The Marais is a wonderful place for café sitting and eating. You'll find a half dozen restaurants just on the small Place Bourg Tibourg (off the Rue de Rivoli, just across from the Mairie of the 4th arrondissement, where the twice-weekly open market is held). Offering everything from onion soup to Italian food to sandwiches, these small restaurants do a brisk trade.

Just a couple blocks away, the Rue Vieille du Temple is lined with cafés that provide great people watching (as well as food). Ice cream shops abound in the area as well.

Just around the corner from the Rue Vieille du Temple is the Rue des Rosiers, home to several falafel restaurants where you can get a large, delicious, and inexpensive sandwich or a full meal. If you get a fallafel sandwich for a picnic, however, be aware that the sandwiches are packed full and can be messy—but worth it. If you eat in a restaurant, you'll find prices somewhat higher than what you pay for take out.

About a kilometer north (up Rue Vieille du Temple or Rue des Archives), on the Rue de Bretagne, is the Marché des Enfants Rouges. Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris. In addiiton to the wonderful shopping opportunities in the market, there are also a number of traiteurs that offer prepared foods.

Delicious falafel platter, Rue des Rosiers, Marais.

You can get food to go or be served at one of the tables that line the market. If you want a glass of wine and your traiteur doesn't have wine, you can go to one of the nearby restaurants and buy a glass. Enfants Rouges offers a great variety of foods, from French to Italian to Middle Eastern, in an informal and interesting setting.

If you want a more traditional lunch, several nearby restaurants offer full service meals. Or if you're wanting to be outside, simply buy some prepared foods and fruit and head to the nearby Square du Temple for a picnic.

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Paris Restaurant Areas Restaurants on Île St-Louis Paris Markets Covered Markets Paris Parks & Gardens Abou the Marais Paris Transportation