Visiting the 5 Best Markets in Paris

There are more than 75 markets in Paris, dedicated to providing the very best gastronomic foodstuffs, blazes of freshly cut flowers, bargain-basement vintage finds or elusive antique treasures. Here are 5 markets where you can source anything from seasonal fruit to sweet treats for the kids and souvenirs to take back home after your stay in a Paris family hotel.

Possibly the biggest flea market in the world, and taking over a network of streets around Rue des Rosiers, this enticing bazaar has moved upmarket since its inception in the 1860s. Today you can expect to be met with rows of antique dealers hawking oil paintings, gilded mirrors, sparkling chandeliers and handsome 18th-century furniture rather than piles of bedraggled bargains.

Anything for kids? Eco-conscious teenagers will jump at the chance to rummage among the vintage fashions and create cool up-cycled outfits.

110 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine.
Métro line 4 to Porte de Clignancourt.
Open Mon 11am-5pm; Fri 8am–12 noon; Sat–Sun 10am-6pm. 

Squatting under its soaring glass roof, Le Marais’s gorgeous covered market is a hotspot for discerning foodies, who crowd into the hallowed halls to cherry-pick among the maze of stalls selling fresh flowers and even fresher gourmet produce.

Anything for kids? Most kids are fascinated by the origin of the name – the ‘market of the red children’ pays tribute to a 17th-century local orphanage where the boarders wore a distinctive scarlet uniform.

39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003.
Métro line 8 to Filles du Calvaire or Saint-Sébastien Froissart.
Open Tue-Sat 8:30am-8:30pm (Thu 9:30pm); Sun 8:30am-5pm.  

Paris’s number-one bio market is a haven of organic produce, from vitamin-packed seasonal fruit and veg (picked that very morning!) to treats like eco-friendly beauty products. It’s right in the city centre and can sometimes get very busy, so get there well before noon to nab the fair-trade organic goodies.

Anything for kids? Grab steaming mugs of tasty lentil soup, additive-free macarons and slabs of raw chocolate for a late-morning al fresco brunch in the Jardin de Luxembourg’s spectacular rose gardens.

Boulevard Raspail, 75006.
Métro line 4 to Saint-Placide.
Open Sun 9am-3pm. 

Get there early to join Michelin-starred chefs picking out the finest French produce at this sprawling cornucopia of tempting stalls laden with artisan cheeses, the freshest of seafood and top-quality foie gras. You can also buy street food to takeaway – Thai noodles, Lebanese falafels and Spanish paella perhaps – and find a spot with a River Seine view to devour your goodies.

Anything for kids? Get them to taste the street-food offerings. Few will turn down the chance to sample chocolate-laced Breton crêpes – although the garlic-stuffed snails might not appeal! 

Avenue Président-Wilson, 75016.
Metro line 9 to Iéna.
Open Wed 7am-1:30pm; Sat 7am-2:30pm. 

This may not be the biggest Christmas market in Paris, but the festive wooden chalets in Montmartre certainly have the most spectacular backdrop: the gleaming white façade of the Basilica of Sacré Coeur. Stock up on delightful presents including hand-painted silk scarves or gourmet foods before raising a toast to Christmas with a glass of bubbly at the Champagne bar.

Anything for kids? They can gather around the glittering Christmas tree to meet Père Noël on early December weekends, and there’s a traditional carousel to keep them happy while making precious childhood memories.

Place des Abbesses, 75018.

Métro line 12 to Abbesses.

Open late November through to late December. 

So there you have it - five of the best markets in Paris. But there's a market every day somewhere in the city. Over to you now – it's your turn to find your favourite!