“Largest wholesale fresh food market.” That’s what they say about the Rungis International Market. It isn’t just large. It’s larger than Monaco itself. This is the new belly of Paris.
Les Halles was once the belly of Paris. Emile Zola named it so. The vibrant market was captured in photos by Robert Doisneau for nearly 50 years. But that market closed in 1969 after more than 800 years. A piece of Paris history was gone forever.
Or so it seemed. The International Market of Rungis stepped in. It’s the replacement market. You will find it on the outskirts of inner Paris. Every year, more than 8 billion euros are spent here. Over 12000 people work tirelessly.
It may not be your typical tourist spot. But a tour of Rungis is fascinating. If you want to visit you must get up early. Guided tours start at 5 a.m. The good news is Rungis is a quick trip from central Paris. Arriving feels like a bustling city. Hundreds of lorries and vans fill the streets. About 26000 vehicles deliver goods daily. It is a sight to behold.
Rungis is strictly wholesale. Only purchasing card holders can buy here. The card is free. Its issue is controlled strictly. It’s only available to professionals.
The market operates when most are asleep. The main action happens earlier than the organized tour allows. Take the Marée pavilion. It is dedicated to shellfish and seafood. It’s one of Rungis’ stars. It opens for business at 2 a.m. They boast of selling the freshest fish in France. It takes less than 24 hours from port to plate.
Before rapid transport, fish arrived in the capital rotten. Skillful fishmongers would remove the bad parts. They would leave two fillets of eatable fish. That is where the term “fish fillets” came from. Today the port to plate process is fast. It is hygienic and slick.
The Triperie Pavilion isn’t for the faint of heart. Bins are full of entrails, kidneys, and pigs’ trotters. Some bits you may not recognize. A demonstration shows the preparation of Tete de Veau. A worker clad like a knight takes a boiled cow’s head. In two minutes he reduces it into delicacies. These are sold to restaurants and butchers. It could make you turn vegetarian.
The meat pavilion has walls of pork, lamb, and venison carcasses. Crates are full of poultry and game. Huge joints of ribs of beef catch the eye. Vegetarian musings are forgotten.
Rungis is a working market. Some who work here tolerate visitors. They work hard while everyone else sleeps. Keep on your toes. Avoid being run over by a mini truck. Or worse, falling into a bin of pigs’ entrails.
Cheese fans will love the cheese pavilion. It is the world’s biggest cheese shop. Cheeses of all shapes and sizes are everywhere. There are mouth size portions of Cabachou. Also wheels of Ementhal weigh 175 kilos. You can taste some. But at 5:30 a.m. it takes getting used to.
Next is the fruit and veg pavilion. Stunning produce comes from all over the world. There’s stuff you have never heard of. One fruit looked frightening. There is French humor at a stall of French beans. The producer’s name was “Larry Cover”. This is a play on “Le haricot vert” French beans.
Organic fruit and vegetables also have a place in Rungis. It’s a smaller pavilion. But it has over 40 operators. There’s also a Fresh Flower pavilion. A stunning kaleidoscope of colors and perfumes will wow you. They come from all over the world.
After the tour it’s time for food. Rungis has many restaurants and cafés inside. It may be breakfast for the tour. But it’s lunchtime for the market workers. Tables groan under pastries, cheeses, and saucissons. Hams and fruit abound. And there is an excellent Bordeaux. Also a very quaff-able Sancerre.
Paris has much to tempt you. There’s Notre Dame, Sacré Coeur and the Eiffel Tower. But if you care about food and where it comes from then visit Rungis. The new belly of Paris is off the beaten track. It should be at the top of your list.