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Hello, Emily here – sharing my top tips for your next visit to a French food market. Hope they come in helpful!

Emily

Whenever I’m in a new city, there’s nothing I enjoy more than eating; trying out restaurant recommendations, people watching in a cafe, savoring a refreshing afternoon ice cream or a trip to the local supermarket all bring me great joy. But most of all I love visiting the local markets to experience new flavors, and daydream about what my life would be like if I lived in that part of the world. Ironically, when I moved to Paris it took me at least six months before I even set foot in a market. I was so wrapped up in finding a job, learning French, and going from zero responsibilities to becoming part of a family (my husband was widowed and I moved in with him and his daughter) that I was too busy for anything except a weekly dash around our local supermarket for the basics. 

As things eventually calmed down, I found my rhythm and I became a regular at our local outdoor market (Marche Maubert – about a 10 minute walk from our apartment, with a great selection of vendors and a really nice atmosphere), where seeing the same familiar faces each visit is a happy way to start the weekend, reminding me that every day in Paris lays another brick in the foundation of my life here. Now (almost 6 years later) I leave the house most Saturday mornings with my little chariot de marché (market trolley) to do our weekly shop. It’s not really the local custom but I pick up a takeaway coffee on-route and arrive with a vague idea of what I feel like cooking that week, which quickly becomes a solid plan as I see what’s on offer.

At our local market, my routine goes something like this: Fruit and vegetables first, from producteurs if I’ve remembered cash, and resellers if I haven’t. I like to do them first so my heaviest produce is at the bottom of the trolley. I pile my cart high with a mix of colorful fruit and vegetables so the kids get a variety of vitamins (is there any science behind that or is it just an old wives tale?) along with fresh herbs, and I always pick up onions, celery and carrots to make mirepoix (the finely diced mix that forms the base of many sauces and stocks). 

The butcher stall is my favorite stop, where I’m warmly welcomed by the owner who is planning a trip to Australia and loves to chat with me about it, big smiles all round. I regularly pick up a rotisserie chicken with some of their amazing potatoes, roasted in chicken fat until they’re translucent and perfect. My husband says they’re too salty but he always takes seconds. 

We go through quite a bit of cheese each week (I calculated we spend the same as a child’s return flight ticket to Australia annually) but in the words of Marie Kondo it “sparks joy”. A tranche (slice) of 24-month aged Comté here, a morceau (piece) of tomme wrapped in dried alpine flowers there, along with organic milk and fresh eggs. I also recently made frozen yogurt with one of the thick and creamy ones they have on offer (mixed with a bit of sugar and milk), which was a simple dessert that the whole family loved.

There’s no shortage of bakeries in Paris but after the one on our street closed a few years ago we never found a new boulangerie to pass by daily, until I discovered Maison d’Isabelle, who were awarded best croissant in Paris in 2018. I stop by nearly every weekend to pick up still warm baguettes – one for the table and 3 for the freezer (people always ask how I store them – break them in half and throw them in the freezer, in the paper bag they came in, as soon as you get home, then pull a half out when you start cooking dinner and it defrosts perfectly on the table – or if you forget, a 30 second zap in “Chef Mike” our micro-onde does the trick). We also get sweet treats for after lunch on Saturdays, which I look forward to all week. Our order is a perfectly balanced tarte citron-meringue for me, glossy chocolate eclairs for the kids, and the weekly special for my husband. They’ve also won prizes for their tarte fine aux pommes and I highly recommend it.

My last stop is the florist who greets me enthusiastically as I take my time deciding which petit bouquet will come home with me. “C’est pour la maison?” (it’s for you?) he checks, before wrapping the stems up simply in brown paper for the journey home. He always has a lovely selection of potted plants but stops me before I even pick them up, reminding me “c’est une plante d’extérieur” (it’s an outdoor plant), because he knows I have no terrace. Sometimes he relents and lets me buy one if I promise to leave it in a sunny spot with the windows open.

When my usual circuit of the market is done, I trundle home with my packed trolley, ready to jump back into the everyday chaos that is a family of 5 plus a dog. Because I usually only visit once a week (although it is there Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday) as soon as I’m home I pop some of the meat into the freezer to keep it fresh for when I want to use it, and prepare the vegetables where possible because if I don’t do it straight away, they will sit in the fridge begging for attention until they go limp. My simple prep routine is as follows: radishes, leeks and celery get trimmed and washed. Beetroot gets wrapped up in foil to steam in the oven the next time I turn it on. Sweet potato, pumpkin and butternut squash get peeled and chopped, along with cauliflower and anything that feels like ‘effort’ to prepare when there are tired children under my feet, hungry for their dinner. Everything sits in bowls in the fridge ready to roast in the oven or simmer in a pan for easy midweek meals. Potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic and carrots go into their drawer in the fridge, still dirty, ready to be called up when needed, and fruit gets rinsed and goes into the big bowl on the bench to brighten up our white kitchen. Then we sit back and look at the beautiful flowers while enjoying our lunch, finishing up with French cheeses and a pastry from the bakery.

Shopping at a French food market is one of life’s little pleasures, but it can sometimes be intimidating (for the French and foreigners alike) as stallholders don’t hold back on letting you know when they are displeased. I cringe thinking back at the times I was scolded while I clumsily navigated my way through the stalls so I’m sharing some tips and phrases that might come in handy next time you spend a morning meandering and tasting your way through the sea of stalls and (often stern) stallholders.

1. Bring a bag, basket or trolley with you

The thin plastic bags the vendors have are notorious for splitting (and cutting off circulation to your fingers) and it’s better for the planet. I love our trusty trolley and throw everything in there, dirt and all. A separate basket or tote bag for more delicate things like a botte (bunch) of herbs, flowers and eggs is also a good idea. A lot of markets now have bins set up for people to bring their compost (in biodegradable plastic or brown paper bags) so if you’re going to the market and want to cut down on waste then you can take that with you as well.

2. Make sure you have some cash on hand 

Most places now accept bank cards but it is not unusual for there to be a minimum spend, or to find out it’s cash only. If you have coins or small notes with you, even better, as no one will be happy to take a €50 note if they can avoid it…even if the price is €49.99.

3. Visit early

Most markets run from 8am-1pm but don’t be surprised if you arrive at midday to find some of the stalls already empty. Our closest local market, at Place Maubert (in the 5th arrondissement on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings) is quite busy on the weekends and lines can appear from 9.30am at the most popular stalls. If you’re looking for a market to try, it’s a good size, not overwhelming, but with enough vendors that you can usually find what you’re looking for. It’s also happily set in front of a row of permanent specialist food stores – award winning bakery Maison d’Isabelle, Fromagerie Laurent Dubois (one of the chicest cheese shops in Paris), a newly renovated butcher with a wide selection, a small fishmonger, a greengrocer with beautiful displays of fruit and vegetables and, most importantly, a helpful caviste (wine merchant). Around the corner there is also an Aux Merveilleux de Fred which sells perfect clouds of meringue, wrapped in a layer of whipped cream and rolled in chocolate shavings, which I highly recommend you try if you ever get the chance.  

4. You will need to use math

Prices are usually per piece or per kilo (2.2lbs) but occasionally they are per 100g or 500g which can lead to some costly mistakes. I still frequently have near misses on prices and occasionally order something too early in the season when it’s still very expensive (for example I almost paid €20 for a bunch of purple asparagus one weekend but realised just in time). Sometimes prices aren’t displayed properly or can be confusing so don’t be shy to ask c’est combien? (how much is it?) and don’t feel pressured to buy something you are not interested in or forced to buy more than you wanted (something that used to happen to me and I see happen to visitors and tourists a lot). Je voudrais (I would like), une poignée (a handful), un peu plus (a bit more), une barquette (a little paper or plastic basket that berries usually come in), un/une pièce (a piece), une dizaine (around 10), une douzaine (12) and la moitié (half) are all useful phrases. You can also shop by weight asking for cent grammes, deux cent grammes (100g, 200g) etc. Environ (approximately) is a great phrase but usually leaves you having to ask for un peu moins (a bit less).

5. Don’t touch the produce

As enticing as it may be, you’re generally not usually allowed to pick your own produce, especially now with Covid restrictions in place (but this changes from market to market so watch and see what the regulars are up to, bearing in mind that they may be held to different rules. Every piece of produce has to be discussed at length so the stallholder can make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for. “Are the peaches pour aujourd’hui (for today) or demain (tomorrow) Madame. Are the apples for apple tart or eating raw? Which salad do your kids prefer – this one might be a bit bitter”. This process can feel tedious at first, especially when you’re in a rush, but everyone patiently waits in line, knowing they will have the same level of attention when it’s their turn, and I’ve come to appreciate it. Plan enough time for your market visit so you can enjoy the experience, rather than getting stressed as lunch time creeps closer and closer and your stomach starts to rumble. 

 

6. When it’s your turn, start off with a happy “Bonjour”

A guaranteed way to improve your market experience, these 2 syllables are incredibly important in France and you will offend almost anyone if you don’t take the time to greet them at the start of all interactions. This goes for everywhere, not just the market – say it in shops, restaurants, on the bus, throw it around with abandon. S’il vous plaît (please) is also key, as is merci (thank you).

7. Enjoy samples if you’re lucky enough to be offered them. 

There’s no obligation to buy. At best you might discover something new that you like (this year I tried mini mangoes and raw almonds for the first time) and if you don’t like it then at worst you got a free nibble. People are proud of their products so be gracious, even if it’s not your cup of tea.

8. Buy things when they’re in season and they’ll taste their best

I’ve come a long way from the bland “two-for-the-price of one” grocery store deals that dominated my routine when I lived in London and shopped at big chain supermarkets, where powdery apples, sour strawberries and rock hard mangoes were on special all year. Now I anticipate the arrival of blood oranges, white asparagus, wild garlic, the first gariguette strawberries, salsify, and even seasonal cheeses such as Mont D’or. Each season has its stars and its staples and I’ve learnt to love them all, even January, when you feel like the only fruit you can find is apples – because who doesn’t love an excuse to make a Tarte Tatin?

 

9. Walk around before buying

Do a lap of the market before you buy and you’ll be able to tell the difference between resellers (called négotiants), who will have bought their produce that morning at Rungis (one of the largest wholesale food markets in the world) and producteurs, local farmers who are selling their produce directly, dirt and all. Both have their advantages – resellers will have a bigger range, more uniform produce and imported products and the farmers have things that might have been pulled out of the ground fresh that very morning. 

10. Pay attention to the signs

Each product should be labeled with a sign that will tell you where it’s from, which can help you make decisions on carbon footprint but also whether it’s in season (if it’s from France, chances are that it is). Biologique (or bio) means organic and varieté is the variety of the fruit or vegetable. If you see Cat I and Cat II everywhere, they aren’t counting cats. This lets you know the quality of the produce and the range goes from Extra (perfect, restaurant quality) Category I (has very few flaws and you will not usually notice them) while Category II is the most common and you would usually be hard pressed to find fault with it. Fruit will sometimes be sold pour la confiture (to make jam) and means you can get a good deal on a box of squishy plums or dimpled cherries.

11. Ask for help

When you order at the fishmonger you can request how you’d like your fish prepared (descaled, cleaned, fileted) and they will quickly and expertly do it for you in a few minutes. At the butcher you can ask for your meat to be deboned or cut however you like. You can also ask for help with portions, for example “moules pour quatre adultes” (mussels for 4 adults) and they will give you the right amount (although I quickly learnt that French and Australians don’t have the same idea of portion sizes – so I normally add another ‘guest’ when doing this). The cheesemonger is always ready for a suggestion on how to put together a perfect cheese plate, but perhaps don’t tell them you might eat it before dinner as French people are usually very confused by ‘cheese & wine’ as an appetizer.

12. Ask before taking photos

Some social-media savvy stallholders encourage photos and will share your image to stories the second it goes online, but many are less-than-pleased to see you snapping away and will often “jokingly” shout out “5 euros” meaning they are going to fine you for taking a pic. My rule of thumb is no photos if I’m not buying something, stay out of the way, and never hold up the line. Most people are there to do their weekly shop and while they’ll patiently wait while someone spends 20 minutes discussing the ripeness of peaches, they’ll voice their displeasure in a New York Minute if you inconvenience them with your iPhone.

Market Tours

Next time you’re here I hope you have time to pass by a local market and pick up some cheese, wine, bread and more to enjoy. You can find a list of Paris markets here and La Cuisine, Cook’n with Class and Cuisine Elegante all have market cooking classes (a tour followed by cooking lunch together). Paris by Mouth also have very popular food tours. 

I’ll be offering some market and cooking tours in 2022 so please get in touch if you’re interested. Until then, come and join me on my weekly market trips over on Instagram and I would love to hear your French market stories or tips in the comments.

Emily

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74 comments

    • Moon

    Wow I want to be there right now. Thank you very much.

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Moon

    • Linda

    Excellent article, Merci’

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Linda

    • christiane mcauliffe

    really fun read – mouth watering now, must get into kitchen IMMEDIATELY

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Christiane, enjoy the cooking.

        • Nette

        I have four cats, so will stay in the New Mexico mountains. However I feel inspired by your story and photos and will add a look and feel of Paris to my kitchen❣️Thanks

          • nimeshab

          I love croissants, so I translated your article on
          how to make croissants
          in Persian so that others can make it too.

    • Anne

    Hello David

    I was surprised when you said : “start off with a happy “Bonjour”. Does that mean that it’s not the same in other countries ? I was lost in my souvenirs, trying to remember how it is in other places.
    I have never noticed that. Maybe because I’m French ? I always start of with bonjour :)
    Bonne année <3

      • Emily Cunningham

      Hello Anne,
      Yes sometimes we (in Australia and England -the two places I have lived) start off with “excuse me” (if asking for help in a store) or “can I please” (at the market) and it’s considered polite but I learnt very quickly that it isn’t at all a polite way to start in France! I did have to train myself a bit to say bonjour all the time but I appreciate why it’s important so I make an effort.
      Emily

        • Anne

        Thank you Emily and sorry to have called you David. I have seen mistake after posting

          • Emily Cunningham

          Not a worry at all!! Have a great weekend :)

    • Beverly Held

    Bravo Emily, thanks for this delightful post – interesting, informative and fun. Bonne Année.

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Beverly and bonne année!

    • Jane

    Thank you Emily. And thanks for the info on preparing veggies right when you arrive home. I’m definitely going to give that a try. I’ll be back in France March-May again this year! So excited. I’ve so missed it! Have a great weekend!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Jane, you have a great weekend too. Hope you have a wonderful trip in Spring!

    • Marissa

    AMAZING! Even though I live in Northern California and feel lucky to have an abundance of gorgeous farmer’s market available, this made me want to be in Paris with Emily, strolling next to her at this extraordinary market. Merci beau coup!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Marissa

    • daniella reinhard

    Love reading you Emily! And love your photos of non-winter market fare now in January – you’re getting me excited for springtime already . Thanks for sharing! And enjoy your market tomorrow!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Daniella, Spring is around the corner :)

    • AJPeabody

    When we are in Paris, we stay in the Fifth and that’s our market, too. A Camembert lait cru pour aujoud’hui, a baguette, a piece of fruit or a basket of berries, a few pieces of vegetables, maybe some butter, and we have a feast. And we learned very quickly not to touch the fruit!

      • AJPeabody

      Oh, and a bottle of rose from the display boxes of wine in front of the merchant, too.

        • Emily Cunningham

        I love that wine merchant – he always has a great selection of rosé.

      • R breil

      Which markets have ready made roasted chicken or is there an exclusive ‘baked goods market??’ and recommend a good rose! Yeah!

        • Bricktop

        Practically every market has a stall selling rotisserie chickens. And be sure to buy a “barquette” of the roasted potatoes they drip on while cooking. Actually I don’t need to mention that: When you see them, you will buy them.

    • Paul Eggermann

    My wife and I retired in 1999 and after a year of French tutoring set off on our dream trip to France. Along the way we spent a month in Vence and went to the market in old Nice many times. A visit to Theresa’s socca stall was a ritual we quickly adopted. When I asked “Theresa” ( her real name was Suzie) if i could take her picture she said for 1 million US dollars. So i went home, created a 1 million dollar bill in Photoshop, had it printed in a local shop and presented it to her on our next visit. OOH LA LA! She ran around showing it to all the other vendors and I was a made man. We loved her socca and returned on many of our annual trips to France since then. We now have 20 years worth of stories like this.
    Vive la France!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Such a great story – thanks for sharing!

        • Pat

        French markets are wonderful compared to the lifeless produce you find in British supermarkets. Just one thing, though: more stalls do allow self service now and I personally prefer it. Living alone, I only need one courgette or a handful of green beans at a time. Experience has taught me that even if I tell the stallholder, they often slip in a few extra ( which I’m paying for and then they go off & have to be chucked, I hate waste), or I’m given a disbelieving look which is embarrassing.
        My regular market is Marché Popincourt in the 11th although it’s not actually the closest.

          • Emily Cunningham

          Oh that’s great – yes it’s always nicest when you get exactly the amount you need. Have a great weekend Pat.

            • Patricia Dohaney

            Oh Emiy, thank you for this delightful trip to Market. What a treat.

    • dotti Cahill

    Great Post! I am more familiar with the Market in Vaison and have so much fun shopping in the Tuesday and Saturday Market. thanks for all of the tips.

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Dotti

    • Mimi Nugent

    Bonjour Emily – i love reading anything about markets and food shopping in France – have been fortunate enough to have a bit of personal experience but always yearning for more! Thank you for your market advice. Hope one day in the near future I’ll be back on the front lines of French food!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Mimi, hope you’re back at the French market again soon.

    • Judy in CA

    Thank you Emily, such nostalgia. Wonderful photos! We enjoy all your articles, but this one is very special.
    Happy New Year!
    Judy

    • Fer A.

    this is so nice. I don’t live in paris, but I’ve been reading this blog for years (aid your sporadic posts along the way) but I recently moved to france. I buy produce on saturday too and get something sweet. I will try the portioning one, because I’m not sure sometimes and end up buying too much for one

      • Emily Cunningham

      Welcome to France!

    • Smiley in Scottsdale

    Bonjour Emily. Great post. Brought me right back to shopping at the President Wilson market as a kid. I love to hear the customs are still the same 30 years later.

    I loved your comment about freezing baguettes. Yesterday, I visited my favorite French bakery in Scottsdale, AZ, and the gal was shocked to hear that I freeze extra croissants in ziplock bags. A few minutes in the toaster oven and they are crispy and delicious.

    When I was a kid in Paris, we always left the extra baguette on the counter (our freezer was way too small). The next day we would splash a bit of water on it and bake it for a few minutes in a hot oven. They came out perfect as well.

    Bonne journée.

      • Emily Cunningham

      President Wilson is such a great market.
      I’ve heard about the water/baguette trick, I will have to try it, thanks for reminding me.

    • Dan Marchant

    “ My husband says they’re too salty, but he always takes seconds….” Whoa! Funniest line this week.

    • N2

    Thanks for this delightful post about your market, Real Emily! I envy you your daily life in Paris. I live in a small village in the countryside south of Toulouse part of each year that has a centuries old market village a few km down the road. Shopping there is the highlight of every week. I start my shopping tour “sous la halle centrale avec les producteurs locaux,” under the central belfry/roof with the local vendors. Some of them have very small farms. Most are bio, organic, and I love to spend money with them first, then look along the outside ring for items they might not have. One of the joys of the week is meeting friends for coffee at one of the restaurants or cafés under the covered walkway that surrounds the square, so I usually go to the market on the later side when things are more relaxed and there are bargains to be found. Many of the cafés don’t served pastries or breakfast food, so they are very liberal about people bringing their own pastry or cheese purchased from one of the market vendors. This is a farming area and it has been a custom for centuries for people to come in from the farms to do their Saturday shopping and get some social time with their neighbors and friends. It is one of the features which drew me to the area. Bonne Année! N2

      • Emily Cunningham

      That sounds like a wonderful routine, I will have to start organising a market coffee session as well. Bonne année!

    • Lynne Pardoe

    what a great read Emily, I did not know you could buy cheese wrapped in alpine flowers, but how beautiful!! I’m sure going with someone who knows where to find these little treasures would make all the difference. I’ve followed your instagram account till I can get there in person.

    • Trish young

    Bonjour David.
    Always a delight to read your newsletter and to try your recipes.
    I do like the way you write as it makes me feel as though I am right there, in Paris, beside you.
    But David…. Please don’t Chanel Emily. No no no. I just don’t do Emily. The only virtue of that show is the costuming was done by Patricia Fields, an Australian, by crikey, who lost did the costuming for sex and the city

      • David
      David Lebovitz

      Hi Trish, This post is by Emily, who works with me, and she occasionally contributes posts to the blog about her life in Paris too : )

        • Diane

        This is the REAL Emily in Paris!

    • Shrimper

    Wait! Potatoes and onions do not go in the fridge!

      • Joan M.

      You are so correct. And they shouldn’t be together either.

        • Emily Cunningham

        You’re right, but we don’t have anywhere else to store them that the kids don’t find and play with them!
        But we do keep them separate from the onions.

    • Barbara S

    I love this – along with Emily’s and David’s Instagram posts. My favorite way to travel is to rent an apartment with a kitchen and hit the farmers markets. There have been successes and some notable misses – like being in San Sebastián looking for a pasta sauce and ended up with a fish soup base but it’s such a great way to explore another culture.
    Thank you – especially for the last two years which kept me sane. Mostly.

      • Emily Cunningham

      I can see how you could mistake a fish soup and pasta sauce – I’ve nearly made that mistake myself :)

    • Jaime K

    Oh, Emily!
    I loved this post. It makes me eager to return to Paris! Your photographs are simply exquisite. Thank you for the tips; I especially appreciate the phrases. Thank you for sharing glimpses of your market and your family.
    All best wishes to you and your family in 2022.

      • Emily Cunningham

      Thanks Jamie, and hope you are having a great start to 2022.

    • Sally

    What a nice reminder of my visits to Marche President Wilson, the vendors were as you describe, when you interact and involve people they know you value them and their product.

      • Emily Cunningham

      Marche President Wilson is a great market, right by the Australian Embassy I know it well.

    • Be in Portland

    Hi, Emily.

    Thank you for this lovely, and mouth-watering, essay.

    When I was a backpacking college student way back in the sixties, I learned never to pass up a market, a rule I still live by.

    May you and yours have a happy 2022!

      • Emily Cunningham

      Happy 2022 to you too!

    • Anne Marsh

    Hi, Emily, this entire post is making me hungry! (Except for the pieds en vinaigrette, but that’s just me.) I’d like to know what the layered cheese is called (in the 8th photo) — looks like the card says “Brie [truffé?]” but I’m not sure.
    If someone told me I could never have cheese or bread ever again, I’d just have to curl up in a ball and die — life wouldn’t be worth living! And French baguettes and cheeses have no rivals, in my book.
    Thank you for the wonderful info, and Bonne Année un peu en retard!

    • Lucy leton

    Amazing post! Can’t wait to someday come and have a market experience.

    • Michelle Oie

    Feels like I was shopping with you. What a fun morning.

    • Anne Igelbrink

    Loved this! I’m a regular at the Union square green market in New York though it can be a bit grim in the wintertime. I’ve great memories of the Bastille market in January though it’s sheer size was a bit overwhelming. My ‘check out everything first and then shop’ fell by the wayside but the stall owners were very kind with my mangled French. I ended up with some lovely tins of pâté from burgundy smuggled back to NYC and lovely things to eat in the apartment I stayed in. I was thankfully given a heads up by French friends about the no touching rule but SO hard not to instinctively start choosing my own veg though a good way to practice my French. Pining to come and visit once things settle down.

    • JPierre

    Great post and photos and info! Will use next time I’m in France. I’ve started to pay more attention, here in the US, and now greet everyone at the supermarket with a well-intentioned Hello, how are you. They are often surprised and look at me askance. Hope to strart a trend.

    • kiki

    bonjour! what a lovely habit. The pause and greet thing when at the cash register!

    • Bricktop

    For Americans a good way to translate prices right now is to divide the price per kilo by 2 and that gives you the approximate dollars per pound. The exchange rate is about $1.13 per Euro right now, close to half the kg/lb ratio. When I see some cheese at 40 euros per kg, I think $20/lb which is much more relatable to me.

    • Jacklyn Campbell

    What a great read! Thanks Emily!

    • Mary M Feeney

    Very good post, Emily, merci bien. How do you tell the difference between “négociants” and “producteurs?” Do they have signs to this effect?

      • Emily Cunningham

      Hi Mary,
      Producteurs usually only have things that are in season, and the produce looks like it probably came out of the ground (or off the tree or out of the garden) very recently, some of it may look imperfect and covered in dirt. Their produce is usually in crates with no advertising or branding on them. Negociants will have things that are out of season and their produce will be cardboard or wooden crates that will be labelled. Their produce might be more uniform looking.
      If you’re unsure you can always ask them where the produce came from.
      At my market there are usually about 4 or 5 negotiants and about 3 producteurs for fruit and veg.
      Hope that helps!
      Emily

    • Catherine M Mundy

    Thank you so much, Emily. I have been gradually improving my market shopping over the years in the village and the bigger ones like Victor Hugo in Toulouse. But it is still a challenge for someone who is an expert market shopper here at home in Melbourne – when I need to deploy and understand French as well. We hope to be able to do it again in May. Thank you again.

    • Patrick

    Emily,

    Our first trip to Paris, we stayed in the Marais and shopped at the Marche Des Enfants Rouge on Rue Bretagne. Learned that if you see something you want, but it. The fishmonger had some beautiful scallops in the shell the first day. We thought we could buy some later in the week, but he was out the rest of the week. Really enjoyed the post.

    • Patricia B. Chapman

    A wonderful memory of our many visits to the weekly market when we lived in a rural area of France near Geneva. It was part of my weekly routine. I am fortunate to live in Ann Abor,MI – a college town surrounded by farmland- and going to the market weekly is still part of my routine. There’s even a vendor who makes excellent pain au chocolat and baguettes. Love your writing and your images of REAL life in France.

    • MonicaK

    On my very first trip to Paris (a long long time ago), my very first stop was one of the local markets. I was in my early 20s and had no idea what pate was. It looked good so I pointed it out and said, pate de champagne. The owner made a popping sound with his mouth and said, happy new year! Lol
    Oh the innocent me, I was so mortified.
    This June, I am going back with my husband and my 2 children. I will see if I will get a chance to visit your market on Saturday. I appreciate the list of wonderful cheese shops and bakeries.
    Speaking of cheese, I was recently in Hudson, NY where I tasted some of the most amazing local cheeses. Notably the Peggy from Church town dairy. So glad quality and varieties of cheeses in America have been going up.

    • Loren

    The last time I was in Paris, I was staying in Vincennes and lucky me, I hit on the farmer’s market the morning I was to fly back. I bought a lovely feast for the plane. My French is decent, but I had to laugh when I bought a barquette of beautiful raspberries and the woman who sold them to me insisted that I needed a flat of them so I could turn them into confiture. My accent normally doesn’t fool anyone, so I wasn’t sure why she thought I was a local. But I enjoyed the encounter!

    • Jean

    Merci for a virtual market experience. The local farmers markets in New Hampshire have been cancelled because of COVID so your article was a welcomed virtual escape!

    • Janette

    Thanks for this lovely post as I experience my first January in Paris. My market is the one on Marché Saxe-Breteuil, and coincidentally I’ve started to feel like I’ve gotten into a routine that isn’t making the most of it. So this has given me a new approach. Also helpful to know it took six months to get into a routine as it’s only been four months.

A

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