MARKET DAY MASTERY

THE SUNDAY RITUAL THAT MAKES PARIS FEEL LIKE HOME

By Susie Hollands

I'm not sure it's a Sunday unless I've been to my market. That probably sounds overly sentimental, but after fifteen years of living on and off in Paris - and especially now, living on the doorstep of the Richard Lenoir market at Bastille - this weekly ritual has become so woven into my life that skipping it would feel genuinely wrong.

This past Sunday, I went as usual around 11:30 (the sweet spot before it gets absolutely mobbed), and the vegetable sellers I've known for over a decade asked about my daughter. "How is she? Where is she now?" She's eighteen, living elsewhere, but they remember when she was small, trailing behind me through the stalls. That continuity, that sense of being genuinely known - it's become one of the things I value most about living here.

WHY MARKETS MATTER MORE THAN YOU'D THINK

Here's what I've come to understand: markets aren't really about groceries. Yes, you pick up what you need for the week - some basics, maybe a few things for lunch. But the real value is something else entirely.

It's connection. Instead of clicking through a delivery app from your sofa, you're out in the world. You're seeing color and movement. You're getting an immediate sense of the changing seasons - autumn is my favourite because suddenly there are figs everywhere, then chestnuts appear, quinces show up at stalls. These are things you'd only find in specialty shops in Britain, treats we'd read about in books as children. Here they're just... out, displayed like it's nothing special.

The stallholders are characters. There's genuine theatre to it all - the banter, the way they call out their prices, the little rituals of negotiation and exchange. I always go to the same vegetable stand. We have our routine, our jokes. At Christmas, even though they're not Christian, I bring them a massive box of sweets because, well, that's what you do when people have become part of your life.

THE OYSTER STAND MOMENT

If you want the full experience, queue up at the oyster stand. You order half a dozen oysters, get a glass of Chablis or whatever lovely wine they're pouring that day, and you stand there with friends at a communal table, plates in hand, just talking and eating and drinking in the middle of a bustling market. It's so wonderfully civilized, so utterly French in the best possible way.

You can also find cooked food - rotisserie chicken that smells extraordinary, North African specialties, little quiches - plus clothes, gifts, flowers, things for the house. It becomes a full morning rather than a chore.

EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ONE

What makes Paris remarkable is that you're never far from a market. They're positioned throughout every neighborhood so there's always something happening somewhere every single day of the week. In Bastille, we're spoiled - we have Richard Lenoir plus the Marché d'Aligre, which runs almost daily. Each market has its own character, its own rhythm.

Some are fancier than others. Ours aren't the most posh, but they're reasonably priced and authentically Parisian, which matters more to me than perfect Instagram aesthetics. And then there are the covered markets - ancient structures that house suppliers under beautiful old iron-and-glass roofs. There's one at Aligre, another in the 17th, one near Gare de l'Est. Walking into them feels like stepping into another era.

THE PRACTICAL BIT

If you're visiting Paris or just arrived, here's what I'd suggest: find the market nearest wherever you're staying and go early-ish on a weekend morning. Bring a bag. Wander slowly. Buy something small from a stall that catches your eye - maybe just a handful of apricots or a bunch of herbs. Chat with the seller if your French allows it, or just smile and fumble through. You'll feel slightly awkward at first, like you're intruding on something that belongs to locals. But that feeling fades quickly.

What replaces it is something better: the sense that you could belong here too. That you could be the person who knows which stall has the best tomatoes, who exchanges greetings with the cheese monger, who marks time by what's in season at the market rather than what's trending online.

That's the life, really. And once you've had a taste of it, everything else starts to feel a bit flat. Voilà.

MY FAVOURITE MARKETS

Marché Richard Lenoir
What: Marché Richard Lenoir Why: Held at Place de la Bastille, this popular market serves the people of the Marais, Bastille, and parts of east Paris. Every Thursday and Sunday, they come here to get their fruit, veg, roast chicken, cheese, salad and, not least, their churros (or chi-chis). Where: 11th arrondissement.

Marché d'Aligre
What: Marché d'Aligre Why: One of Paris's most authentic and atmospheric markets, Aligre runs almost daily with an incredible covered market hall (built in 1843) at its heart. You'll find everything from North African spices to impeccable French produce, plus the famous flea market section for vintage treasures. It's less polished than some markets, more vibrant, and beloved by locals who've been shopping here for generations. Where: 12th arrondissement

Covered Markets

Marché Beauvau (at Marché d'Aligre)
What: Marché Beauvau Why: Built in 1843 in the style of the metal halles of the period, this is one of the few historic covered markets still in operation in Paris. Inside you'll find specialist traders including cheese makers, fishmongers, butchers, greengrocers, and gourmet grocers like the well-known Langlet-Hardouin cheese shop. The atmosphere is more subdued than outside but just as convivial, with regulars gathering for advice, a slice of sausage, or a cheese just right. Where: 12th arrondissement

Marché des Ternes
What: Marché des Ternes Why: The oldest covered market in Paris, dating to 1852. Small but perfectly formed, you'll find everything needed for grocery shopping including high-quality fruits and vegetables, excellent poultry, a fishmonger, meat, and cheeses. The building itself may not be the prettiest from outside (it's poorly signposted), but it's what's on the inside that counts. Where: 17th arrondissement

Marché Saint-Quentin
What: Marché Saint-Quentin Why: Located between Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est, this is the largest covered market in Paris. Designed in the 19th-century Baltard style of architecture with graceful steel arches and natural light streaming through glass windows, it's one of the city's most striking market buildings. You'll find diverse food stalls (Italian, African, Portuguese, Asian, Moroccan, Lebanese), butchers, florists, and even seating areas where you can enjoy a meal on site. Where: 10th arrondissement.

With warmth,

Susie Hollands

Founder, VINGT Paris & Twenty1