The markets of Paris, district by district

In Paris, the market is not a chore, it is a rendez-vous. There you cross paths with your cheesemonger, you taste a gariguette strawberry before buying a punnet, you take the time for a conversation with the market gardener who knows his tomatoes by their first name. Each district has its own, and each has its personality: covered or open-air, working class or chic, ancient or renovated.

Here is a journey through the finest markets of the capital, from the Marais to the Left Bank, with what is found there, the days when they come alive, and the way to do one’s shopping like a local of the district. Enough to fill a basket, compose a dinner, or simply take the pulse of an arrondissement, one stall after another.

The covered markets, sheltered from the weather

Under their frames of cast iron and glass, the covered markets keep an atmosphere out of time. One comes in any season, sheltered from the rain as much as from the heat.

• The marché des Enfants Rouges (3rd). The oldest covered market in Paris, opened in 1628 in the heart of the Marais. There you do your shopping between greengrocers and cheesemongers, but above all you have lunch: Italian, Lebanese, Japanese and Moroccan caterers share its narrow aisles. Best on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowd. Open Tuesday to Sunday.
• The marché Beauvau, known as marché d’Aligre (12th). The covered Beauvau hall shelters carefully tended stalls (butcher, aged cheeses, fine grocery) while, just in front, the marché d’Aligre spills onto the square with its greengrocers calling out their prices and its flea market. The contrast makes all the charm of the place. Open Tuesday to Sunday morning.
• The marché Saint-Germain (6th). Discreetly housed under a renovated hall, a stone’s throw from the church, this neighbourhood market offers fine produce in an elegant and calm Left Bank setting.

The open-air markets, the working-class soul

This is where Paris shows itself at its most alive: trestles set up at dawn, tarpaulins snapping, vendors calling out to passers-by.

• The marché Bastille (11th). One of the largest in Paris, laid out along the boulevard Richard-Lenoir. Market gardeners, fishmongers, cheesemongers and producers follow one another over hundreds of metres. There you find everything, at every price. Thursday and Sunday mornings.
• The marché Mouffetard (5th). At the bottom of the cobbled street, on the place Saint-Médard, this neighbourhood market with its village charm extends the food shops of the street. Cheeses, charcuterie, greengrocers: a concentrate of indulgence on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève. Tuesday to Sunday.

The chic markets of the Right Bank and the west

Some markets cultivate a more refined clientele, with stalls to match.

• The marché Président-Wilson (16th). On the avenue of the same name, facing the palais de Tokyo, this is the market of chefs and gourmets. One comes for the exceptional produce, the rare cheeses and the renowned producers. Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
• The marché Saxe-Breteuil (7th). The finest panorama of the Parisian markets: its aisles open straight onto the Eiffel Tower. Quality produce, a carefully tended atmosphere, and that view which turns simple shopping into a stroll. Thursday and Saturday mornings.

Organic and the market street

Paris also has its addresses for organic produce and its whole streets devoted to food shops.

• The marché Raspail (6th). The meeting point for organic enthusiasts, on Sunday morning, on the central reservation of the boulevard Raspail. Organic farming producers, heirloom vegetables, sourdough breads and pressed juices. A classic market is also held there on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• The rue Montorgueil (2nd) and the rue Cler (7th). More than markets, these are pedestrian market streets where fishmongers, cheesemongers, greengrocers, wine merchants and bakers line up. There you do your shopping on foot, from shop to shop, almost every day of the week.

Shopping like a Parisian

A few simple habits change the experience. You come early for the choice, or late in the morning for the best end-of-market prices. You bring your own basket, you taste before buying, you trust the merchant to advise the fruit ripe just right. You compose your meal according to what is in season and beautiful that day, rather than according to a fixed list. And you keep a little change on hand: many small producers prefer cash.

A basket ready on your arrival

Discovering a district through its market is a pleasure. Still, one must know the right day, the right stall, and have the time to wander. On your arrival in Paris, an empty refrigerator and a busy schedule leave little room for strolling.

This is where a dedicated concierge proves useful. At French Realty, they do your first essential groceries at the neighbourhood market, stock your refrigerator before you set down your suitcases, and pass on the local address book: the cheesemonger who ages his own, the market gardener who delivers, the day the market is at its finest. Everything is settled by time spent, with no subscription: you enjoy Paris, we take care of the basket.