Some people think I'm excessively hard on the rue Cler, the tiny market street in Paris that Rick Steves so glowingly promotes in his books on the city. Well, here are two little videos: one that shows the awe-inspiring rue Cler, and one that shows a market street frequented by the Parisians themselves, the rue Montorgueil:

Here's the rue Cler (about two minutes):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdwbsMahz-I

And here's the rue Montorgueil (about 11 minutes):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L_qTTLvxKM

I don't know about you, but the rue Cler looks positively comatose to me. Even by the standards of other market streets in its category elsewhere in the city, it's unusually quiet. Plus, thanks to Rick, it is overrun by American tourists, which has corrupted the atmosphere of the street somewhat over the past few years.

In contrast, the rue Montorgueil is extremely animated, and most of the people there are Parisian, not tourists. Sure, it's a bit over-trendy and bobo these days, but at least it's interesting to visit, with lots of shops, food, and restaurants and cafés.

I recommend that visitors check out the rue Montorgueil rather than the rue Cler. But maybe these videos can help you judge for yourself whether I'm exaggerating or not.

Thanks for this. I much prefer rue Mouffetard to rue Cler anyway, but I didn't know about Montorgueil. I'll check it out on my upcoming trip

I was going to a few of the other links. It made me feel almost like I was in Paris. I really miss it and it's been way too long since I was there.

" it's unusually quiet. Plus, thanks to Rick, it is overrun by American tourists..."

Interesting observation, yet perplexing, Andrew.

I guess Yogi Berra says it best., "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

Oh well, I happen to enjoy rue Cler as I do the others rues (although I was always partial to Rue McClanahan). To each their own.

I think the rue Mouffetard is a bit overrated, but it does have some nice shops near its southern end. Books give the impression that it's just miles and miles of little food shops, but the actual portion of it that has food shops is quite small. Still, it's worth a visit, if you have the time, and I'd take the rue Mouffetard over the rue Cler any day.

@maitaitom - The rue Cler is quiet in the sense that total traffic is low. During weekdays, it is sometimes almost deserted. However, of the people who do visit the street, a very significant percentage are American tourists.

This is true for the rue Mouffetard, also, in high season, because it was in the books even before Rick was born.

The rue Montorgueil, in contrast, isn't often mentioned. So you see tons of Parisians there because of its current trendy status, but the number of tourists (or rather the percentage of tourists) is quite low.

By a strange coincidence, the rue Cler and rue Montorgueil are both 450 meters long, but the latter seems a lot longer than the former.

Since the rue Cler video showed mostly the shops, menus, store fronts, etc. it was done from a different viewpoint. Personally I don't care for crowds, so I might choose something other thn Montorgueil. If you don't like it, don't go--simple easy peasy.
I did love the two american tourists with their big ole baby prams on rue Cler--where they actually "could" get through the non-crowd.
I love the street markets set up on various days better than the market streets.
BUT if you are staying in the 7th, rue Cler is a good place to shop.

Thanks Andrew. I've been to Paris on numerous occasions. I get it that you don't like the rue Cler. I was making a joke. However, I will not rue the day I go back to the rue Cler (or any of the other rues).

Catherine Deneuve shops on the rue Cler. That's Parisian enough for me.

And the rue Montorgueil is a commerce street, not a market street, per se.

Anyway, what's the fuss about? They're just streets in Paris.

Well I have only been to Rue Cler and I admit, Rick Steves sent me there, but I really enjoy the area. Sitting at a cafe in the morning watching the children head off to school, the well-dressed ladies with their shopping carts and little dogs - gee, aren't these people locals? And I don't mind chatting with some fellow travelers from time to time either. There are plenty of restaurants in the area that seem to have Parisians as customers too. Personally old Rick has been a great travel companion for me but you are certainly entitled to disdain him and his advice.

Commerce streets and market streets are the same thing.

The rue Montorgueil seems to have about the same number of food shops as the rue Cler. All the standard ones are there: produce markets, cheese stores, butchers, bakeries, pastry shops, etc. Plus the standard non-food shops: florists, some clothing, household goods, and so on. But the rue Montorgueil has a lot more restaurants, cafés, and bars, with a lot more people, as it's an area where the locals go to see and be seen. Obviously, if you're averse to places that have lots of people, the rue Cler with its wind whistling unimpeded over the cobblestones is probably a better place to go.

Actually, I've had visitors who claim that all of Paris is too crowded, so it depends on what you like. People from Manhattan don't seem to be bothered by it, but people from Los Angeles sometimes find it "crowded."

OK, Anthony so now that YOU are obviously "promoting" some alternative venue that isn't so "touristy" are those of us who aren't ashamed of BEING tourists allowed to visit in person or do we have to get permission?

I want all of the tourists to go to rue Cler and stay there. ;-) It is wonderful beyond words.

I'm not promoting anything. If you want to blow all your money and time in Paris on the rue Cler because Rick told you so, or for whatever reason, that's your choice. I know a lot of tourists develop fixations while reading or watching travel materials and insist on going to certain places because they've read that they should go there, without ever exploring anything else. That's their prerogative. I'm just providing balance for people who don't want to do what everyone else does just because everyone else does it.

It's great to have options and suggestions from fellow travellers but IMO the bottom line is, people need to walk around and discover Paris themselves... pick a few neighbourhoods and just WALK...

What makes a street or area special is having discovered it yourself - by accident.

<<What makes a street or area special is having discovered it yourself - by accident.>>

Exactly. Which is how I discovered rue Cler - at least a decade or two before Rick Steves finished teething.

I prefer street markets to any market street. My favorites are the Richard Lenoir on Thus and Sundays and Saxe Breteuil, Thus and Sat. Rue Cler is just a street of shops to me, though I do like Rue Montorgueil because I like that whole arrondisement better than the 7th

always a lively debate on the forum...kerouac, be nice or I will spend my entire trip on your street

go where you dream of going and enjoy what you love...there are plenty of great streets and markets in Paris to enjoy

enjoyed the humor maitaitom! now, everyone take a breath and relax!

We've been to both fairly recently...Rue Cler: a year ago mid-May, we'd dined nearby, but it was a lovely night so we decided just to walk around. It was about 10PM and the restaurants & cafes were packed with mostly young people, and a few old/middle aged couples like ourselves...but it was a really lovely atmosphere. Apparently the neighborhood has thriving businesses around the clock thanks to it's popularity. That's not a bad thing.

When we did the Rue Montorgueil, it was on a Saturday or Sunday morning a couple years ago. There was a fantastic market for mid-century modern furniture and decorative items. We noticed a bunch of French design students being given assignments and saw them spread out to start sketching and taking copious notes. Of course there were the same bakery/fruit and veggie/roast chicken/cheese stands in their normal locations, but as a "market" to be honest, the traveling market on Blvd. Richard Lenoir is where you see residents shopping for everyday necessities. It's the first market I ever saw in Paris (or France, for that matter), on our first trip back in 1998, when we made the serendipitous decision to stay in the 11th arr.

There is so much to see in Paris. Of course there's an inclination to see what "everyone's talking about" but if you just relax and get past that "must see" mentality, you'll find all kinds of great stuff. (It works that way in your own home town, too!)

Did not find neither Rue Cler
nor. Mouffetard worth more than one visit.
What is such a great attraction?