My flatmate gave me a list of tips for Paris and strolling the streets of Le Marais arrondissement was at the top of her list.  So after brunch one morning we wandered through the centre of Paris until we hit Le Marais, which is just east of the centre of Paris and the majority of the tourist attractions.  Gone were the tourists, replaced with real Parisians  and their many dogs going about their daily lives. 

Marché Des Enfants Rouges  (literally translated into “market of the red children”) is the oldest covered markets in Paris, making it a must do on our tour of Le Marais.  It has been around since the 1600s and is filled with a mixture of ready to eat stalls (selling Moroccan delights, burgers and buckwheat pancakes to name a few), fruit, vegetables, a fromagerie (of course!), fish, meat and flowers, with a couple of restaurants here and there. Being off the tourist track, it’s the perfect place to soak up real Parisian life while sampling some of the many local delicacies the market has to offer. 

Go here for: watching the world go by over a café au lait or a bottle of vin rouge at Café Chanlot across the road from the entrance to Marché Des Enfants Rouges; grabbing some fresh ingredients for cooking up a feast at home

Highlights: the hilarious French florist wrapping up our flowers cigarette in hand all the while oozing Ozzy Osbourne vibes

Top tips: if you’re heading back to London on the Eurostar grab a bottle of vino to take with you (but don’t forget the bottle opener!) – and not be shy to grab a cooked chicken to go with it…

#september2016