Best for
Food lovers, budget travellers, anyone wanting a casual local lunch
Time needed
30–60 minutes
Worth it?
Yes — an easy, characterful, low-cost lunch stop in the Marais
Skip if
You're visiting on a Monday, when it's closed
About Marché des Enfants Rouges
Established in 1615, the Marché des Enfants Rouges takes its slightly unsettling name ('Market of the Red Children') from a nearby orphanage whose children wore red uniforms provided by charitable donation — the orphanage itself is long gone, but the name stuck to the market that grew up near it, making this the oldest continuously operating covered market in Paris.
After periods of decline through the 20th century, the market was renovated and reopened in the early 2000s with its historic covered structure and slate roof intact, but with a food-stall culture added alongside the traditional produce, cheese and flower vendors — a format that anticipated the food-hall trend that's since spread through many cities.
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Today's mix includes a well-regarded Lebanese deli-style stall, a Japanese bento counter, an Italian grocery and wine bar, a Moroccan tagine stand and a scattering of fresh produce and flower sellers, all eaten standing or at simple shared tables under the market's covered arcades — an informal, low-cost way to sample several cuisines in one stop.
Set in the northern Marais near Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum, the market makes a natural, casual lunch stop on a day spent exploring the neighbourhood's mansions and boutiques.
What to See: Highlights
- 1Paris's oldest covered market, established in 1615
- 2A mix of Lebanese, Japanese, Italian and Moroccan food stalls
- 3Historic covered arcades with a slate roof
- 4Fresh produce and flower vendors alongside the food stalls
- 5A casual, low-cost way to sample several cuisines in one stop
Insider Tips
Go around lunchtime (11:30am–1:30pm) to see the market at its liveliest, but expect queues at the popular stalls
Seating is informal and shared — expect to eat standing or at communal tables
Closed Mondays — plan around that if it's a priority stop
Combine with a walk to nearby Place des Vosges or the Musée Picasso Paris
Bring cash — some smaller stalls may not take cards
Getting There
39 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Open in Google Maps →- 1Metro 8 to Filles du Calvaire or Metro 3 to Temple, both a short walk.
Where to stay
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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you visit.
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Should You Visit?
Visit if...
- You want a casual, varied lunch while exploring the Marais
- You enjoy browsing historic covered food markets
- You're already near Place des Vosges or the Picasso Museum
- You're comfortable with informal, shared seating
Skip if...
- You're visiting on a Monday, when the market is closed
- You'd prefer a sit-down restaurant experience
- You're not planning to be in the Marais this trip
More to See in Paris
Musée Picasso Paris
The world's largest public Picasso collection, spanning his entire career, housed in a 17th-century Marais mansion known as the Hôtel Salé.
Place des Vosges
Paris's oldest planned square, a perfectly symmetrical 17th-century plaza of red-brick pavilions in the Marais, and once home to Victor Hugo.