Traveling with friends--one of whom grew up in Paris but has been gone for more than 20 years. Staying in the 16th arrondissement. All but one of us has been before, so we are doing some of the main things but also have time for exploring. I am interested in street markets and have read about several in Rick Steves' book,, but would love to hear from Fodorites regarding their favorites.

Also, we are taking one day trip to to Chateau duClos Luce'. Had not planned on renting a car, so any suggestions for taking the train, places for lunch, etc. would be great.


Thank you!

Outdoor & Covered Markets in Paris, France

This is a pretty comprehensive list, by arrondissement.

My favorite is the marché de Belleville, but it's probably not for everyone. I also love the marché Aligre and the marché Richard Lenoir.

There are a lot of trains daily from Paris to Amboise, from the Gare Montparnasse, the Gare d'Austerlitz, and I think the Gare St-Lazare. I think the only direct ones are from Austerlitz. It's roughly a 2-hour ride. When in Amboise I like to eat at L'Epicerie.

>>> Also, we are taking one day trip to to Chateau duClos Luce'. Had not planned on renting a car, so any suggestions for taking the train

It would help you to look at the map. Chateau du Clos Lucé is next to the town of Amboise. It is 1.9km from the Amboise train station.
www.oui.sncf would tell you two ways to get to Amboise from Paris with different departure times and prices from the Austerlitz or the Montparnasse station. The one from the Austerlitz does not require changing train. There are major discounts if you buy IC or TGV train tickets well in advance online, but of course, these are non-refundable tickets.

If Chateau du Clos Lucé is the only destination, if you can walk. It is 30 min walk from the station. Alternatively, can take a taxi from the Amboise station to the Chateau du Clos Lucé, walk back 800 m to Amboise for lunch, optionally visit Chateau Royal d'Amboise while in town, walk 1 km back to the Amboise train station for a trip home.
See these tourists walking to the Chateau? https://goo.gl/maps/znmjv5DrgJx

Yes take train from Paris-Austerlitz station direct to Amboise - station there is a long poke from town so may want to take a taxi - the Chateau du Clos Luce is really a fancy old villa but not a chateau in the classic sense of the word - anyway really neat - Leonardo lived his final years here and many of his inventions - copies - are on display. Amboise does have a proper chateau - very imposing overlooking Loire - be sure to visit it. Trains -book yourselves at www.oui.sncf for discounted fares over showing up and buying. www.seat61.com has lots of info booking own tickets; general info trains BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. As these trains can get very crowded at times maybe consider first class if not much more.

With ten days in Paris you may want to do other easy day trips by train like to Reims for Champagne Houses and caves; Chartres for great Gothic cathedral - and zillions more.

I have passed and browsed this one twice over the years (2016 the most recent) and I think it is neat:

Marché Edgar Quinet - Paris.fr

Montparnasse tower in this area.

I love Rue Mouffetard - a wonderful street to stroll down.

Thank you apersuader65-- that is a great list. Wonder if some of these might be "flea markets?"

Would love to hear why you like certain markets.

Thanks for the advice on travel to Amboise. We will look into other day trips as well.

My favorite market is Sunday sand Thursdays at Place bastille. Lots of stalls and sample!!

We never got to the big flea market (help please if I'm linking the wrong one) that I only remember the word 'puce':

Puces de saint ouen

Ktravel, is/was Mouffetard more food? I can't remember. Thanks.

The Raspail one I mentioned had food and scads of stuff. From inlaid gorgeous furniture to a robot!

Thanks-- looking forward to exploring these markets.

There is some confusion on the markets, rue Mouffetard is a permanent market street, like rue Cler or rue de Buci or some others like that in Paris. This is different from periodic roving markets that are in most quartiers a couple days a week where vendors come in temporarily and set up stalls to sell -- those are almost always both food and miscellaneous stuff (cheap clothes, shoes, jewelry, bags, etc). I don't care for the roving market at place Aligre, just saw a lot of really awful junk there (clothes that were even faded in parts, and you could get ripped off if you didn't open and scan the entire item carefully). It may be useful for locals to buy vegetables but I presonally wouldn't recommend it to a tourist for some special market trip.

So don't go to Mouffetard or rue Cler for the same thing as these roving markets. You may enjoy the street, but it's not the same thing. There is also a roving market that comes to rue Mouffetard, though, and nearby Monge metro stop a couple days a week, but that is mainly or solely food that I can recall (the one near the church, anyway). So if you go to Mouffetard, I'd go on a day of the roving market not just any day.

The one mentioned at Bastille is the Richard Lenoir one and really goes up from palce de la Bastille onto that bd. I think it is a very good one and pretty large. There is one on bd Quinet in Montparnasse which isn't quiet as good as that IMO, last time I was there (and I always go as I stay in that area), it wasn't nearly as good as it used to be some years ago, seemed to me.

The Puces de St Ouen is yet a third thing, there are a couple wellknown flea markets such as that one (the biggest) and the one at Vanves (I was not impressed, but it's smaller and closer). The one at St Ouen has permanent stores basically and even sells lots of expensive antiques.

Of course there are markets in every quartier, and a lot of the same vendors go to them, of course. I think the one at Richard Lenoir does seem one of the best, though. I also thought the one near La Motte Picquet was pretty good.

Marche Aligre has a big flea market in the same square w the food stalls on Sunday only. It is wonderful w lots of old dishes and even Limoges, not the fine china, but Limoges nevertheless, old linens, jewelry, and everything you can imagine. A few trips ago, I bought a lot more than. I had planned to I bought a used suitcase there for €4! It's very lively and the poulet roti are really delicious, ditto for fruit, cheese, veggies, and patisseries! Yummy... returning for trip 6 sept1 do a month and can't wait to have all these wonderful tastes again. In only 73 days!

Thank,s KY Judy--that sounds great., We are also going in September, which seems like a pretty good time.

Looking for a day trip in Parisn check out the Parc de St-Cloud which rises high above Paris on the east and provides rave views over Paris all laid out below - plus in this vast park are some remains of an old chateau and you can walk thru it down to the Severes Ceramcis museum/manufacturer:

https://www.google.com/search?q=parc...w=1536&bih=758

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc_de_Saint-Cloud

Easy to reach by train to St-Cloud and by bus or metro.