Jardin des Rosiers – Joseph Migneret

Time for a break in one of the Marais's best-kept secrets: the Jardin des Rosiers, also known as the Joseph Migneret garden. On a nice day, grab a falafel sandwich nearby and enjoy a picnic here. (You'll hear all about this Middle Eastern street food in the next chapter.) The entrance is at 10 Rue des Rosiers.

The garden combines the private gardens of three aristocratic mansions: Hôtel de Coulanges, Hôtel "Babe" and Hôtel d'Albret. In 2007, the City of Paris decided to merge these once-private grounds into a public park for residents, and in 2014 it opened as the Jardin des Rosiers, a small urban retreat.

Look closely and you'll also find a piece of one of the round towers that once formed part of Philippe Auguste's medieval city wall. Spotted it? There's a photo on the detail page. It may look like a crumbling bit of old masonry, but it is a protected Paris heritage monument and a treasure of France.