A man goes to bed in Paris, and when he wakes up in the morning the avenue in front of his hotel has disappeared. That is to say, not really disappeared, but changed. It had always been a pastoral avenue, shaded by tall trees, and suddenly, commercial vehicles, vans and trucks are parked all along the avenue, the avenue is packed with stalls, the smells of food, lush vegetables on one side, cheese platters on the other, butchers slicing meat and fishmongers scattering ice on a green mat. The solid and restrained avenue has overnight become a bustling and colorful farmers' market.
My experiences from the Grenelle Market
For those who are not familiar with the phenomenon and say to themselves, “When I come back in the afternoon, I will pass by the market,” a surprise awaits them. When they exit the metro onto the avenue, they will find themselves back on the same sleepy avenue with its trees and benches. This market, one of many of Paris, did not disappear, but simply migrated to another neighborhood. Several of these markets have been in their traditional locations since the last century, and most of them have been operating in the same format for decades:
The merchants set up the market at dawn and dismantle it in the early hours of 14:00 PM, leaving behind them an exemplary order as if they hadn't been there a few minutes before.
The market was born at the same time as the city was formed, and many cities developed and grew around a regional market. The tradition of market days still exists in almost every city and town in France, and there is no fundamental difference between the market days that took place two thousand years ago and those of today, except for the fact that in the past the goods were carried on the head or transported by donkey, and today they arrive in trucks. Once a week, usually on Sundays, farmers from the surrounding area bring their produce to the city and sell it.
The food market in Paris is different from the market in Israel. The market in Paris does not come to provide the cheapest goods, but the highest quality, freshest goods and in a form that is available and convenient for everyone in Paris. The markets are not located in “outlying areas” and “downtown” but in the heart of neighborhoods, within residential areas, under the windows of houses, and under the metro bridges.
The Grenelle market, in the 15th arrondissement, is located under the iron arches of the metro bridge, which passes above ground. The market is medium-sized and offers everything a food market has to offer – fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, fish and shellfish. Cheeses, breads, pastries, foie gras, cooked food and more. It is arranged in the form of a long corridor and you can walk along it either from “La Motte Picque” station to “Duplex” or in the opposite direction.
Along the boulevard, between the iron pillars, a huge market unfolds twice a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays, colorful, diverse, and very Parisian, bourgeois in nature. Strict old women exchange recipes with the vendors, well-tailored businessmen browse the fresh goods displayed in perfect order alongside professional chefs, and elegant housewives buy a red tomato, a small head of lettuce, and a short baguette for a light meal.
I love these markets, because you can eat one of the cheapest, most enjoyable, and most Parisian meals you can find. And here's the recipe: Start at the bread stand. The selection is large, confusing, the smell is intoxicating. You have to concentrate, take a deep breath, and finally pick up a bread that can actually accommodate your aspirations without choking you, meaning a decent personal sandwich or a delicious baguette.
In addition, you can also take all kinds of sweet pastries for dessert. A few meters away there is a beautiful vegetable stand where you can buy tomatoes, cucumbers and a few other vegetables, and again you don't have to go far, and you can immediately find a cheese stand with fresh, high-quality cheeses, choose a few small circles and continue... Take the baguette, cheeses and vegetables, sit down on a stool next to the market and enjoy a delicious, fresh lunch.
enjoy your meal!
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