To Market, to market! Guides to Paris Markets

Hot off the Press.
I’ve just received a copy of Markets of Paris by Dixon and Ruthanne Long with photographs by Alison Harris. Publisher: The Little Book Room, New York.
$16.95. 255 pages.

Before saying anything about the contents, I’d like to mention that The Little Book Room has had the brilliant idea to publish books that might actually fit in your carry-on luggage. The Little Book measures approximately 4 ½ in. by 6 in. The feel of the cover and the pages resembles flashcard material rather than the usual flimsy paperback quality. This is the perfect book format for toting around Paris.

About the contents: Markets of Paris describes in thoughtful prose a variety of Paris markets, focusing primarily on the 65 outdoor food markets that are an essential part of the Paris landscape. Although fresh produce markets are typically the first type of market a visitor is likely to encounter, authors Dixon and Ruthanne explore the varied specialty markets including the used & rare book market at Parc George Brassens, the flea markets at Porte de Clignancourt, Porte de Vanves and Montreuil, the ‘old papers’ market at Port de Vincennes, featuring postcards, comic books and many other ‘old papers’ collections, antique markets like Village Suisse and even the Drouot auction house.

Assuming market browsers are bound to start salivating after feasting their eyes on the mountains of fresh fruits, cheeses, pâtés, etc., there’s a helpful guide to bistros, restaurants, cafes, AND even wine bars within easy walking distance from the markets they’ve highlighted.

It’s obvious that the authors have made repeated visits to a number of these markets judging by the rapport they’ve developed with various vendors. What will be useful to Paris residents is the fact that they mention the names of specific cheese or poultry vendors at specific markets. Often, the difficulty for a foreigner living in Paris is to choose wisely from the vast selection of stands.

But, for me, what really sets this book apart is the careful prose. Time is taken to capture the essence of how one market’s aura can differ from any other in Paris. For example, here is how the Belleville market is described:

“A wave of sound rolls over you, picks you up, and if you’re lucky, deposits you in an eddy where you can catch your breath and get your bearings.”
I wanted to check out how my local market at Edgar Quinet in Montparnasse was described.

It was the first time that I’ve seen Tour Montparnasse and the Montparnasse cemetery mentioned in the same sentence -almost as if they were the veritable bookends for the neighborhood.

The Tour Montparnasse is described in this way:
“At the west end of the market, the Montparnasse tower rises like a giant tombstone.”
In contrast, the Montparnasse cemetery is praised as “the finest feature of this part of Paris.” Although, I might place the Jean Nouvel’s Cartier Museum on neighboring Blvd. Raspail or the epic crossroads of Le Dôme, Le Rond Point and Le Bar aux Huitres as being perhaps a cheerier landmark – the comment is not entirely unfounded. Montparnasse has certainly suffered aesthetically from its the over-enthusiastic 1970s face-lift.

Convinced that the Ruth/Dixon duo has accurately described not only my local Edgar Quinet market but also the Sunday Marché de la Création, a weekly art show and sale which has greatly improved in the past few years, I would trust their assessment of other markets throughout the city. It surprised me a little bit that they mentioned one benefit of outdoor markets over grocery stores as being the possibility of taking a bag and picking out your own fruit and vegetables. This has not been my experience. Normally you wait for a vendor to approach you. He or she asks what you would like and if you have a preference for a particular head of lettuce or carton of berries, you can point to your choice. This may differ from market to market. Watch how the old ladies do it – and follow their lead.

From a Parisian resident’s viewpoint, Markets of Paris is definitely rich in detail without getting wordy. There’s just enough here to whet your appetite, get you into the Metro, or putting on your walking shoes to explore neighborhoods that may have escaped your attention. I know that I will be throwing this handy book into my Hermes tote (just kidding!) as soon as the spring weather turns balmy. If I ever need to find fresh kumquats – I know exactly where to go.

Tomorrow I will review Parisian Home Cooking by Michael Roberts.