Le Marché des Enfants Rouges

Le Marché des Enfants Rouges (“ Market of the Red Children”) is the oldest food market in Paris. Marguerite de Navarre (sister of King François the 1^st) was a charitable member of the royal family who in 1534 built an orphanage constructed in what is now the Marais. The children were dressed in red as a symbol of their status. The orphanage closed down in the beginning of the 17^th century and in 1615 was transformed into a market dubbed the Marché des Enfants Rouges to commemorate the establishment. 

Located in the chic northern part of the Marais, the market is a small and held indoor with a small entrance that is easy to miss. 

The market sells the usual suspects: fruits, vegetables, meat and fish but what I like about this market is that there are several stands that sell prepared food that you can eat on tables nearby; this includes Afro-Creole, Moroccan, Japanese and Italian food. 

It remains a market today and has been on the list of national historical monuments since 1982. Currently, locals congregate to shop for produce and fresh products, to have a coffee and to converse with other locals, old-timers and merchants. 

An Afro-Antilles café serves up small bites

An Italian booth that proposes fresh pasta and truffles

Moroccan delicacies at the end of the market will blow you away with their lamb tagine 

(stew of tender lamb with almonds and soft fruits with couscous) - personally it looked the best. 

Le Marche des Enfants Rouges

39 rue de Bretagne
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:  8:30-1PM and 4PM-7: 30PM
Friday, Saturday- 8h30AM-1PM and 4PM-8PM
Sunday: 8:30AM–2PM
Metro: Filles- Calvaire (Ligne 8)