Markets in Paris

Au marché!

One of the favourite weekend activities of Parisians is going to the marché. Marché literally means "market". These markets are usually open and are located either on a long street or on a public square (la place in French). They usually open at 7am and close at around 1pm. I have written of my first marché experience in Paris' 17th arrondisement, near Arc de Triomphe. Now that I live in Paris, I have gone to quite a number of marchés and, likewise, weekends for me means, more often than not, a walk or a trip to the marché.

What do they sell in these markets? All sorts of stuff - vegetables, spices, fish, seafood, meat, cheese, wine, etc.; dry goods like small furniture, French soap, perfume, accessories, antique stuff,

I have gone to around 8 markets and, so far, my favourite for food is the Bastille Sunday market, while rue Mouffetard Saturday market would be my favourite for old (and oftentimes antique) French items.

Bastille Sunday Market

 

In Bastille, you will find fresh seafood, and oh boy, are they delicious! I went more than once. During my first trip some time in September (2015), I went alone and bought fresh salmon and some bio vegetables and fruits, and queued for one f the most delicious crepes I've tasted so far! There are quite a number of crepe stalls in Bastille, but there is one that sells great-tasting crepes, and you won't miss it because the queue is always long. A month later, I went again, this time with someone - the only man I have allowed to kiss me in Paris so far :=). We went when I had a craving for fresh oysters. We had crepe, oysters and a cider drink! Later we discovered there was another stall that sells white wine to pair with the oysters - c'est dommage...but anyway, we enjoyed our oysters. If I remember right, we each had a dozen! And the oysters were only 12 euros a dozen!

Fresh oysters at Bastille market.

rue Mouffetard Saturday Market

(to be written...)