Tour Review: Modern Tastes of the Marais by Context Travel

I’ve been living in Paris for a little over a year now and sometimes I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. That’s why I was excited to see what I would learn about my new city by joining one of Context Travel’s walking tours. If you’ve been following my travels, you know that my favourite way to get to know a city is through its cuisine, which is why I opted for a food tour of the Marais.

Known for its bustling food scene, vintage boutiques, and hip coffee shops, the Haut Marais is home to a host of classic French markets and cafes that have stood the test of time alongside new bobo (bourgeois-bohemian) wine bars and specialty shops. Today, both tradition and trends haunt the neighbourhood, making the upper Marais one of the most diverse gastronomic areas in Paris.

Context Travel & the Idea of Deep Travel

Both food and travel are about storytelling, which is exactly what Context Travels aims to convey through their notion of deep travel (the idea of tolerance and understanding for the culture you’re discovering). Their tours differ from most as they are led by professors and experts specializing in disciplines that range from literature, to history, to cuisine (they are docents, not tour guides!). These walking “seminars,” as they’ve been called, never comprise more than six travellers and provide an in-depth history and context on the city you’re exploring.

Before You Go

• The tour lasts between 2.5 – 3 hours.
• Be sure to wear a comfortable pair of shoes.
• It rained when I went on the tour – thankfully, I didn’t forget to bring my umbrella!
• Pack a water bottle for in between food tastings.
• You’ll get lots of food to sample, so be prepared to eat well – it is a food tour after all!

Modern Tastes of the Marais

We begin by exploring the Marché des Enfants Rouge on rue de Bretagne. Named after children who wore red in a nearby orphanage, it’s the oldest covered market in Paris (it dates back to 1615).

We go on to learn the history of heirloom vegetables, which were the only kind available during the second world war, and how they’ve made a huge comeback in the modern French kitchen. We also learn about the influence of other cultures on France’s cuisine: We stop at Le Traiteur Marocain, a Moroccan food stand that gets quite busy at lunch time, to try a delicious mhajb (stuffed crepe) filled with tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

We then move to the market’s cheese counter for a lesson on the French staple. From all the different types to the regions they come from, no two French cheeses are alike. During the tour, we comically come to learn that someone once said that there are more types of cheeses in France than there are days in a year (my research led me to Winston Churchill, but if there are any history buffs reading this, do let me know if that’s correct)!

We sample a creamy goat cheese flavoured with a sprig of rosemary (Colline aux Chèvres La Bouyguette), followed by a Morbier au Lait Cru (semi-soft cow’s cheese from Franche-Comté) with a thin black line in the middle. How did this layer of ash find itself in the cheese? Normally used to create a blanket of protection over freshly-made cheese, it’s now become purely aesthetic.

Onwards to J. Barthouil, where we discover a selection of high-quality products from all over Europe. They’ve been curating their artisanal products, like smoked salmon and foie gras, since 1929. We’re presented with a selection blinis topped with three of their signature tarama spreads: Smoked cod, crabmeat, and Espelette pepper from the Basque region. This mix of eating Russian blinis with Greek tarama, one with Basque influence, are great examples of the diversity found in today’s modern cuisine here in France.

Next, it’s off to Jacques Genin. Doubling as a chocolate shop and a salon de thé (tea house), we learn of the history of tea time in Paris. Tea houses began when women, who were not allowed in cafes, had nowhere to meet outside of the home. Made by confectioner Jacques Genin, this chocolate shop resembles a luxury jewellery store. Chocolates and candies are laid out like precious baubles while tourists and locals alike enjoy tea and sweets in the backdrop. We’re offered pâtes de fruits and caramel. I normally don’t like caramel but as our docent Rhona points out, these aren’t your typical candies – and she’s right. They’re not sticky or chewy – they melt in your mouth and aren’t too sweet, just like a piece chocolate.

While walking along the rainy streets of Paris (by now it’s raining quite hard, but we’re willing to go a long way for food!), Rhona describes how many North American food trends, like juice bars and weekend brunch, have recently seeped into French culture and are now common among young Parisian bobos. We pass by Wild and the Moon, the newest healthy food joint on the block, and Café Pinson, another organic (bio in French) cafe that serves up a wholesome weekend brunch.

Located near the Marché des Enfants Rouge, our tour comes to a close at BiBoViNo’s lavender-hued wine bar. Forget everything you thought you knew about boxed wine – BiBoViNo’s wine in a box is eco-friendly and unlike bottled wine, their packaging provides a longer shelf life once opened thanks to their vacuum-packed bags.

We’re right on time for l’heure de l’apéro as we begin our tasting served alongside a selection of cheese (yes, more cheese!) charcuteries, pâté, and a green mâche salad (lamb’s lettuce) with cornichons (gherkins). We sample a full-bodied red wine from the Loire region – the perfect complement to our meal and conclusion to the tour.

The wonderful people over at Context Travel are offering you all 10% off their walking tours by clicking here. If you’d like to book your own culinary tour of the Marais with a 10% discount, you can also do so here. Have you been on one of Context Travel’s tours? Let me know in the comments below!

Note: I was a guest of Context Travel’s “The New Parisian Palate: Modern Tastes of the Marais” tour. As always, all opinions are my own.