Experience Your Own ‘Moveable Feast’ When You Go Shopping in Paris Food Markets

Besides being one of the most romantic vacation spots in the world, Paris is also known for its fine foods. French cuisine is renowned throughout the world for its taste and the techniques used to make it. Anyone who is visiting Paris and has the chance to cook their own foods may even want to go shopping in Paris at one or more of the city’s many food markets. The Marché International de Rungis, Marché Bastille, and Marché Mouffetard, among many others, are all some of the most popular food markets in the city. (The latter was famously described by author Ernest Hemingway as “A Moveable Feast.”)
 
If you’re thinking of going shopping in Paris food markets on your vacation, then use these three tips to get the most out of your trip.
 
Sample some local cuisine for inspiration.
There’s no shortage of places to eat in Paris. In fact, it’s home to some of the world’s finest cuisine, so take some time out for a long leisurely meal the way the French have dinner. Wine lovers, for instance, may head to the Bordeauxthèque in the Galeries Lafayette to sample some of its 1,200 Bordeaux wines. Chocoholics can try the signature hot cocoa at the Charles Chocalatier, which is in the famous Rue Montorgueil food market. The Garden of Hopeless Romantics, a museum dedicated to the Romantic period in French arts, also has a tearoom that is open for lunch, so you can have a fine meal during midday, as well. Not matter which delicacies are your favorites, make sure you try something that will inspire you to create your own dish.
 
Look at recipes from famous French chefs.
Need a little bit of help getting inspired? If you’re not so great at improvising in the kitchen, grab your favorite cookbook or pick one up when you’re in Paris. Although she was American and not actually French, Julia Child’s recipes brought French cooking into the mainstream in the U.S. Other names like Jacques Pépin and Hubert Keller may come to mind for Americans, especially. Begin poring over a cookbook or look up a classic French recipe online and try your hand at making one.
 
Buy your own fresh ingredients at the market.
Staying in one of the luxury apartment rentals Paris has to offer? Go shopping in Paris’s finest food markets, and then buy ingredients to cook up in your Parisian home-away-from-home. From meats and cheeses to locally sourced fruits and vegetables, there’s something for everyone in these vibrant and bustling outdoor markets. Don’t forget to try some fresh bread or pair your meal with a bottle of wine.
 
Have more tips for visiting Paris’s food markets? Tell us in the comments.