The following was written by the owner of our newest property, “Picasso Museum Marais“. She does such a lovely job describing the apartment and capturing the essence of Le Marais, that I am going to stop typing and let her words do the talking.
“On first entering the section of Rue Vieille du Temple that was to become our home I turned to my husband and said “wouldn’t it be amazing to have an apartment on this street”. After looking for nearly two years for an apartment in the Marais I always appraised those shown to us on their proximity to my “favorite street”. The day that we viewed we very nearly missed the appointment, we couldn’t believe our good fortune that it was in the building of our favorite Paris bookstore where we had bought some things on that very first stumble into the street, but we’d viewed an apartment earlier in the week in the street and it really wasn’t right so we weren’t particularly hopeful!
But walking through the gate we were struck by the quality of the building, the courtyard is fantastic (infact they shot a car ad in it a while back) and the entrance hall to the lift was beautifully maintained and suitably imposing. On walking through the doors and into the apartment the feeling was just right. Unlike many of the Marais apartments that we’d viewed this was so bright with tall ceilings and windows letting in copious amounts of that covetable 5th floor light. Instantly my husband asked the owner would he take the asking price – he’s very intuitive and instinctive – he decided instantly this was the one. They were very bemused and said that yes they would take the asking price and that they would take it off the market. They had received two other offers by the end of the day by viewers who had come before us – but David’s impetuousness and instinct paid off.
By no means the finished article, the apartment’s decor and interior was very different to what we envisioned. We took down a wall in the kitchen/dining room and opened the space up, the bathroom also needed a total remodel and every wall needed repainting to white. But now we are delighted with the interior and every time I come into the space I fall in love with it a little bit more. It has the most fantastic energy and looks beautiful at all times of the day and year, in the day time it is light and cheerful and in the evening the light from the other apartments and the gallery below illuminates it wonderfully. The view from the main bedroom and the second living/sleeping room is of le marais’ bewitching rooftops and buildings.
We have furnished the apartment with a mixture of vintage and modern designer pieces. The ceiling light in the kitchen (which has to be put up very soon) is a Louis Poulsen PH5 Suspension lamp, the table is a Cees Braakman and around it are 4 Eames DSW chair produced by Vitra. The small bookcase was purchased in Amsterdam Modern in LA and is vintage, most probably from Holland. The black standing light is the Gubi Greta Grossman Grasshopper light – a current favorite of all decor blogs and magazines. The art work is a mixture of vintage and modern finds, photographs and work from Irish artists. The small cupboard in the second bedroom was a vintage purchase from a gentleman’s outfitters on Beverly Boulevard in LA. The sofabed in the living room is from John lewis and the other is from GoModern in London. We have stocked the house with dvd’s and some books, there are many art and music books in the collection and perhaps most significantly Taschen’s Paris – an amazing, sumptuous guide to the city. There is also the most recent GoGoParis guide – a very hip guide to the arrondissements. There are Sheridan linens at the apartment – both 600 and 300 count duvet covers and pillowcases. The lights above the bed are Arne Jacobson Bellevue wall lights.
Walking out the front of the building you are greeted with a bustling street housing some of France’s most chic and trendy boutiques – dubbed by one blogger “a hipsters open air shopping mall” the northern Marais is by far my favorite area in the city bar none!
Minutes from the apartment are renowned cafes and restaurants. The Rose Bakery which provides the food in Dover Street Market in London is a few steps away. Le Marche des Enfants Rouges (reputedly the oldest market in Paris) is five minutes walk away – there you can by fresh produce and bread as well as dine at one of the food stalls I particularly love the Moroccan there, the sardines and salads are amazing. There is also an amazing bakery on Rue de Bretagne (I’m not sure of the name but you should be able to work it out by the huge queue snaking out of the place).
We also love to eat at other Marais eateries – Cafe des Musees on Rue du Turenne is great , it first came to my notice in The Guardian (UK broadsheet) when Lloyd Grossman (a Bostonian food critic and pasta sauce magnet in the UK) named it as one of his top five food places anywhere (the pork is particularly great). I also love Bofinger, a great traditional french restaurant. Le loir dans la theire in Rue Des Rosiers has the most gorgeous home-baked cakes and its lemon meringue is extraordinary, it is super popular for brunch and always has a huge line at weekends. My new current find and favorite is Robert et Louise on our street, an old-style french resto where they cook beautiful meats on an open fire that are garnished with simple but delicious salad and scrummy potatoes also cooked on the fire. The owners are wonderful and we’ve stayed to the wee hours participating in their music quiz – Franc plays bars of a song from his ipod and everyone has to guess who the artist is – it is the most fun I’ve ever had in Paris and the last time, there were Germans, Danish, Americans and lots of french people joining in – I cannot recommend heartily enough!
Bar-wise there are many cool spots in le Marais – of course la Perle down the street (the scene of John Galliano’s infamous meltdown. Le Progres on the corner of the street and Rue Bretagne has now become the fashion crowd’s hipster hangout. Un Fer au Cheval has an older arty crowd and Connetable on Archives is wonderful for after-hours drinking! The Mexican restaurant Candelaria (on rue de saintonge) has a great little speak-easy bar in the back with great cocktails and lots of beautiful people. We also go to a bar int he 11th called Le Fanfaron, a rock n’roll bar that plays amazing music and is the hangout of Lou Doillon (Jane Birkin’s daughter).”
I don’t know about you but I am dreaming about Le Marais and this gem of a property tonight. For more information about this property visit : cobblestay.com/041 or call us (949) 650-2125
