the market
The oldest covered market in Paris, and what a guide shows you in it
A market from 1628 on the rue de Bretagne, and the lessons in French shopping that it hosts.
Reserve your Marais morning ↗The market at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Marché des Enfants Rouges |
| Opened | 1628, as the petit marché du Marais |
| Address | 39 Rue de Bretagne, in the 3rd arrondissement |
| Status | A listed historic monument since 1982 |
Where it is
The market sits at 39 Rue de Bretagne in the Marais, in the 3rd arrondissement, and it is the oldest covered market in Paris.
How old it is
It opened in 1628 as the petit marché du Marais and has been a listed historic monument since 1982.
What the guide uses it for
On the tour the market is where you learn how the French do their grocery shopping, and how French street food was adapted to Parisian tastes.
What you see
Stalls of fresh produce and multicultural foods, which is why the visit feels more like a quick tour of Paris’s eating habits than a shopping trip.
Coming back on your own
Because it is a market, hours and stalls change; check what is open on the day you want to return, and plan your own lunch there if the tour whets your appetite.
Before the tour
Do not fill up on a big breakfast. The market is only the second stop of a three-hour tour that covers a full meal.