It’s a weekly ritual for many Parisians, but there’s no reason that the casual tourist can’t stock up on a few snacks or picnic supplies as well.

Here’s our guide on how to tackle the often intimidating world of outdoor food markets, along with a few of our favorite picks.

Related: 50 Ways to save time and money in Paris

Where and when

There are dozens of markets all over the city on different days of the week. It’s best to consult the city’s official guide for the nearest one or check out Secrets of Paris which has extensive listings. They usually open early in the morning, by 7 am and begin closing around 1 pm, though it all depends on the market.

Many shoppers want to head to the famous Raspail Market or to one of the fancy organic markets — but the prices usually keep me away. Instead, head to some of the more budget-friendly ones.

The most popular markets are the Marché d’Aligre open daily except Monday. The covered market attached to the outdoor stalls houses a beer stand, cheese shops, and a specialty olive oil store. The market on Richard Lenoir by Bastille, open on Thursday and Sunday, is enormous and full of every imaginable food product. Real Cheapos will head to the Belleville market on Tuesday and Friday to brave other Parisians looking for some of the cheapest produce around. Here’s a guide to our favorite

Preparing for a trip to the market

Come to the market ready, armed with the necessities. First, don’t come too hungry or else you’ll want to buy too much. Be smart about it!

Do come with enough bags to carry everything home. Markets are still using small colored plastic bags for individual items, but it’s best to have a larger canvas bag or basket to put everything in afterwards. Having ten plastic bags cutting into your fingers is not the lasting impression we want at the market.

Related: 10 Tips for shopping at Paris markets

Also come with spare change. While some market vendors do accept credit card, most prefer cash. It’s best to have lots of loose change to get as close as possible to the right amount, because busy sellers don’t have time to do lots of math when the clients are queuing — but they are really, really good at fast math.

Market etiquette

So once you arrive at the market, where do you begin? I like to do a few laps to spot the items I want, to check out prices, and to enjoy the atmosphere before I start buying. Some merchants will be cutting up pieces of fruit to sample while others will beckon you to their stalls. Be friendly, but don’t feel pressured to buy anything you don’t want.

Related: 10 French phrases to help you save

When you approach a stall to purchase, don’t immediately touch anything. Most of the cheaper markets (read: any that I go to), allow you to choose your own tomatoes and lettuce. You take what you want in a plastic bag and they weigh it, then you pay for all of your items.

Some sellers, however — and you’ll know which ones I am talking about — are a bit fussier. At these more pristine stands, food will be a bit more orderly and the seller will choose for you. It’s normal, and if you see them putting a bad apple in the bag, you can speak up about it. They’ll weigh it and you’ll pay. Just be careful if you’re not aware of how heavy a kilo is. It’s better to say you want a few handfuls of spinach than a kilogram, which may not end up fitting into your shopping bag.

Buying produce

When it comes to the food, there are things to remember. The French are into seasonal eating, so strawberries in February will be costly since they are coming from a greenhouse somewhere. In the springtime, the market sellers are practically giving them away. So look for items that match the season, and also those that were grown in France, which haven’t traveled so far and are thus probably relatively seasonal.

Related: Shopping success at outdoor food markets in France

Of course some items are never grown locally — limes, pineapples, or bananas — so don’t go crazy. Buy what you need, and as little or as much as you want. You can just buy five apples if that’s all you want from a stand. That’s five less that the sellers will have to worry about at the end of the day.

Fresh seafood at a stand at an outdoor market in Paris. Photo: Erica Firment

Other foods

Markets are also full of stalls selling cheese, seafood, eggs, meats, wine, bread, pastries, prepared foods, even pizzas and coffee. Plan on going for lunch and walk away with a baguette, slices of cheese and ham, and a bit of fresh fruit, but bring an extra bag for a few bottles of wine or packages of olives for later.

Again, there’s no reason to buy ten kilograms of cheese. Just get a little slice of two or three cheeses to experience them — the cheese monger will usually indicate how much he or she is going to cut, and you simply say more or less.

Final tip: Shop like a local!

If you are in Paris for a while (or even a few days), try to create a rapport with market vendors you appreciate. My veggie guys always throw in a few extras since I’m a faithful client, and that bit extra helps make the experience that much more enjoyable. Heading to the market is a much better way to engage with Paris than just stopping by Monoprix – and it’ll end up being cheaper! Now let’s get out there and shop. Here are a few of our favorite places…

A guide to the best markets for Cheapos

Marché Bastille
Métro: Bastille or Richard Lenoir
When: Thursday and Sunday, 7 am -2:30 pm

One of the biggest and most popular markets in the city, this is a must-for anyone who wants to stock up on produce with the rest of Paris. Seemingly endless stalls of fruits, vegetables, and cured meats dominate the market, while several stands selling prepared dishes like fresh paella and sandwiches are great lunch options

Marché d’Aligre
Métro: Ledru-Rollin
12th aar
When: Tuesday – Sunday, 9 am -1 pm

A local market that guidebooks made famous, Marché d’Aligre attracts those interested in a more sedate market experience without sacrificing quality — or quantity for that matter. The unique feature is a covered section with specialty products like flowers, olive oil, and craft beer.

Marché de Belleville
Métro: Belleville
When: Tuesday and Friday, 7 am -2:30 pm

In the culturally diverse Belleville, this market is popular among the neighborhood’s many Asian shoppers. Marché de Belleville may not be the most photogenic market, but the cheap prices and plentiful produce make it a solid option for budget seekers.

Marché Barbès
Métro: La Chapelle
When: Wed,  7 am – 1 pm, Saturday,  7 am – 3pm

Marché Barbès has all of the hustle and bustle of a North African souk, so don’t go bother being too polite. Shoppers shove and snake their way through this dense market where you can find random collections of food items — potentially expired butter, for example — but don’t worry, those are just “sell-by” dates. Right?

Marché Maubert-Mutalité
Métro: Maubert-Mutalité,
When: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday,  7 am – 2:30 pm

The Left Bank has markets, too, and this tiny one, not too far from Notre Dame, is one of the oldest. Go to Marché Maubert-Mutalité for the fresh produce and other random goods hawked here, like scarfs or binoculars. The market’s backdrop is a textbook example of French shopping with a boucherie, charcuterie, poissonnerie, fromagerie, and boulangerie all lined up nice and neatly.

The post Paris: Tips for shopping at the best outdoor food markets for Cheapos appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Visiting one of the finest food capitals of the world, a place chock-full of bountiful “Bon Produits” (specialty shops), all managed by certified gastronomical experts who are more than willing to share their vast wealth of knowledge, is abso-fruga-lute-ly not the time to shop at a chain grocery store in order to save a few centimes.

Splurge on a café.

So take in all those wonderful boulangeries, pâtisseries, chocolatiers, confiseries, glaciers, éspiceries, fromageries, charcuteries, poissonneries, caves, and cafés with a clear conscience. And don’t be shy. Ask for recommendations! Ask questions, and in the process you’ll take home more than the receipt.

Here’s my personal sampling of things to not miss while in France. Cheapos, splurge on!

1. Crème brûlée

Before cracking open this classic beauty, lift the ramekin to your ear, and lightly tap on its hard, caramelized topping with your spoon. Breathe in. Savor the moment.

2. Pain au chocolat

The proper way to eat it is to pinch off teeny morsels with your fingertips to make it last as long as possible. However, I usually peel the individual layers off slowly, thoroughly enjoying each melted chocolate nugget I encounter.

3. Fromage

Big wheels do keep on turning. Like skirts, cheese is seasonal, and the variety is endless. So pace yourself! Start off with the “Cantal jeune.” Named after the volcanic peaks of the Cantal mountain range, it’s hard to find this one-month-old taste sensation outside of France. Why, even the Sun King gave it his Good Palace-Keeping seal of approval. Also, don’t hesitate to ask the fromager for a cheese recommendation based on the wine you just bought down the street. They’ll gladly help you out.

Baguettes from Gérard Mulot.

4. Baguette

If it’s still warm from the oven, do as the locals do and rip a chunk off and pop it in your mouth as soon as you step out of the bakery. I’ve noticed that males tend to carry their baguettes like caveman clubs, while women usually cradle their bread.

5. Macarons and meringues

The ultimate instant sugar rush—but what-the-hey? You only live once, right? That’s what she said. Catherine de Medici’s Italian pastry chefs introduced the macaron to France, and Ladurée is credited with its stream-lined modern sandwich-look.

6. Wines

It’s perfectly normal to say, “I’m looking for something around five euros to go with [fill in the blank].” Trust me, everyone else is asking the same question. Tip: Caviste Pascal Fauvel at La Cave de Abbesses at 43 rue des Abbesses clearly marks his recommendations with heart-shaped signs that read, “Coup de coeur maison.” Others follow suit.

7. French onion soup

Yummy escargot

Day or night, it’s a hot and hearty Cheapo happy meal (sans prizes).

8. Escargots

If you end up loving them (and most people do) then you’ve made a culinary discovery, and if not, at least you’ve got a funny story to tell, and everyone will admire your bravery. I usually order my snails bathed in garlic, butter, and herbs in their little spiral shells. Yum!

9. Crêpes

“Je voudrais une banane-chocolat crêpe, s’il vous plaît,” is another one of my tickets to paradise.

Tartes at Les Petits Mitrons.

10. Tarte

Any ole tarte will do as long as it comes from Les Petits Mitrons at 26 rue Lepic in Abbesses, just up the street from the Moulin Rouge, and kitty-corner from the café featured in the film “Amélie.” You can also buy your pie by the slice!

11. A drink in Parisian café

If you visit Paris and miss out on this experience, Cheapos, we are no longer friends. Yes! Your alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks will cost a little more than in a grocery store, but the upside is that you’ll be given courtside seats to people watching, and you can stay as long as you like.

12. At least one article of clothing

For the simple love of bragging rights, do pick up a scarf, shirt, or slacks. Then, for years to come you’ll be able to say, “Oh, this old thing? I picked it up in Paris years ago!”

Cheapos, do you have a favorite French treat? Do tell!

The post 12 things worth splurging on in Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s our guide to the boulangerie’s “other” baked goods, thinking beyond the baguette…

More “pain,” all gain

First off, there is much more to French bread (“pain”) than the baguette.

I’m a bit partial to the “tradition,” which is much softer than a baguette and tastes a little like sourdough. There are also “boules,” or round breads, and most boulangeries now offer whole-grain options. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any loaf of French bread that costs more than €2.

Similarly, it’s time to branch out from the standard croissant. Go for broke on the calorie-meter with a “pain au chocolat”, often mistakenly called a “chocolate croissant” in the U.S. (The word “croissant” implies a crescent shape, whereas a “pain au chocolat” tends to be somewhat square.)

Though not as extensive as a “patisserie” (a bakery that specializes in pastries), boulangeries offer a full range of “tartes” and other small pastries to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Lunch to go: Baguette sandwiches, quiches, and more

The boulangerie is a great place to pick up a quick lunch to eat on the go or bring to a picnic.

Small baguette sandwiches are reasonably-priced (around €3-4). A “jambon buerre” (ham with butter) is a pretty standard French option, although you’ll also find sandwiches with “thon” (tuna), “poulet” (chicken), “ouef” (egg), and more.  When the shopkeeper asks if you’d like your sandwich “avec salade,” she wants to know if you’d like one with lettuce and tomato or just the meat.

Other lunch options range from quiche to mini pizza to “croque monsieur” (a ham sandwich with cheese baked on the outside), depending on the bakery.

Formule: Make the most of your lunch money

Most boulangeries offer a “formule,” a lunch special that includes a sandwich, a dessert, and a drink. The price depends on the location and sometimes on the type of sandwich you order. Expect to pay between €5-7 for the meal.

As with all shops in France, the majority of boulangeries will be closed on Sundays, except for in highly touristed areas. If you do find a boulangerie you like open on Sunday, odds are it will be closed if you try to return on Monday.

Tell us!

Do you have a favorite boulangerie in Paris? Or a French bread product you just can’t live without? Tell us about it in the comments section.

The post Paris Cheap Eats: Beyond baguettes at the boulangerie appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.