Paris Markets

[MarkinHouston]

Patricia Wells speaks quite highly of this vendor in the Carmes Market, and I infer from her description that Le Soleil Provencal is only there on Saturday. Her glowing comments about the tanche olives and the olive oil from Mausanne-ler-Alpilles lead me to two questions: is this vendor only at the Saturday market? and can anyone tell me about personally trying this olive oil? We are already trying to balance a trip to Chartres and the start of the Tour de France on one Saturday, and the second Saturday is definitely out due to a one-day TGV to the Loire for a tour. Is this oil worthy of a special visit early on Saturday, or can I find it at that market on Tuesday or Thursday (or elsehwere, for that matter)? I know there are some specialty shops for olive oils, but I swear Patricia was at a prie dieux when writing about Mausanne-les-Alpilles!

[Louisa Chu]

I don't know about the vendor but I have tried the oil. It's very good but I don't think it's worth a special trip to a market in Paris. You can buy it online or email them and ask where else you can find their stuff. I visited the mill down south and that definitely is worth a day.

Moulin Cornille

[MarkinHouston]

Thanks, Louisa! If circumstances prevent visiting the market while Moulin Cornille is there, I will place an order through the connection you have provided.

[Bux]

Thanks, Louisa! If circumstances prevent visiting the market while Moulin Cornille is there, I will place an order through the connection you have provided.

The price of delivery of a liter of olive oil may seem prohibitive (and depending on where you are in the states, it may be an unreasonable price over the cost of the best locally available oil) but think of it as buying a half day of vacation in France, not the oil.

[David Bizer]

Where is the Carmes Market? I've only heard of Maubert, Monge and Mouffetard in the 5th?

If you are interested in oils, I can make another suggestion. Mille et Une Huiles

Besides the high quality of the product, if you visit them at one of the markets, you can taste just about anything they have on offer which is great when buying oil. Here's a list of where you can find them. It's also on their site.

Paris :

- Marché de Bastille, boulevard Richard Lenoir, Paris 11°

Every Sunday morning. de 8h à 13 heures

métro Bréguet Sabin or Bastille

This is one of the best markets in Paris as well...Huge!!

- Marché de Maubert, place Maubert Mutualité, Paris V°

Every Saturday morning de 8h à 13 h

Métro Maubert Mutualité

- Marché des Enfants Rouges, 39 rue de Bretagne, Paris 3°

Every day 9h à 14 h et de 16 h à 20 h

Sunday de 9h à 14 h, Closed Mondays

Métro : Arts et Métiers ou Saint Sébastien Froissard

- Printemps Nation, Avenue du Trône, Paris 20°

Everyday except Sunday de 10h à 19h30

Thursday nights until 21 h

You probably can't taste here.

I love their Spanish oil.

Check it out.

[MarkinHouston]

David, it is the maket at Maubert. Ms. Wells indicates it is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with Saturday as the day for the Provencal folks. Thank you for the other information. I'll have to check it out.

[Louisa Chu]

Mark, I used to live right up the street from this market - and I do mean up the street. I lived on Avenue de la Montagne Ste. Genevieve - which is uphill. And it is open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. I can absolutely assure you of this because not only did I walk by Maubert-Mutualite just about every day, but we had a rental car that was towed on both a Tuesday and Wednesday because of the market. Don't ask - ex-boyfriend just wouldn't listen. Saturday's the biggest day. On the weekdays it's mostly just food, but on Saturdays there are a lot more vendors. So having said that, it might just be worth the special trip - if you tie it in with the original Maison Kayser on Rue Monge. And then you'd have to visit their little know bio/organic patisserie as well. And then there's Diptyque right around the corner - if you're into scented candles, and c'mon who's not - where they gift wrap each candle in layers of jewel-toned tissue paper - for free. You could also have a drink or lunch at Balzar which everyone loves - but I still hold a grudge against them because they stepped on my dog's tail but then did not aplogize to her.

[MarkinHouston]

Louisa, thanks for the information. We are staying at the Hotel Londres - Eiffel near rue Cler, so if I can figure out the Metro, it should be a quick jaunt over to Mauberg, oui? I might have to go there twice, since we will be going to Chartres on Saturday morning. Perhaps we should attend Malcolm Miller's cathedral tour at 1430 rather than at 1210?

[David Bizer]

Mark,

Just another thought. If you really like markets, besides the obvious one on Rue Cler itself, you can visit the market under the elevated metro on Blvd. La Motte Piquet. It runs under the metro between LaMotte Piquet and Dupleix. It's open on Weds and Sun. There are more non-food items on Wednesday. There is also a fabulous market on Avenue de Saxe from Place de Bretueil to Avenue de Segur. This one is on Thursdays and Saturdays. On Saturday, the choice of food products is some of the best in the city. These markets are close by to where you are staying. Oh yeah, one more, just across the river on Av. President Wilson. This one is on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It's a nice walk across the Pont D'A'lma, then up thru the market and you keep going to Trocadero for great views of the Eiffel Tower.

Cheers,

[Louisa Chu]

Mark, I know that hotel well. It's right across the street from my laundromat - yes, oh what a glamourous life I lead - very charming and nice staff - they never mind when my dog just runs into their breakfast garden. Oh god no, don't take the Metro - I hate the Metro. Besides you'd have to hike it all the way over to Ecole Militaire. Take the 87 bus at Bourdonnais/Rapp right to Maubert Mutualite. Take it from Cluny back to Champ de Mars/Bourdonnais.

Use the RATP site Route Finder to figure out how to best get around.

But just re-reading your post, not on the the Saturday of the start of the Tour. All transport in the area will be a nightmare.

I know nothing about the Chartres tour - sorry.

But you're trying to take in the market, the start of the Tour and the trip to Chartres all in the same day? Is that right?

[MarkinHouston]

Louisa, this is our time line for that Saturday: I will take the 87 bus over to the 5th about 0700 and get some coffee and croissant while waiting for the market to open. Allowing an hour to look at things, I will try to find/sample/purchase some of the Moulin Cornille olive oil. I'll take the bus back to rue Cler and then proceed with my wife to the gare for the train to Chartres. Assuming we arrive before noon, we will either take the early church tour at 1210 or get lunch and watch the start of the race on TV in a bar and then take in the second cathedral tour at 1430. (We aren't the "lounge-in-the-hotel-room" kind of travelers!)

[menton1]

- but I still hold a grudge against them because they stepped on my dog's tail but then did not aplogize to her.

Right on, loufood!! How is the doggie? Hope she is OK, give her a kiss for me!!

Edited June 19, 2003 by menton1 (log)

[Louisa Chu]

Mark, that bus stop is on the race route - it will be closed that day. Even if you took the Metro or took a taxi I don't think you'd have enough time to get around town and then get out to Chartres. I know you're not a lounger but this is the other extreme!

menton, Karli's OK - I remain indignant. Bisous from her too!

[MarkinHouston]

It appears to be a walk of about two miles from rue Cler to Mauberg. If so, that is about 30-40 minutes at my normal pace! Would walking be feasible, given that this is the race day but also that this is three or four hours before the start of the race? Or should I forget the market and concentrate my worries on getting from rue Cler to Gare Montparnasse?

[David Bizer]

Mark,

While Louisa isn't a fan of the metro, I have to speak to the contrary...sorry Louisa

I use the metro multiple times a day and while there are some inconveniences, like the increased scent in the summer, it's the best way around. Buses work well if you don't mind waiting and taking your time.

Anyway...your choice. If you use the metro, go to Ecole Militaire, or better yet, take your morning stroll across the Champ du Mars and go to La Motte Piquet. You take the line 10 from there directly to Maubert Mutualite and the market is right at the exit. At 7am, you'll have no problem getting there and enjoying the area for a couple of hours.

Getting to Montparnasse is a breeze too...either go back to La Motte Piquet and take the line 6 directly there, or walk over to Invalides and take the line 13 directly there.

If you are taking the metro a lot, buy a carnet, which is a book of ten tickets and probably your best deal for 9,60

Have fun.

[Louisa Chu]

Mark, yes, a fellow walker! Sure it's totally feasible. It's a hike but feasible. And if necessary you could also easily walk to Montparnasse. I just have no idea how this neighborhood's going to be on race day.

And then there are the strikes.

David, nope, not a fan of the Metro. And under normal circumstances, to get to Montparnasse, I'd either walk or take the 92 - on Bosquet - which ends right at the station. To take the Metro would be double the time. Plus, on the bus, you can see where you're going!

What's the neighborhood like during these massive events?

[Bux]

I love to walk in Paris, but I also love the Metro. In spite of the new line, it's one thing that always reminds me of my first visit to Paris. As a matter of fact, since they've removed all the old inimitable, picturesque and photogenic urinoirs from the streetscape, the Metro is the only place that still smells like the Paris I discovered in 1960. For lovers of subways, that new 14 line is worth seeing. Some of the stations are quite deep below the surface of Paris. The platforms are separated from the tracks by a wall of glass with sliding doors that open when the train arrives. That's a long overdue safety feature.

[Louisa Chu]

Bux, urinoirs! I never saw those - only you could make me wish I had. But that smell may be changing - I read/heard that they're scenting the Metro with perfumes - details here. And I do love the 14 - especially the underground garden at Madeleine.

[David Bizer]

Lou,

Very interesting about the metro scent. I think they should increase the dosage!

I've never experienced any large scale events around the neighborhood. I think the Tour will be the first in any kind of proximity. This is atypical, as the Tour usually doesn't begin in Paris. It's actually a special opportunity to see a historical event perhaps without the massive crowds which are always present at the finish on the Champs. The thing is, everyone crowds the Champs and I'm sure everyone will be crowding around the Eiffel Tower for the start, but if you get yourself somewhere along the route, say for instance the La Motte Piquet area, you are more likely to have a front row position than standing 5 deep with drunk Texans on the Champs.

[Bux]

Bux, urinoirs! I never saw those - only you could make me wish I had.

I think there are few people, if any, who would wish them back. At best they were a sexist nineteenth century solution to a problem much better handled by the current pay toilettes. I have no nostalgia for the pissoirs, but I have a great deal for the Paris of their time. I think Paris was genuinely more exotic in the sixties -- the world is becoming a smaller and more homogenized place -- but it was certainly more exotic for me then, that it is now and the smell of Gaulois, Gitaines, urinois and diesel fumes were all part of my introduction to France as well as Spain and Italy. Of course they were all alien scents and part of the experience.

[cigalechanta]

I love the oil and stop at the moulin every year and buy a three bottle carry on.

[TarteTatin]

We love to go to markets in Paris and see the beautiful colors of the vegetables, meats, cheeses and flowers.

I love how the flowers are laid out and the eggplants are so purple.

Anyway, we've been to the major markets, including the biologique (sp?) market.

However, we'd like to go to the outlying non tourist markets within the Peripherique.

Any ideas?

We'll be there this time Nov 4 (Thursday) thru Nov 10 in the a.m.

[Bux]

Does the Marché Aligre count as outlying? I'm not sure which days it's active. We were there recently on a Sunday morning and the outdoor and indoor markets were jam packed and decidely non touristy. For us le Baron Rouge, a wine bar that serves oysters on the street a half block away from the market on rue Roussel is the draw.

[Ptipois]

I'd suggest the long boulevard marchés, like Belleville, Richard-Lenoir, Bastille, avenue de Breteuil, Cours de Vincennes (one of my favorites), and many more.

Or smaller markets like place Maubert and place Monge (expensive though), place Jeanne-d'Arc in the 13th.

Markets occur regularly at one place, once to three times a week. Vendors pack up when it's done and leave the place clean. By this I mean that streets packed with food shops and outside stalls, commonly called "markets", are not markets strictly speaking (rue Dejean, rue de Lévis and rue Poncelet, rue Mouffetard).

It pays to buy fresh food, especially fish, at markets for turnover reasons. By 1 PM everything must be gone and that's when you can have bargains.

One last suggestion: you say "within the Périphérique". It does pay to venture outside the Périph' and discover suburban markets. Often covered markets, they can be amazing, and you may find stuff you won't find anywhere else. My favorites: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and the East suburbs (94) : Nogent, Champigny, Vincennes, Le Perreux. You won't regret the trip.

[Bux]

Markets occur regularly at one place, once to three times a week.

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I think I noted that Sunday was a market day at the Place Aligre, which meant that the street market was in full bloom, but there's also an indoor market and a shopping street filled with food stores. I assume the latter is working all week long, but one should go on a market day to see the open market in operation.