Local people love their markets and patronize them faithfully, so they get to know who has exactly what, where it came from etc. The hustle and bustle is fun, to meet your neighbors and friends for a chat, to stop for a coffee afterwards, once your baskets or bags are full of fresh produce.
Three of the wonderful market streets in Paris that we’ve visited are: rue Cler, in the Eiffel Tower area; rue Mouffetard, close to Jardin des Plantes and the Pantheon; and rue Montorgueil, close to the modern Les Halles shopping complex and St. Eustache Church.
Rue Montorgueil, including some sections of nearby streets, is considered the last remnant of the old Les Halles wholesale market. St. Eustache was the church of the old Les Halles, and inside is a special sculptural piece honoring the move of the fruit and vegetable vendors to Rungis. The fruit and vegetable shop on Montorgueil is particularly attractive—great deals, and artistic arrangements of the produce.
Sit and have lunch on a Thursday at the cafe ‘La Pointe de Sainte Eustache’ facing the church—rue Montorgueil is on one side, rue Montmartre on the other. During lunch you’ll have a free spectacle, a life show. On Thursday, it’s street-market day on rue Montmartre, the street running right behind the back of the church, with stalls right in the shadow of the church, reminiscent of the old Les Halles market days. People buy and chat, walk by with bags and baskets, young couples push strollers, flocks of pigeons fly by to roost on the roof, the mechanical garbage cleaner hums by. Down rue Montmartre a few cafes remain from Les Halles days too. Further down, at #53, is a very special boulangerie: the owner has been named a 2007 prize-winner for his baguettes and for his galettes (those special cakes for New Year and especially for January 6th, Le Jour des Rois).
(3 pics below from Rue Montorgueil)
On rue Cler, our favorite eating spot is Café du Marche, which has huge salads. The street is fascinating every day (except Monday), but is especially bustling on a Sunday morning. It seems most of the locals are out and about to do some kind of shopping or to take their dogs for a walk, kids rush about on scooters and skateboards, and buskers perform—we especially like the man with the hand-held barrel-grinder.
(3 pics below from rue Cler)
Rue Moffetard, one of the oldest streets of Paris (of Roman origin) is also really busy on a Sunday, with a wonderful festive atmosphere. And of course, wonderful foods and wines. We wander and drool over the patisseries, the amazing range of fresh seafood, the mounds of cheeses. There are all kinds of restaurants around here; the one we like is called La Petite Provence, which has a great ‘formule’ for €13.60 (note that it closes between lunch and dinner, and it doesn’t accept credit cards, so have cash available).
(2 pics below from rue Mouffetard)
PS. If you’d like to see more pics of these market streets and their wonderful offerings, please email me: vmackie@prairienet.org
