The gayest part of "Gay Paree" since the 1980s is Le Marais, a historic quartier filled with medieval buildings, chic boutiques and bustling cafés, spilling out on sidewalks and cobblestoned streets. Le Marais (named for the marsh it once was) by turns has been center of aristocratic, Jewish, bohemian and now LGBTQ life in Paris. More than a gayborhood, it is truly a gay village with some 40 per cent of all businesses gay-owned. During Pride celebrations, it attracts record crowds of revelers of all persuasions. The Paris Tourist Office actively promotes Le Marais as a LGBTQ destination.