Is the Marais losing it's appeal?

The Guardian wrote today about the increasing Mall-isation of the Marais. "Paris's historic Jewish quarter, has fallen victim to the tourist onslaught and rocketing property prices." I was writing about this in September 2006 when the phenomenon was already well underway...........

"Plus the place is turning into a shopping mall. The worst I've seen is the new Lee store which has used the beautiful old facade of the building in a most heart rending manner to flog it's tawdry trousers."

Don't even think of going there on a Sunday for a quiet stroll, you'll be mown off the pavement.

That said, there are of course still charming pockets which you'll have all to yourself and it can't be beaten for being smack bang in the centre of town from where you can walk everywhere. Plus there are the hotel particuliers, the fun bars and Les Bain des Marais Hammam andit's good for spotting sexy young people of either sex. It's not all that bad.