It’s peak season for asparagus, and this delicious vegetable is very much in vogue at green markets all over Paris this month.  Super ripe, green and white asparagus are popping up everywhere in the French capital.  They are as ubiquitous as those tiny Smart cars everyone seems to be driving, and as chic as that impossible-to-describe taupe-like color draped over the shoulders of every fashionable woman on the Rue du Faubourg St. Honore.

 fruit-vegs

Since you’re reading this in English there is a pretty good chance you are not a native Parisian.  Even so, you should definitely stroll through a few of the City’s neighborhood marches whenever you find yourself in the City of Light.  I always stop by my favorite Parisian outdoor markets, even when I have no intention of cooking.  For one thing, I just enjoy looking at food, and I want to know what’s fresh and in season.  But beyond that, the city’s numerous markets offer a fascinating glimpse into the local culture and cuisine.  Just don’t look at the fresh chickens if you’re squeamish, because they will be glimpsing right back at you.

 

Marche Raspail

The Marche Raspail is one of my favorites.  Located on the Boulevard Raspail in the elegant 6th Arrondissement, it has a bigger assortment than most and a large selection of organic produce (look for signs that say biologique, or often just bio for short).  Right now the bins are overflowing with fresh seasonal produce, including of course lots of asparagus.  There is also a fabulous bread baker at the Marche Raspail that I love to visit for a morning snack.

 

 flowers

St. Germain Covered Market

Just a short walk from the Marche Raspail, the St. Germain covered market is a good choice on a rainy day.  Smaller than the Marche Raspail, it nevertheless has a wide selection of produce and there is an excellent cheese vendor along the south aisle. 

 

Place Baudoyer

The small market in the Place Baudoyer has a true neighborhood feeling.  Located in the hip and youthful Marais district near the Hotel de Ville, this market is where locals from the surrounding blocks stop by to pick up fresh bread and produce as they hurry home from the metro station for their evening meal.  The variety of seafood at this market can be surprising.  Landlocked in Paris, it’s easy to forget that France is a country with three long coastlines, until you see the fabulous seafood displayed at markets throughout the capital.  Squid are especially prevalent, and shellfish are everywhere, especially clams.    

 

Locations

The Marche Raspail is located on Boulevard Raspail between Rue du Cherche Midi and Rue de Rennes.  It is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM (although most vendors seem to close up shop much earlier).  The St. Germain Covered Market is at 4/8 Rue Lobineau and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and on Sundays from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM.  The Baudoyer Market is in the Place Baudoyer in the 4th Arrondissement and takes place on Wednesdays from 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM and Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

 

Reader Request

If you have a favorite green market that you like to visit, please click on comments below and let me know.  I’ll be sharing readers’ favorites in a future post in Travels in Taste.

 

Bon Appétit

Rob Lubin