Markets are the soul and substance of France. All over the country, usually on a Sunday morning, French citizens flock to their local markets to barter, socialize, stroll and stock up on weekly provisions. My market is a 20-minute walk from my apartment and takes place on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. Here are some scenes.
Plump scallops on the half shell, glistening sea bass, and scampi:
This scene below cracked me up. The customers, engaged in animated conversation with the vendor, are seemingly unaware or unperturbed by the fact that a dead piglet is hanging ignominiously from a hook in front of them (This little piggy went to market…) It’s called a cochon de lait which means suckling pig, so we can correctly assume that it was snatched from its mother’s teat then slaughtered. Also below are skinned rabbits.
Goose eggs, fresh oysters from the Atlantic Coast, sausage and sauerkraut, mangos from Africa, tulips and hyacinths from Holland. An embarrassment of riches, and sometimes it feels embarrassing when you think of all that we have, and others who do not.
Some friendly gazes and some not so friendly.
Yikes, look at those glacial stares. This market is in a fairly well-heeled district as you can probably tell by the fur coats and supercilious air of some of the denizens.
Laden with produce, I repaired to the nearest café for a tartine and espresso. A tartine is half a baguette spread with butter. I wouldn’t have minded a dollop of raspberry jam, but they were all out.
Speaking of markets, EATALY has just opened in the Marais district. All Italian, I can’t wait to go. Here are some beautiful photos in the link below:
https://www.azzed.net/2019/04/eataly-paris-ouverture/
Juliet in Paris
We love visiting the markets when in Paris or elsewhere in France. Even though we rent an apartment, we use the kitchen only for breakfast, so there is not much we buy except prepared goods we can take home for ourselves or for gifts. We usually visit the Marche de Enfants Rouge near the Marais. We also like the Marche Raspail which is a short bus ride or a healthy stroll from whatever apartment we have happened to rent. btw, which market are these pictures from?
Hi Sherman, I’ve heard about the Enfants Rouge market in the Marais and will go there someday. Oh, big news: a brand new EATALY has just opened in the Marais. I visited the EATALY market in NYC and it was superb. All Italian. Can’t wait to visit this one, link is below.
As for the photos of the market in my current blog post, I prefer not to say as I wish to keep where I live confidential.
https://www.azzed.net/2019/04/eataly-paris-ouverture/
understood about where you live…there is an Eataly in Chicago. I know you will enjoy the one in Paris when you visit…and we may visit the one in the Marais, as long as that does not interfere with our relaxation time in Place des Vosges. 🙂