation properties on Plum Guide fall into 2 categories after they have been carefully vetted: Nominated or Award Winner. To be considered an Award Winner, like Beaming Green, it has to pass all 4 of the vetting stages (A nominated passes 3 of the 4 stages). This means an independent Home Critic measures each vacation property on 150 set criteria that represents the “Science Behind the Perfect Stay.” And I can attest, Beaming Green makes for the perfect Paris stay in Le Marais for a solo or couple travellers.

Booking Information

For pricing, availability, and booking information for the Beaming Green apartment click here. Your wonderful host, Blanche, will make sure you have the perfect Paris stay in her vacation rental property in Le Marais.

desk, chair and artwork in Paris apartment rental in Le Marais

Le Marais Location

The Marais is located in the heart of Paris covering most of the 3rd arrondissement and half of the 4th arrondissement. It stretches from the right bank of the Seine northwards. The Marais oozes charm and history. Elegant 17th-century architecture sits in a maze of cobblestone alleys distinctly different than the rest of Paris when Napoleon and Haussman set out to build big avenues and large public squares. Not Le Marais. Instead, the small crooked medieval lanes are alive with bars, restaurants, hotels, high and low-fashion boutiques, trendy shops, art galleries, and museums all crammed into one small area.

Also, you will find lots of pretty hidden gardens and squares tucked away off the beaten path. There’s a reason why when you come to Paris, you simply can’t skip visiting Le Marais.

3rd Arrondissement in Paris

The 3rd arrondissement is the smallest area in Paris right after the 2nd arrondissement. It’s the much quieter part of Le Marais. But still boasts beautiful architecture, boutiques, and art galleries. Being very central to some of the city’s top attractions, the 3rd arrondissement makes for an ideal neighbourhood to stay in.

What to see in the 3rd arrondissement

Here are some of the top sights and key attractions in the 3rd arrondissement:

Place de la Republique – a large square that intersects 3rd, 10th, and 11th arrondissements
Nicolas Flamel house – known to be the oldest stone house in Paris
Musee Carnavalet – even if you opt out of visiting the museum itself, the grounds are stunning as is the architecture

Top things to do in the 3rd arrondissement

Here are some top things to do in the 3rd arrondissement that are all within a 10-minute walking distance of the Beaming Green apartment:

Stroll through pretty gardens and quiet squares like Square du Temple Elie Wiesel, Square Émile-Chautemps, Anne Frank Garden, the grounds of the Carnavalet Museum
Visit a nearby museum – Museum of Technology, Science & Industry or Picasso Museum
Streets made for strolling include rue Volta, rue De Turenne, rue Chapon, rue de Bretagne, rue des Gravilliers
Find these secret covered Passages: Passage du Grand Cerf and Passage Moliere
Visit a 17th-century food market called Marche des Enfants Rouges

As a holidaymaker…

What makes this the perfect Paris Stay in Le Marais you ask? It’s the feeling you get when you are there. I immediately felt at home and was so sad to pack up and go. That’s a true sign for me. Not only was it stylish, that’s obvious, but it was unique, personal, and comfortable. It was also the location- close enough to central Paris without feeling touristy. It was my perfect Paris stay, and can be yours too!

Thank you to Plum Guide and the host of Beaming Green for gifting me with a free stay. I always provide an honest review of my impressions and experience.

First Impressions