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....