Touring Rungis food market

[trufflelover]

My husband and I are thinking of doing a Rungis market tour in Paris in October. We're not food professionals, so to my knowledge the only way to gain access is a paid tour through Visite Rungis or other more expensive private guides. It's 65 euros each, and they bus us out to the market at 5 in the morning, we tour the market and have breakfast. Seems a bit steep, especially considering we can't purchase anything - looking only. But I think it would be fascinating to see. And I hope to get an article out of it. Plus I love food photography, and since I've joined the ranks of digital-SLR toters, I think I could just go crazy taking pictures.

Anyone know of a way to see the market that won't cost 130 euros? When I think of the food I could buy with that money, I begin to doubt whether we should do it. On the other hand, how often will I happen to be in Paris on the second Friday of the month when the tour is offered? And maybe they will have truffles - I've never smelled fresh truffles at 5 am.

[Dave Hatfield]

My husband and I are thinking of doing a Rungis market tour in Paris in October. We're not food professionals, so to my knowledge the only way to gain access is a paid tour through Visite Rungis or other more expensive private guides. It's 65 euros each, and they bus us out to the market at 5 in the morning, we tour the market and have breakfast. Seems a bit steep, especially considering we can't purchase anything - looking only. But I think it would be fascinating to see. And I hope to get an article out of it. Plus I love food photography, and since I've joined the ranks of digital-SLR toters, I think I could just go crazy taking pictures.

Anyone know of a way to see the market that won't cost 130 euros? When I think of the food I could buy with that money, I begin to doubt whether we should do it. On the other hand, how often will I happen to be in Paris on the second Friday of the month when the tour is offered? And maybe they will have truffles - I've never smelled fresh truffles at 5 am. 

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http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=82080&hl=

If I've done it correctly the link above takes you to a list of Paris markets. My recommendation would be to save the 130 Euros and visit one or more of these. They're free & you will get lots of photo opportunities.

You could use the 130 Euros to buy a truffle should you find one.

I'll be interested to see what the 'Parisiens' have to say. After all we rural types are a frugal lot.

[John Talbott]

Plus we've got a compendium on markets.

[trufflelover]

In the event, we did go. It was certainly interesting -- I'm not quite sure why it's so expensive -- but now that I've done it I won't need to go again. It's essentially a vast commercial market and even as early as we arrived we saw only the end of the fish market.

I tried to get my money's worth with photos at least and have a flickr album of Rungis Market.

[Dave Hatfield]

In the event, we did go. It was certainly interesting -- I'm not quite sure why it's so expensive -- but now that I've done it I won't need to go again. It's essentially a vast commercial market and even as early as we arrived we saw only the end of the fish market.

I tried to get my money's worth with photos at least    and have a flickr album of Rungis Market.

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Nice pictures! Did you have onion soup?

Sounds as if you were a bit disappointed; too bad. C'est la vie.

[Rehovot]

Great photos; did you get an article out of the experience?

[trufflelover]

Thanks!

I didn't have onion soup - they served vegetable soup, red wine, bread, a meat plate and cheeses. I don't actually eat most meat and at 9 a.m. I couldn't bring myself to drink the wine so I had a nice bread and cheese plate

I haven't written the article yet but it's in the works. I'm trying to think of a more interesting angle than just "we went here, we saw this, blah blah blah ..." Was thinking of putting it in a bigger context with a little history of Les Halles. I'm submitting it to International Travel News. (They're pubishing a cooking class story of mine in February and are interested in a Rungis story.)

I think any disappointment stems from the rushed manner we flew through the markets, and how little action was actually taking place. We spent more time having breakfast than we did touring the market and I didn't find the value equal to the cost. But then again it is a very unique experience so all in all I'm glad we did it.