How to Visit Marché d’Intérêt National de Rungis

Just outside of Paris sits the Marché d’Intérêt National de Rungis (or International market of Rungis), the largest wholesale food market in the world. Each day the 573 acre complex is flooded with 26,000 trucks worth of fresh vegetables, fish, meats, and cheeses; 13,000 market workers, restaurateurs, and distributors unite to purchase the freshest of the fresh for the lowest price. €7-billion worth of food is sold within the gates every year.

Visiting this colossal market as a tourist, however, can be challenging. Buses, passenger trains, and most taxis won’t go there, and subway lines stop well before reaching the southern commune of Rungis. Doors open at midnight, and by 7 AM, most of the days goods have been pillaged to leave only the rotten and runt. Even when you do make it, the locals want you out of their way, and they’re not afraid to tell you.

While the Rungis market may not be completely accessible to tourists, it’s still possible for the persistent traveler to pay a visit. A writer with FXCuisine.com recently went, and reported back on the best way to make a stop. You can either:

  1. Join a group tour
  2. Hire an official guide
  3. Go with a registered Rungis buyer/seller
  4. Sneak in with chutzpah
  5. Become a registered buyer

For a full trip report, including details on how you can take in the sights and smells of Rungis the next time you’re in Paris, visit FXCuisine.com. [via]