Marchés

Note the difference between a market street, which houses permanent shops, and a real marché, which is an outdoor market where trucks pull up and vendors sell their food for only a few hours—akin to our farmer’s markets.

Batignolles and Raspail: Biologique (Organic)
Blvd des Batignolles, from rue des Batignolles to rue Boursault, in the 17th. Sat, 9–2.Blvd Raspail, from rue du Cherche-Midi to rue de Rennes, in the 6th.
Sun, 9–2. Batignolles was Paris’s first organic market. The roasted free-range chicken is delicious. At the Raspail location there is a conventional (nonorganic) market on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 to 2:30. If you can get to the organic one—go. We think it’s the best in Paris. Read more about the Raspail Organic market

More marchés

Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux
Place Louis Lépine, on Île de la Cité, in the 1st. Mon–Sun, 9–6. Offers an abundance of small shops selling flowers and plants every day except Sunday. Sunday is reserved for the birds (oiseaux). It can be a bit cruel to see them all in cages, but somehow interesting, too. This is a nice thing to combine with a trip to the Conciergerie or Sainte-Chapelle.
Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves
Ave Georges Lafenestre and ave Marc Sangnier, in the 14th. Sat and Sun.
Opens at 7 a.m. Ave Marc Sangnier closes at 1 p.m.; other markets’ closing times vary, between 3 and 5 p.m.
Two avenues of vendors sell antiques, textiles, books, magazines, religious objects, costume jewelry, toys and silverware at bargain prices. Be on the lookout for audio, video and photography equipment. This market has great finds at budget prices for seekers willing to dig through piles of less interesting ephemera. Also on view: “normal” Parisians bargain hunting.
Marché aux Puces Montreuil
Avenue de la Porte de Montreuil, in the 20th. This flea market between the 20th Arrondissement and the suburb of Montreuil is one of the best in Paris, with secondhand clothes, jewelry, antiques, spare parts—just about anything.
Marché aux Puces St.-Ouen de Clignancourt
Metro to Porte de Clignancourt (line 4) or Porte de St.-Ouen (line 13) for rue des Rosiers (beginning at corner of avenue Michelet and rue Jean-Henri Fabre); Sat, Sun and Mon, 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. The mother of all flea markets and the focal point for antique dealers around the world. Within the market you’ll find smaller individual markets, each with its own character and quality level. Some are more “flea,” while others sell armoires and Art Nouveau antiques for tens of thousands of dollars. Must-visit markets on rue de Rosiers are Biron, at No. 85, the most upscale market, where you’ll find antique oil paintings and Art Deco and Napoleon III classics; Cambo, at No. 75, with two floors of furniture; and Dauphine, at No. 140, a larger and newer market selling authentic antiques, prints, vintage—the works—under a glass dome. Paul Bert, at No. 96, has hundreds of dealers offering the latest trends in art and collectibles in a relaxed atmosphere. Serpette, at No. 110, is known for antiques and fashion; and Vernaison, at 136, avenue Michelet, is the place for bargains. Vendors are all used to shipping worldwide, so if a Louis IV desk calls to you, it’s OK! And don’t be afraid to bargain: nearly every vendor will offer you a better deal than the market price.
Marché Barbès
Blvd de la Chapelle, from blvd Barbès to rue de Tombouctou, in the 18th.
Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.This market feels like a visit to North Africa. It tends to be very crowded, so stand your ground.
Marché Baudoyer
Place Baudoyer, in the 4th, near the Hôtel de Ville. Wed, 3–8; Sat, 7–3. Marché Belleville
Along rue de Belleville, beginning at the Belleville metro stop, in the 20th.
Tues and Fri, 7–1.Belleville is a wonderful ethnic market, another North African version of Paris.
Marché d’Aligre
Place d’Aligre, bet. ave Daumesnil and rue du Faubourg St. Antoine, in the 12th. Mon and Sat, 8–3:30 and 5:30–8:30 p.m. Aligre focuses on Arab and North African foods. It’s fairly near the Bastille market, and you can do both on Sundays—when you’ll also be able to enjoy Aligre’s flea market, which sells antiques, vintage clothes and small collectibles.
Marché de la Bastille
Blvd Richard Lenoir, from rue Amelot to rue St.-Sabin, in the 11th. Thurs, 7–2:30; Sun, 7–3.
This is the largest and, we think, one of the most impressive markets in Paris. It seems there are miles of fishmongers and fruit and vegetable stands. You’ll find other things for sale besides food, including hardware and kitchen tools as well as gift items.
Marché Edgar Quinet
Blvd Edgar Quinet, from blvd Raspail to rue du Départ, in the 14th, near the Montparnasse cemetery. Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3. You’ll find everything here, from fish to mushrooms to CDs.
Marchés Maubert and Monge
Maubert: blvd St. Germain, near the Maubert metro stop, in the 5th. Tues, Thurs and Sat, 7:30–2:30 (Sat. until 3). Monge: place Monge, in the 5th. Wed and Fri, 7:30–2:30; Sun, 7–3.
We like these markets because they are near one of our favorite fromageries: Du Bois (47 ter, blvd St. Germain). Plus, you can stop and check out the Mouffetard market street, which is very near here.
Marché President Wilson
Ave President Wilson, in the 16th, near the Iéna metro. Wed, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
Walk west from the Pont de l’Alma on ave President Wilson. This is a huge impressive market with high-quality food and flowers.
Marché Saxe-Breteuil
Ave de Saxe, from place de Breteuil to ave de Ségur, in the 7th. Thurs, 7–2:30; Sat, 7–3.
This is a pleasant upscale market with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
There are 57 roving markets in Paris. Here is a walking trip (from one of the many firms that offer them) specializing in the markets.  

Covered markets

Marché des Enfants Rouges

39, rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd. Tues–Thurs, 9–2 and 4–8; Fri–Sat, 9–8; Sun, 8:30–2.
This is the oldest marché, from 1628. It is named for the red clothing worn by the children who lived at the former orphanage on this site. This is not as impressive a market as it is a fun place to go have lunch or an early dinner. There are wonderful takeout options, or you can order and eat there. The Japanese place and Moroccan places are particularly good. Outside on rue de Bretagne, a traditional market street, you’ll find great cheese, meat and fish purveyors as well as good boulangeries, patisseries and a fine Greek spot for takeout hummus and other Greek delicacies.  

Marché St. Quentin 

Blvd de Magenta, at rue de Chabrol, in the 10th. Tues–Sat, 8:30–1 and 4–7:30; Sun, 8:30–1.
Another old covered market—a slice of life of vrai (real) Paris for those who are neither poor nor posh.

Good market streets

Rue Cler
From just south of rue de Grenelle to ave de la Motte Picquet, in the 7th. Tues–Sat, 10–6; Sun, approx. 8–12.
This is a beautiful market street—one of our favorites.

Rue d’Aligre
Rue d’Aligre, in the 12th. Tues–Sat, 10–5; Sun, 8–1:30. It is best to get to Aligre before 2, as a lot of the vendors start to break down their shops by then. This street has a reputation for being one of the best in Paris and has in addition a covered market called Beauveau, as well as a flea market nearby, at place d’Aligre (see More marchés, above). There is a distinct North African bazaar feel to this market. Don’t forget to check out Beauveau while you are here.  

Rue de Buci
Rue de Buci off blvd St. Germain; rue de Seine from St. Germain to Buci.
In the 6th.This was my market street when we had our apartment in the 6th. In particular, we love the shops Da Rosa, for Spanish ham and other goodies; Fromagerie 31 and Paul—the boulangerie chain at the corner, which always stocks a plethora of perfect breads and baguette sandwiches. It is fun to watch them make the bread in the window that opens onto the street.
Rue Montorgueil
From rue de Turbigo to rue Léopold Bellan and rue St.-Sauveur, in the 1st and 2nd.
Along this stretch is the überfamous pastry king Stohrer.
Rue Mouffetard
From rue Thouin to rue Edouard Quénu and rue Censier, in the 5th.
Tues–Sat, 10–6; Sun a.m.
This street, back in the day, was called “the road to Rome,” and it still looks like it, with the ancient cobblestones that line the street. There are countless little shops selling pastries, crepes, scarves and foie gras, and there are produce stands and cute little cafés for coffee—plus the tripist traps you’ll want to avoid. This street has it all. This is probably the place we’ve all ended up on our first trip to Paris. Hemingway lived near Mouffetard as a young man and he wrote A Moveable Feast about his time spent here.
Read about the flea markets here.