Best Food Markets in Paris
The best food markets in Paris are the Marché des Enfants Rouges in the Marais for lunch, the Marché d’Aligre for low prices and local atmosphere, the huge Marché Bastille on Thursday and Sunday mornings, the organic Marché Raspail on Sundays and the elegant Marché Président Wilson near the Eiffel Tower. Add a market street such as Rue Cler, Rue Montorgueil or Rue Mouffetard and you can shop for a picnic almost any day except Monday.
Paris has more than 80 food markets, open-air and covered, run by the city and spread across every arrondissement. Here is how they work, which ones are worth crossing town for and when to go.
How Paris Markets Work
There are three kinds of places to shop for fresh food in Paris, and it helps to know the difference before you plan your day.
- Open-air markets (marchés découverts): stalls set up on a boulevard or square two or three mornings a week, roughly from 7 am to about 1:30 pm on weekdays and to around 2:30 pm on Sundays. They are packed up by early afternoon.
- Covered markets (marchés couverts): permanent halls open most of the day from Tuesday to Saturday and on Sunday mornings. Some, like Enfants Rouges, are now as much about lunch counters as groceries.
- Market streets (rues commerçantes): pedestrian-friendly streets lined with permanent food shops (bakeries, cheese shops, butchers, greengrocers), usually open Tuesday to Saturday and Sunday morning.
Mondays are the quiet day: most covered markets and many food shops close, and few open-air markets operate. Sunday morning is the liveliest time of the week. Hours and days can change, so check the City of Paris market listings or the market’s own page before going.
Marché des Enfants Rouges
Tucked behind a gate on Rue de Bretagne in the northern Marais (3rd arrondissement), the Marché des Enfants Rouges is the oldest covered market in Paris, dating back to the early 17th century. Its name, “red children”, comes from a nearby orphanage whose children wore red.
Today it is mainly a place to eat. Small counters serve Moroccan tagines and couscous, Japanese bento, Italian dishes, Lebanese plates, crêpes and more at shared tables, alongside a few produce, flower and wine stalls. Arrive before 12:30 pm or after 2 pm to find a seat; the market is closed on Mondays and closes in the afternoon on Sundays. Combine it with a stroll through the Haut Marais and its boutiques.
Marché d’Aligre
In the 12th arrondissement near the Ledru-Rollin metro, the Marché d’Aligre is the market many Parisians recommend for prices and atmosphere. It has three parts:
- The open-air street market on Rue d’Aligre, with fruit and vegetable sellers calling out prices, open in the mornings from Tuesday to Sunday.
- The Marché Beauvau, a covered hall from the 18th century with butchers, cheese counters, fishmongers and delis, open longer hours.
- A small flea market on Place d’Aligre with secondhand books, bric-à-brac and vintage clothes.
Produce here is often cheaper than in central markets, especially late in the morning when sellers want to clear stock. Several wine bars and cafés around the square make it easy to stop for a drink afterwards.
Marché Bastille
Stretching along Boulevard Richard-Lenoir from Place de la Bastille, the Marché Bastille is one of the largest open-air markets in Paris. It runs on Thursday and Sunday mornings, and Sunday is the big day, with long rows of produce stalls, cheese and charcuterie vendors, fishmongers, rotisserie chickens, olive and spice sellers and prepared food such as paella and crêpes, plus some clothing and household stalls.
Go before 11 am for the best choice and fewer crowds, and walk the whole length before buying. Prepared dishes and fruit from here make one of the easiest budget meals in Paris.
Marché Raspail (Organic)
On Boulevard Raspail between Rue du Cherche-Midi and Rue de Rennes in the 6th arrondissement, the Marché Raspail holds a regular market on Tuesday and Friday mornings and a well-known organic market (marché biologique) on Sunday mornings. The Sunday market is one of the best places in Paris for organic vegetables, natural wines, breads, cheeses and specialty products, and it attracts many Left Bank residents. Prices are higher than average, but quality is consistently high.
Another organic option is the Saturday morning market on Boulevard des Batignolles in the 17th arrondissement.
Marché Président Wilson and Saxe-Breteuil
Two upscale open-air markets sit within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, which makes them easy to fit into a sightseeing day.
- Marché Président Wilson (16th arrondissement, Wednesday and Saturday mornings): on Avenue du Président Wilson between the Alma and Iéna metro stations, known for high-end vegetables, seafood and specialty stalls favored by chefs.
- Marché Saxe-Breteuil (7th arrondissement, Thursday and Saturday mornings): a pretty, tree-lined market on Avenue de Saxe with a view of the Eiffel Tower at the end of the avenue.
Rue Cler, Rue Montorgueil and Rue Mouffetard
If your schedule does not match a market day, Paris’s market streets give you the same experience with longer hours.
| Market street | Area | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Rue Cler | 7th, near the Eiffel Tower | Short pedestrian street with cheese shops, bakeries, wine shops and café terraces |
| Rue Montorgueil | 2nd, near Les Halles | Historic food street with old pastry shops, fishmongers and lively cafés |
| Rue Mouffetard | 5th, Latin Quarter | Sloping medieval street with produce stalls, cheese and bakeries; busiest on weekend mornings |
| Rue des Martyrs | 9th, below Montmartre | Popular with locals for pastries, cheese and specialty food shops |
Most shops on these streets close on Sunday afternoon and Monday. Their café terraces are perfect for a break; our guide to ordering coffee in France explains the menu. For more ideas on eating on the go, see our guide to the best street food in Paris.
Other Markets Worth Knowing
- Marché Saint-Quentin (10th): a covered iron-and-glass hall near Gare de l’Est, convenient if you arrive by train.
- Marché Monge (5th): a neighborhood market on Place Monge on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings.
- Marché Saint-Germain (6th): a covered market with food stalls and counters near Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
- Flea markets: if you prefer antiques to artichokes, the Saint-Ouen and Vanves flea markets are covered in our guide to the best flea markets in Paris.
Market Etiquette
- Say “bonjour” before anything else, and “merci, au revoir” when you leave.
- Don’t touch the produce unless the stall is clearly self-service (look for a stack of bowls or bags). Usually the vendor picks for you; tell them when you plan to eat it, for example “pour ce soir”.
- Wait your turn. Lines are informal, but vendors keep track of who is next.
- Ask for small quantities. “Deux pêches”, “une tranche” or “cent grammes” is perfectly fine; prices are shown per kilo or per piece.
- Bring a bag and some cash. Many stalls take cards, but not all, and plastic bags are not handed out freely.
- Ask before photographing a vendor or their stall up close.
- Taste when offered, but don’t help yourself to samples that are not set out for tasting.
A little French goes a long way, and Paris markets are among the friendliest places to practice it.
Best Days and Times to Go
| Day | Good options |
|---|---|
| Monday | Few markets; use market streets (many shops still closed) or plan a museum day |
| Tuesday | Aligre, Raspail, Enfants Rouges |
| Wednesday | Président Wilson, Monge, Aligre, Enfants Rouges |
| Thursday | Bastille, Saxe-Breteuil, Aligre, Enfants Rouges |
| Friday | Raspail, Monge, Aligre, Enfants Rouges |
| Saturday | Président Wilson, Saxe-Breteuil, Batignolles (organic), Aligre, all market streets |
| Sunday | Bastille, Raspail (organic), Monge, Aligre, market streets in the morning |
For the best choice, arrive between 8:30 and 10:30 am. Late morning brings bigger crowds but sometimes lower prices as vendors pack up. Covered markets are useful in the afternoon and in bad weather.
Putting Together a Market Picnic
Markets are the best way to build a cheap, delicious meal. Pick up a baguette or country loaf at a bakery, two or three cheeses, some charcuterie, tomatoes or seasonal fruit and a bottle of wine, then head to the Place des Vosges, the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin, the Champ de Mars or the quays of the Seine. Our French cheese guide will help you choose at the cheese stall. Drinking alcohol is allowed in many but not all public spaces, so look for signs.
When you want a sit-down meal instead, our Paris restaurant guide has plenty of ideas.
Summary
For eating, go to the Marché des Enfants Rouges; for value and local life, the Marché d’Aligre; for size, the Marché Bastille on Sunday morning; for organic produce, the Marché Raspail on Sunday; and for an upscale market near the Eiffel Tower, Président Wilson or Saxe-Breteuil. Open-air markets finish by early afternoon, Mondays are quiet, and a polite “bonjour”, a shopping bag and a little cash will make every visit easier.
