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Parisians love le marché. 
Truth be told, most Parisians buy their groceries from supermarkets. Only two types of Parisians go to le marché to fill up their carts with groceries: those are elderly Parisians and housewives.
Elderly Parisian women take advantage of years of accumulated marché wisdom – combined it is true with the tortuous roads of sleep in the old age – to take over the marché at the earliest hours of the day. Between 7 and 9am, le marché is a charming place, full of elderly ladies, eager to bring home nothing but the best groceries – probably these ladies’ last and most delightful vice.
As the morning unrolls, the scene changes, elderly women leave le marché. Parisian housewives get in with their strollers or their carts. Parisian housewives need wheels. That’s how they roll.
For all other Parisians, on week days, le marché is just a reassuring encounter, a taste of province on their way to work. But everything changes on the weekend. Some Parisians are lucky enough to have a marché near them on Saturday or Sunday mornings. These marchés offer simple visions of a Parisian wonderland. Discrete perfection. Parisians playfully enjoy the charms of their local marché. With its characteristic colors, smells, and sounds, everything at le marché evokes a form of timeless simplicity. Le marché du weekend is a treat. Parisian feel like they are doing themselves some good. Connecting again with simple pleasures, with simple people. Le marché du weekend is about letting go – between leeks and potatoes.
Amongst the weekend-marché-goers, some Parisians are just too cool to simply go to le marché for strict grocery shopping purposes. How common. They go to le marché for the vibe. Sure they shop a little, but they’re primarily there for the quaint atmosphere. No matter how much they like le marché, it is important for these people to show that this is not what they do. I’m with here right now – but I really belong somewhere else. For these people, immediate differentiation comes through style. Style extravaganza won’t be found in clubs in Paris; but at le marché. The cool Parisian goes to le marché in an eminently neglected outfit. That gives him the impression of being a New Yorker. Heavens. Sunglasses are almost an imperative accessory for cool Parisians at le marché: in that they testify of the greatness of the previous night, they show that le Parisien does the marché a favor by simply being there. He’s a tourist – visiting for a minute normal people’s life.
Whether he’s in for the carrots or for the vibe, the Parisian likes his marché. He finds nothing but comfort in this well orchestrated scenography. Fleeting – yet familiar moment. Rich of people and of fruits, rich of smiles and of colors. Le marché is the ultimate Parisian halt. A halt in motion and in noises. A halt that refuses to be one. At le marché, Parisians consider time with modesty, walking, playing, and sniffing: taking for a few minutes the chance of tastier moments.
Useful tip: Best fruits and vegetables will be found at the beginning of the marché – best prices at the end of it.
Sound like a Parisian: “Ce weekend, c’était top: samedi matin, on a fait le marché avec Baptiste, après on a cuisiné toute l’après-midi… tu sais, on avait nos amis sud-africains qui venaient dîner à la maison…”
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On my very first trip to Paris, I woke up early (jet lag), bought a single perfect peach at the marché on rue de Buci, and ate it while standing in the sunshine on the cobblestones in front of the church of St. Germain de Pres. It was far and away the most delicious piece of fruit I have ever eaten.
Wow. A Parisian who voluntarily thinks himself a NewYorker on a hung-over Sunday morning… what a strange idea… but a brilliant post. YOu know, that “look” you are referring to, with that “air”, can also be seen at the flea markets in weekend… Ah, the smell of antique wood in the morning…
It is probably one of things that I miss most from Paris. I used to go to “le marche” every week. However I was not an elderly woman or a housewive. I used to live in Boulevard de Reuilly and the market was twice a week just in front of my door so I went before to go to the office (at that time elderly women were not there yet). And I loved to go from time to time to Le Marche d’Aligre. You can buy tons of food there for nothing. New York Farmer Markets (even the one in Union Square) are far from Parisian markets.
I would submit that the “eminently neglected” look achieves its greatest heights at the Raspail market on Sundays, where it is exemplified by a slightly wrinkled polo shirt. En bleu marin, bien sûr.
Style Spy… Ouh… you make me want to have a peach now!
Jost… Merci beaucoup! The NY thing is valid for people between the ages of 23 and 40.
Séverine… I have lovely memories in Union Square farmers market. But it’s true we’re lucky in France with the quality of our produces. Now one major difference I found between Paris and NY markets was the sociology of people. A market in NY is cool. In Paris… tons of adjectives could work, but cool… don’t think so!!
Barbra… Oups – lovely memories there too! I guess that marché is second to the one on Rue Cler in terms of Americanity. The Frenchies living there its true are very big on their Polo shirts. Collar popped too!!
Je me souviens maintenant un element de mon aventure de garder les enfants en France! Une chanson qu’on a ecoute dans la voiture: ” Au marche, au marche, tu peux (tu peux) tout trouver: les patates et…” – qqch comme ca:) Je l’ai aime quoique c’etait si souvent ecoute.. tout le temps les chansons pour les enfants.. elles me manquent maintenant.. et les marches aussi, ils sont minions si on peut dire comme ca (j’aimais bien balader la, enfin j’ai ete aussi une touriste)..
Vive la France!
JB… I’m impressed!! Henri Dès is seriously insiders’stuff: I grew up on this!! http://www.deezer.com/#music/result/all/henri%20dès%20marché Vive Henri Dès!!
Ruth Yunker… I guess foodies don’t have kids!!
Farmers Markets are de rigeur here as well, for that week-end touch of organic purity. But I cringe at the thought, and only go to buy orchids.
It’s because raising children was all about food, and involved making three meals a day every day forever, including snacks and treats, and food for the pets, which meant I lived at the grocery store, and could shop blindfolded.
I now run screaming from the whole mystique surrounding food, especially the buying of it at open air markets, and especially when I am away from it all in Paris!
I will, however, gladly attend the candlelit dinner made from fresh-that-day produce, shopped for, and prepared by absolutely anyone else.
JB… Les accents ont eu raison du lien précédent – le même sans accent – should work : http://www.deezer.com/#music/result/all/henri%20des%20marche
Ahahaha catching again some fantastic contradictions of parisian lifestyle !
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Thanks for the atmosphere – both the marche itself and the Parisian rugby polo rayban diesel jeans outfit
I’d like to add to the story the unmissable UMP deputy saying hello to everyone in order to win his next election
Your blog is just “cartes postales de paris” with the smell, the colours, just about everything !
Bravo Olivier, again !
I trust this refers more to Marche Levis (or des Ternes) rather than Belleville!
Sunglasses don’t go without le petit cafe en terrasse au coin du marche after half an hour or hard walk between salads and roasted chicken.
Stéphan… Merci, c’est vraiment gentil. Glad you’re enjoying the blog… I try to restitute things with honesty! To complete the figure of our cool marché goe, I guess it’s important not to forget the Havaianas!
Marc… Probably more indeed. But la boboisation et la coolisation are at hand everywhere in Paris!!
Il love the “sound like a parisian” quote. This is perfectly true…I am not a marché-goer, but I do not live near Les Enfants Rouge nor Rue de Lévis. I do live in the outskirts (la banlieue) where the atmosphere au marché is very different and shopping at my local vegetable store is a lot more convenient. But then, I do live in the outskirts and I am not sure that makes me a Parisian…
…”et les poissons”!!
merci pour le link, je l’ai vu une fois je pense et je l’ai oublie.. merci.. c’est bien, la musique!
I’m also keeping it real out in da banlieue, and my market is a bit more populaire. But I might start wearing my sunglasses so that I can pretend to be a Parisian pretending to be a New Yorker.
This is a good topic, thanks for posting. I am lucky to live next to a marche that is open 6 days a week, including Saturday and Sunday. However, I have become one of those women with the caddies. Does that make me a “housewife” at the age of 23? Kind of makes me feel old and sad. At least I am eating well….
Véronique… Well, seen from Marseille, you probably are a Parisienne, but seen from Paris…
JB… Merci à toi – cela fait deux jours que Henri Dès et Yves Duteil résonnent chez O Chateau! Retombé en enfance je suis.
Accidental Parisian… Sneaky!!
Stefanie… yup, un caddie definitely makes you a housewife! Don’t feel old and sad… just lose le caddie!
My sister had an appartment in the 12th right out her window over the fab marche on bd Vincent – the marche Nation.
Then she felt a snob need to upgrade and moved to the 16th for her Paris pied-a-terre…
Dommage! no marches now
What a fantastic post. I have just stumbled across your blog and love it, look forward to reading more of stuff parisians like!
Your blog is marvelous — and oh so apt. I can hear my Parisian colleagues euhing et ummming while they ever so carefully choose their strawberries, and remembering when they were last en Provence… to each his Proust.
Reviews of your wine tasting classes whet the palate as well.
Bonne continuation!
– Madeleine
Paris Breakfasts… Don’t people in the 16th eat?!
Parlez-vous Kiwi… Thank you – that’s very nice of you. More to come… today hopefully!
Madeleine… Merci beaucoup – I think most Parisians’ tragedy is that they lack a madeleine actually. But that’s a whole different topic. I’m glad you read good reviews about O Chateau… we give our best!!
I never realized that most Parisians visited the supermarket and not the outdoor market for grocery shopping. When I visited Paris close to 20 years ago, I remember how much I loved the open market. We brought home fresh eggs, fresh baked bread, wine, fresh fruit. I was so depressed when I got back to the United States because the food I ate after Paris just wasn’t the same.
Joan… There are still many markets and they seem to be doing well – so you can come back anytime and still live that experience again, no worries!!
I´ve been to Paris a few times. However I´m afraid I missed all this. I saw markets and people at markets but I didn´t give it more than one thought.
this blog was great
paris ville des amoureux de tous ceux qui ont des rêves .. moi j’adore paris et l’ambiance de paris
Yes it was always le marche followed by the constitutional visit to the Frog & Rosbif (is it still there?)
Actually I love to see these kinds of markets compare to the one in the supermarket. Traditional, not big corporation which only think about profit
It’s not just the Parisians we do too down here in Saint Tropez
Great blog by the way keep it up!
This was a great post. I have always wanted to go to Paris, simply to take in the culture that runs deep throughout the city. Living in the US you rarely come across cities that have rich histories and traditions like those in Europe. I am planning a trip to Paris next year and was looking for things to do. Le – Marche sounds exactly something I am looking to do.
Yeah Best fruits and vegetables will be found at the beginning of the marché, because it’s still fresh! People who can differs better fruits and vegetables surely can take advantages in this.
In my country, you’ll get everything in much cheaper price than buying in the supermarkets (even if it’s in the beginning of the marché).
Excellent post and true remarks but Paris is not France… and you could say french loves Le Marché !