The first sign of a French market is often the smell: roasting chickens, ripe cheese, lavender soap, and bread fresh from the oven. Then come the colours, stalls piled high with glossy eggplants, tomatoes still on the vine, and peaches so fragrant they perfume the entire aisle. Every region of France has its own market tradition, from the sprawling arrays of Provence to the covered halls of Parisian arrondissements. Vendors call out greetings and offer samples, and the transaction is as much about the conversation as the purchase. To cruise a French market is to understand the country’s relationship with food, seasonality, and the pleasure of eating well.

French barge cruises can take you just about anywhere you want to go, allowing you to visit landmarks, experience the culture, and even enjoy some of the finest of French cuisine. Thus, there are vast amounts of sites and experiences to visit while you’re in France, with each city possessing its own unique flavour of culture and cuisine, and amongst them is the highlighted city of Paris. When we think of France, we have an image in our mind of the Eiffel Tower or even the Notre Dame Cathedral, but there are some sights that you might not be as aware of.

French open market by kurmanstaff

History of Parisian Markets

Paris has been a home to the open markets for centuries. During the 5th century, the city of Paris (known as Lutetia at the time) opened its first market, known as Palu, to allow locals to buy, sell, and trade with one another and merchants from afar.

Today, there are over 90 open markets across the city of Paris, each offering its own unique flavour to the city. From there, open markets spread to other towns, each providing its own touch of exclusivity when it comes to the treasures you can find if you know what to look for.

The open markets have everything to offer. You might be searching for something unique to the Paris environment to dress up your home or attire, or maybe just a few gifts for your friends. Items can range from exotic cloth material, clothing, beautiful, one-of-a-kind scarves, hand-crafted jewelry, and even a few necessities you forgot to pack for the trip (oops!).

Every market has a different venue composed of different merchants, so no two markets are the same. If you didn’t find what you were looking for in one market, it’s probably time to move on to another in search of the right opportunity. And the truth is: if you couldn’t find it, you weren’t looking hard enough.

Tips for Market Shopping

But it may not always be the products you’re actually looking for. Perhaps it’s the culture and learning experience that the open market presents that truly drives your eagerness to explore these fine cities. It’s even a great opportunity to really practice your French. And you’re definitely going to put your haggling skills to the test as you do a little bartering to practice your finesse. After all, getting the perfect deal for the right price is half the fun. As a helpful reminder, keep in mind that the markets are crowded, so be cautious where you keep your wallet or purse.

And the best part about exploring these vast, open markets is that you don’t always have to worry about lugging around too many goodies. You can always return to your comfy cabin in the barge to lighten the load and rest your feet for a while.

Enjoying the French culture is more than just seeing the sights. It’s meeting the people and interacting with them through the open markets. Here, you can really get to know the heart of Paris as you share the experience of a French cruise with your friends and family.

Author Bio:

Crystal Groome is owner of Barge Connection – specializing in European Barge Vacations since 1988.  Crystal has specialized in barging vacations specifically for over eleven years and visits Europe yearly to personally inspect individual barges and operators. Check our latest time sensitive specials on Facebook and Twitter (@bargeconnection).

Regional Specialities to Seek Out

Every region of France brings something different to its market stalls. In Provence, look for jars of honey scented with lavender, bundles of dried herbs de Provence, and olives marinated in local olive oil. Along the Mediterranean coast, merchants sell anchovies from Collioure, saffron threads from the Garrigue, and bottles of pastis for the classic anise-flavoured aperitif. In Brittany, butter dominates: salted butter caramels, galettes made from buckwheat flour, and wheels of creamy Saint-Malo butter. The Alsace region offers choucroute garnie ingredients, Munster cheese with its pungent washed rind, and bottles of Riesling and Gewurztraminer. In the southwest, duck confit and foie gras appear alongside bottles of Monbazillac sweet wine. Parisian markets bring together specialities from every region, so even if your barge cruise stays near the capital, you can taste the whole country in a single morning stroll through an arrondissement market.

Tags: barge cruises, city of paris, cloth material, eagerness, eiffel tower, exclusivity, flavour, french barge, french cuisine, hand crafted jewelry, landmarks, learning experience, lutetia, necessities, notre dame, notre dame cathedral, open markets, palu, scarves

Category: France, Travel Tips

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