French Market Guide to Produce

What is a Typical French Market?

Markets are the centre of food culture in France. The French are serious about fruits and vegetables in season - which means not just local, but they are fresher, have more flavour and vitamins. While elsewhere, we can easily find strawberries and cherries at Christmas time, in France it's generally frowned upon - especially as forced summer produce in winter tends to taste more like tasteless turnip!

A typical French market is where we meet to discuss the seasonal produce: from preparation, recipes and even familiar French expressions around them! 'Une grosse légume' (literally, 'a big vegetable') is slang for a big wig or VIP.

This guide is a typical local food market to show that French food is about using FRESH ingredients wherever possible. Not only is buying local more sustainable - but the flavours are better with higher vitamin content, as they haven't been in transit over a few days.

Markets in Paris

There are over 80 French farmers' markets in Paris alone - both open-air and covered. (Not to be confused with the financial stock market at the Paris Bourse now Euronext, even this is related to food! See my financier cakes for its history.)

Our most popular, everyday markets feature fresh fruit and vegetables. Whatever in season, they come either directly from the local farmers (Maraîcher/producteur) or from merchant re-sellers via Rungis, the biggest market in France.

Markets take place in France at least once a week. Here in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, it takes place three times a week! Parisian markets are to be found around all of Paris's arrondissements at different times.

Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month in France

What fresh fruits and vegetables are in season for December at our French markets?

• French fruits: apples, bananas, chestnuts, clementines, hazelnuts, kaki, kiwi, lemons/limes, litchis, mango, oranges, passion fruit, pears, pineapple, pomegranate, pomelo, walnuts.
• French vegetables: Jerusalem artichokes, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery (and celery root), chard, chicory/endive, fennel, herbs, lambs' lettuce, leeks, mushrooms (champignons de Paris), onions, parsley, parsnip, potatoes, pumpkins/squash, black radish, rocket (arugula), spinach, turnip and watercress.

Discover a guide to many below, including their seasonal recipes.