Marché aux Fleurs - Ile de la Cité

The last few days in Paris has seen the barometer jump up to the mid 2os, and as a result everyone is beginning to shed their winter skin and do more 'outdoors' things. This automatically means that the streets are busier, the parks are packed, and the number of quiet spots to get away from the maddening crowd are becoming fewer and further in between.

I know that not absolutely everyone is as keen on flowers as I am (they look good, smell good, and are fun to photograph), but I guess I am a bit of a sucker for sweet-smelling things (that goes for cakes, perfume and certain people I know, too). And whilst I acknowledge that there ain't much sexy about roses, there is something very old-world Paris when you detect their scent lacing the warm Spring breeze.

To this effect I highly recommend to anyone who wants to spend an hour or so taking a break from partaking in the other urban or urbane delights that Paris has to offer, to cart yourself off to the Marché aux Fleurs in the Place Louis Lépine on the Ile de la Cité for an hour or two. This is the oldest flower market in Paris - it's been here since 1808 - and on Sundays it transforms into a bird market.

Literally a green oasis in the middle of the city, this is a good place to get away from all the hordes of traffic and the constant pressure of looking chic and nonchalant in the heat (it's a strange phenomenon but Parisians never seem to sweat). It's also a good place for people watching, as this is where the locals come to fantasise about the plants they'd like to buy to put in the gardens they will never have (most Parisians don't have gardens but they do take their flowers very seriously - there are whole rule books regarding the etiquette of giving flowers, but that is the topic of another post to be written on another day).

The market is also the site of one of those emblematic art nouveau metro signs - worth going to have a look at if you haven't stumbled upon one before.


My preferred stall is run by Christophe (it's located right next to the metro exit):

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Ph: (+33) 01 44 07 04 20

Marché aux Fleurs / Place Louis Lépine / Ile de la Cité / 75004 Paris / Hours: 8am - 7pm Monday - Saturday / Bird market hours: 8am - 7pm Sunday