Paris: Tips for shopping at the best outdoor food markets for Cheapos
Grab your canvas bags. It’s market day in Paris! While the supermarkets in Paris provide all the food necessary to survive, the outdoor markets offer more variety of fruits and vegetables, often at lower prices.
It’s a weekly ritual for many Parisians, but there’s no reason that the casual tourist can’t stock up on a few snacks or picnic supplies as well.
Here’s our guide on how to tackle the often intimidating world of outdoor food markets, along with a few of our favorite picks.
Where and when
There are dozens of markets all over the city on different days of the week. It’s best to consult the city’s official guide for the nearest one or check out Secrets of Paris which has extensive listings. They usually open early in the morning, by 7 am and begin closing around 1 pm, though it all depends on the market.
Many shoppers want to head to the famous Raspail Market or to one of the fancy organic markets — but the prices usually keep me away. Instead, head to some of the more budget-friendly ones.
The most popular markets are the Marché d’Aligre open daily except Monday. The covered market attached to the outdoor stalls houses a beer stand, cheese shops, and a specialty olive oil store. The market on Richard Lenoir by Bastille, open on Thursday and Sunday, is enormous and full of every imaginable food product. Real Cheapos will head to the Belleville market on Tuesday and Friday to brave other Parisians looking for some of the cheapest produce around. Here’s a guide to our favorite
Preparing for a trip to the market
Come to the market ready, armed with the necessities. First, don’t come too hungry or else you’ll want to buy too much. Be smart about it!
Do come with enough bags to carry everything home. Markets are still using small colored plastic bags for individual items, but it’s best to have a larger canvas bag or basket to put everything in afterwards. Having ten plastic bags cutting into your fingers is not the lasting impression we want at the market.
Also come with spare change. While some market vendors do accept credit card, most prefer cash. It’s best to have lots of loose change to get as close as possible to the right amount, because busy sellers don’t have time to do lots of math when the clients are queuing — but they are really, really good at fast math.
Market etiquette
So once you arrive at the market, where do you begin? I like to do a few laps to spot the items I want, to check out prices, and to enjoy the atmosphere before I start buying. Some merchants will be cutting up pieces of fruit to sample while others will beckon you to their stalls. Be friendly, but don’t feel pressured to buy anything you don’t want.
Related: 10 French phrases to help you save
When you approach a stall to purchase, don’t immediately touch anything. Most of the cheaper markets (read: any that I go to), allow you to choose your own tomatoes and lettuce. You take what you want in a plastic bag and they weigh it, then you pay for all of your items.
Some sellers, however — and you’ll know which ones I am talking about — are a bit fussier. At these more pristine stands, food will be a bit more orderly and the seller will choose for you. It’s normal, and if you see them putting a bad apple in the bag, you can speak up about it. They’ll weigh it and you’ll pay. Just be careful if you’re not aware of how heavy a kilo is. It’s better to say you want a few handfuls of spinach than a kilogram, which may not end up fitting into your shopping bag.
Buying produce
When it comes to the food, there are things to remember. The French are into seasonal eating, so strawberries in February will be costly since they are coming from a greenhouse somewhere. In the springtime, the market sellers are practically giving them away. So look for items that match the season, and also those that were grown in France, which haven’t traveled so far and are thus probably relatively seasonal.
Of course some items are never grown locally — limes, pineapples, or bananas — so don’t go crazy. Buy what you need, and as little or as much as you want. You can just buy five apples if that’s all you want from a stand. That’s five less that the sellers will have to worry about at the end of the day.
Brice Lamotte</a>" width="500" height="350" />Fresh seafood at a stand at an outdoor market in Paris. Photo: Erica Firment
Other foods
Markets are also full of stalls selling cheese, seafood, eggs, meats, wine, bread, pastries, prepared foods, even pizzas and coffee. Plan on going for lunch and walk away with a baguette, slices of cheese and ham, and a bit of fresh fruit, but bring an extra bag for a few bottles of wine or packages of olives for later.
Again, there’s no reason to buy ten kilograms of cheese. Just get a little slice of two or three cheeses to experience them — the cheese monger will usually indicate how much he or she is going to cut, and you simply say more or less.
Final tip: Shop like a local!
If you are in Paris for a while (or even a few days), try to create a rapport with market vendors you appreciate. My veggie guys always throw in a few extras since I’m a faithful client, and that bit extra helps make the experience that much more enjoyable. Heading to the market is a much better way to engage with Paris than just stopping by Monoprix – and it’ll end up being cheaper! Now let’s get out there and shop. Here are a few of our favorite places…
A guide to the best markets for Cheapos
Marché Bastille
Métro: Bastille or Richard Lenoir
When: Thursday and Sunday, 7 am -2:30 pm
One of the biggest and most popular markets in the city, this is a must-for anyone who wants to stock up on produce with the rest of Paris. Seemingly endless stalls of fruits, vegetables, and cured meats dominate the market, while several stands selling prepared dishes like fresh paella and sandwiches are great lunch options
Marché d’Aligre
Métro: Ledru-Rollin
12th aar
When: Tuesday – Sunday, 9 am -1 pm
A local market that guidebooks made famous, Marché d’Aligre attracts those interested in a more sedate market experience without sacrificing quality — or quantity for that matter. The unique feature is a covered section with specialty products like flowers, olive oil, and craft beer.
Marché de Belleville
Métro: Belleville
When: Tuesday and Friday, 7 am -2:30 pm
In the culturally diverse Belleville, this market is popular among the neighborhood’s many Asian shoppers. Marché de Belleville may not be the most photogenic market, but the cheap prices and plentiful produce make it a solid option for budget seekers.
Marché Barbès
Métro: La Chapelle
When: Wed, 7 am – 1 pm, Saturday, 7 am – 3pm
Marché Barbès has all of the hustle and bustle of a North African souk, so don’t go bother being too polite. Shoppers shove and snake their way through this dense market where you can find random collections of food items — potentially expired butter, for example — but don’t worry, those are just “sell-by” dates. Right?
Marché Maubert-Mutalité
Métro: Maubert-Mutalité,
When: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 7 am – 2:30 pm
The Left Bank has markets, too, and this tiny one, not too far from Notre Dame, is one of the oldest. Go to Marché Maubert-Mutalité for the fresh produce and other random goods hawked here, like scarfs or binoculars. The market’s backdrop is a textbook example of French shopping with a boucherie, charcuterie, poissonnerie, fromagerie, and boulangerie all lined up nice and neatly.
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The food articles are helpful, but you really need to convey how the Taxis work. It is not NYC, you cannot hail a cab in most parts of the city. You may get a beat up gypsey cab to stop if no cops are around, but not one of the official cabs. You have to learn where the Taxi Stands are, make notes and you need a good map if you ever hope to find one in tourist areas. Ask at the hotel desk, they will want to call you a cab since they don’t know where the stand is either. Uber is a great service if you have a working smart phone, again doubtful for tourists.
The Metro is dicey in the evening, it stops running at midnight so grab one of the cabs waiting for the last Metro. After that you need a phone to get a cab.
Marche Montparnasse in not on your list?