Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis: The Marais Neighborhood Church

Paris is a city of surprises: step off a lively, tourist-filled street, and you may find yourself somewhere quiet and serene. From busy Rue Saint-Paul, head into the passage marked "Passage Saint-Paul." This modest but stylish alley has been in use since the 17th century. At the end of this path, walked by countless people over hundreds of years, is a door leading into the church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis. We'll enter through that door.

The atmosphere here is completely different from Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, which we just visited. The ceiling and decor are bright and lovely, giving the church a more refined feel than most. Completed in 1641, Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis is the signature church of Le Marais, a living parish where Masses, weddings, and funerals take place for local residents. It holds Christ in the Garden of Olives, painted in 1826 by Delacroix, the artist famous for Liberty Leading the People. Also notable are Sorrowful Virgin, a 1586 work by the Renaissance sculptor Germain Pilon, and a shell-shaped holy water font donated by Victor Hugo.

After exploring the church at your leisure, leave through the main entrance. The exterior looks a little like Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, and indeed, the church was built with a great deal of inspiration from it.