Markets, flea-markets and jumble sales in Paris
Friendly and bustling with life, these places are hugely popular with Parisians and visitors
Paris would not be Paris without its markets!
These bustling friendly places are a favourite with Parisians and visitors out for a stroll. The capital has no fewer than 90: food markets, organic markets, the flower market, art market, flea markets, stamp markets …
There are markets for everything! It is pleasant to stroll through them from one stall to another, stopping off on impulse to make a purchase. The capital city is full of markets selling fresh produce, the lifeblood of French gastronomy. The Marché des Enfants Rouge, the oldest food market in Paris, has been a favourite market of Parisians since 1615. It is the place to stock up on fresh produce and enjoy dishes from all over the world. Open six days a week, the Marché Beauvau – Aligre offers a dazzling selection of the best spices, cheeses and charcuterie.
For fans of antique and vintage items, the flea markets and jumble sales really do offer an abundance of rare gems: old furniture, kitsch yet trendy clothing, jewellery all the better for having a story to tell - and other accessories you just won't find anywhere else. At the following addresses, you can be sure of finding just what you're looking for.
Every Saturday and Sunday, the 380 or so stallholders at Puces de Vanves reveal a diverse array of objects from the 18th century to the 1970s. Collectors will enjoy rummaging amongst items of furniture, Since 1860, the Puces de Montreuil has been a great place to pick up knick-knacks, books, clothes, spices ... new and old and at all prices! Vintage clothing fans should head to the ‘rond-point’ - a good place to find second-hand clothes gems! Dating back to the 19th century, the Puces de Saint Ouen - Clignancourt is the leading market for fashion, antiques and second-hand goods. World-famous, it is made up of some fifteen markets with almost 2,500 merchants from Saturday to Monday. The Marché Paul Bert Serpette (a hub of antique dealers) attracts antique hunters from all over the world, and is the place to uncover countless rare objects, the most beautiful pieces of goldsmithery, furniture, and art and design... The Marché Dauphine, the largest at the Clignancourt flea market, accounts for 150 traders under a 3,000 m² glass roof.
For gardening fans, the Ile de la Cité is the place to go. Near to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, the Marché aux Fleurs (flower market) is an oasis of greenery with a huge variety of plants, flowers and shrubs. And on Sunday, flowers give way to hundreds of birds, canaries, budgies and other species.
