Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Tuesday Travels - Markets in Paris


When I can visit Paris, I have usually spent months and months preparing an itinerary, down to the hour, for my time in Paris. I can get consumed with the planning process and just enjoy the hours and hours of web searching, book reviewing and questioning friends about the things I want to do... In my previous trips to Paris, I've stumbled on Markets, but never planned for a market day. So here's some of my pre-planning research and thoughts on Paris Markets. I would welcome any ideas, opinions and advice on what to include and what not to include in a Market based itinerary.

I follow a food blogger, David Lebovitz, and he recently posted something about markets. David says
I’ve developed a bit of a “bottom feeder” mentality and avoid the traditional flea markets, the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen (usually referred to as the Marché Clignancourt), and the Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves, and stick to the brocantes that pop up in Paris during nice weather in the neighborhoods. Prices are much lower and it’s more fun to see what pops up as people are unloading their trucks
While I appreciate David, who lives in Paris, can find les brocantes as they pop up from time to time, I suspect I will need to look at more established markets that are more likely to be there on the day I go looking for them.

Les puces de vanves is a popular trinket and antiques type market, although David Lebovitz (above) says this market is more expensive and perhaps more touristy, this website, in French, has so much information and background about these markets. Even if they are expensive and popular with tourists, I suspect this would be a fun market to hang out in.

For planning a trip, I found this useful one stop shop for market advice – even if you’re not going to Paris, its fun just to flick through these pages  Paris Top Ten says
Whether you're in Paris for a day, the weekend, or a holiday, paristopten.com gives you the freedom and flexibility to quickly pick and chose from among the very best attractions that the "City of Lights" has to offer from one convenient website.

For image source - personalised tours.
Looking for Food Markets could be fun too, especially if you're renting a self contained unit for a longer period of time. Food markets including Marche Raspail, Rue Montorgueil and Marches Bastille and Popincourt.Here's a warmly initing quote about Marche Mouffetard......
 This 'wonderful, narrow crowded market street', as Hemingway described it in 'A Moveable Feast', still sports bright and bustling stalls of fruit and veg in its cobbled lower stretches (its upper extremities largely harbour student bars and touristy shops), its atmospheric buildings making it one of the city’s loveliest street markets.
 Marjorie Williams has written a pocket-sized guide covers over 120 markets and offers options for every interest. She also hosts this interest blog and lists her favourite markets from around the world, including Paris.
 One of our own participants, Mardi at Eat Live Travel Write, has done this wonderful post about markets. She says
For me, there’s nothing more disappointing than arriving in a town or neighbourhood when the market is just packing up or when you’ve missed it by a day and you won’t be around for the following week’s
  • Have you ever been to markets in Paris? 
  • Any markets that you would recommend? 
  • Any advice on how to make the most of markets in Paris? 
I would love to hear your stories....

12 comments:

Paulita said...

What terrific information about the markets. Thanks for the heads up. Ah, yes, to be in Paris long enough to come across pop-up markets.

Lisbeth said...

Yes, thank you. I find that when you come to a new country and you visit their markets you get a little bit of the soul of the people.

Ally said...

Back in 2012 I visited Le Marche aux Fleurs, and I instantly loved it.
Here's a link:
http://snow-feathers.blogspot.ro/2012_07_01_archive.html

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

the entire concept sounds perfect!
great post =)

Mardi Michels said...

I need to get on finding out about brocantes other than the big names ;) I agree it's hard if you don't live here to figure stuff like that out. I also wrote about some of my favourite food markets here:

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/food-network-insider/blog/spotlight-on-parisian-markets/4521/

(I'm off to Aligre this week actually!)

Fun post!

Adria said...

One of my favorites is a tiny neighborhood market called "Marche Monge" -- a great cheese stand and a very cool stand that sells honey and the French pain d'epices. Of course Bastille is a must because it's so big and has just about everything!

Nari @ The Novel World said...

My husband and I stayed in the Rue Cler neighborhood during our honeymoon in Paris. And their outdoor market was amazing. Part of why we choose that arrondissmont is because Julia Child stayed there during her years in Paris and shopped at probably those same markets. It was a wonderful experience.

Tamara said...

Brilliant suggestions everyone. Les Marches aux Fleurs, Marche Monge, & Julia Childs favourites on Rue Cler (which The Marmelade Gypsy posted on recently too). Definetly going to need more than a week to just visit all the markets I want to see on my next trip

Jeanie said...

This is a fun post, Tamara. Good info. I've been to Vanves (fun! Speaking better French would help) and have found accidental flea markets on the city streets. Next time I hope to hit a lot more of them!

skiourophile said...

There was a little market opposite the hotel I stayed two years ago on the Boulevard St-Germain (next to the Maubert-Mutualité metro stop): there were some permanent shops - a fishmonger, cheesemonger, chickenmonger (I invented that word?), wine shop, etc. but also a little street market popped up every couple of days with veges and other treats. It made me wish I had an apartment with a kitchen and not a hotel room! Such a good way to experience a neighbourhood too as one watches people shop.

Anonymous said...

I have put the Markets of Paris book on my wish list - it looks like a fabulous resource!

Melinda Larson-Horne said...

I love the French markets! I did a similar post last month: http://www.melindalarson.com/2014/06/french-friday-au-marche.html#.U8z-LIBdWYk.