Hello, Emily here – sharing my top tips for your next visit to a French food market. Hope they come in helpful!
– Emily
Whenever I’m in a new city, there’s nothing I enjoy more than eating; trying out restaurant recommendations, people watching in a cafe, savoring a refreshing afternoon ice cream or a trip to the local supermarket all bring me great joy. But most of all I love visiting the local markets to experience new flavors, and daydream about what my life would be like if I lived in that part of the world. Ironically, when I moved to Paris it took me at least six months before I even set foot in a market. I was so wrapped up in finding a job, learning French, and going from zero responsibilities to becoming part of a family (my husband was widowed and I moved in with him and his daughter) that I was too busy for anything except a weekly dash around our local supermarket for the basics.
As things eventually calmed down, I found my rhythm and I became a regular at our local outdoor market (Marche Maubert – about a 10 minute walk from our apartment, with a great selection of vendors and a really nice atmosphere), where seeing the same familiar faces each visit is a happy way to start the weekend, reminding me that every day in Paris lays another brick in the foundation of my life here. Now (almost 6 years later) I leave the house most Saturday mornings with my little chariot de marché (market trolley) to do our weekly shop. It’s not really the local custom but I pick up a takeaway coffee on-route and arrive with a vague idea of what I feel like cooking that week, which quickly becomes a solid plan as I see what’s on offer.
Continue Reading 12 useful tips for your next visit to a French food market…