Marchés is the French word for markets, with Paris being home to many of them. From flea markets to farmers markets, you’ll find treasures galore in the many marchés around the city. It’s the perfect way to wile away a morning or afternoon, kill some time before your next activity or to pick up a fresh meal to re-energise yourself. Here is our list of the very best marchés to visit in Paris.
Marché Bastille
Located in the 11th arrondissement, this open air market of more than 100 stalls that stretch between the Bastille and Richard Lenoir metro stations, is one of the best in Paris.
Twice a week on Thursday and Saturday from 8am to 1:30pm, the shops in this market will be full of fresh seasonal produce and seafood, as well as delicious hot meals ready to be devoured, from paella and pastries to crepes and galettes. Grab one of these and head down to the waterside or stroll a little further to the Promenade Plantées to enjoy your meal.
The market also has several shops selling leather goods and antiques, so keep an eye out for some gems you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux
The Market of Flowers and Birds is located in a prime spot at the northern end of the Île de la Cité. It’s open all week long to visitors seeking everything from simple bouquets to gardening tools. On Sundays, the flowers are joined by birds of every feather, squawking, chirping, cooing and singing the whole day long.
While you might not walk away from this market with anything more than some beautiful flowers, this market still has a lot to offer in its beautiful and interesting wares right in the heart of the city.
Marché des Enfants Rouge
Named for a nearby 16th-century orphanage where the children wore red uniforms courtesy of the church, the Market of Red Children is the oldest market in the city at over 400 years old, and is listed as a historic monument.
Though it is tiny compared to other newer markets, it holds its own with wonderful fresh produce stalls, as well as first-rate restaurants such as the popular Du Pain et des Crêpes, which boasts long winding queues on the weekends, and La Traiteur Marocain, which offers spectacular manouche and tangine. The market also has a little shop at the main entrance at rue de Bretagne that sells antique photographs, stills of Paris and Parisians and many more, amongst other non-food selling gems.
Marché aux Puces de St Ouen
Literally named the Flea Market at St Ouen, this market is one of the oldest flea markets in the world, though it is vastly different to what it used to be. What was once a shanty town cobbled together to create a vast market is now an organised series of little ‘villages’ or sub-markets, some covered, some open-air, all with amazing wares ready for your perusal.
The more than 2,000 stalls are divided into three broad categories of vintages and antiques, clothing, and professional wares, though only the first two categories are open to the public. This still means most of the stalls are open to visitors, who are free to wander all around the large marché. You never know if what you’ll stumble upon when you come here.
Marché Saint-Pierre
This market is well-known to Parisians as the place to find textiles, sewing accoutrement and inspiration for your next DIY project. Whether you’re looking to reupholster your chairs or make yourself a dress, this is the place to go to pick up some unique items that will make your project shine.
There are three main stores in this marché, each slightly different from the other. Dreyfus is a large and full of tidily organised rolls of fabrics, Reine has slightly fancier options, and Moline Mercerie offers fabrics as well as a collection of buttons, lace, ribbons and more. With an institution like this in the city, it’s no wonder Paris is a haven for fashionistas and artists around the world.
Whether you’re looking to spend a whole morning, afternoon or day at a marché, or are simply passing through, you’ll leave the marché at the very least with a small treasure in hand, whether it’s a trinket or a fresh, warm pastry.
