The New Wave of Paris Markets

Appears in
My Paris Market Cookbook
My Paris Market Cookbook

By Emily Dilling

Published 2015

  • About
In addition to the numerous open-air and covered markets in Paris, some of which date back over four hundred years, a new wave of markets is sprouting up around the city. These markets embrace the “eat local” mentality and strive to put consumers in direct contact with the people who grow their food. Two outstanding newcomers to the market scene are Marché sur L’Eau and La Ruche Qui Dit Oui, both of which work with nearby farms to bring fresh produce to the city.

Marché sur L’Eau may have the most creative approach to transporting produce from the Seine and Marne region (forty miles from Paris) to La Rotonde in the 10th arrondissement. In lieu of using the equivalent ten trucks to freight the goods to the capital, Marché sur L’Eau brings its booty in by boat, which travels along the Canal de l’Ourcq and stops at three distribution points along the way. Parisians and visitors can stop by the market on Tuesdays and early Saturday afternoons, where they can either purchase the vegetables of their choice or pick up a panier, or basket, that has been preordered through their subscription program.