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VIEW PHOTOS
VIEW PHOTOS

Host: Laurence

Paris, France

USD
$86-$136 per person

Private Market Tour and Tasting at the Marche D'Aligre

Host offerings
  • Apartment
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Laurence

Laurence is passionate about sharing her culture with travelers from around the world. A market researcher for a local telecom company by day, Laurence is delighted by Paris’s local markets and her true love is sharing French food and culture. With a French mother and Algerian father, Laurence was exposed to a multicultural environment from her earliest days. Laurence developed a love of learning about cultures from around the world and also became passionate about the English language. At home, Laurence and her husband, who comes from a family of oyster farmers, love cooking traditional French meals with seasonal vegetables and fresh seafood. Laurence says, “I would be happy to share my favorite recipes with you, tell you about our more than 350 cheeses, our superb wines and even teach you a few French words!” Join Laurence for a tour of the Marche D’Aligre that includes a tasting of regional produce and ends with a wine, cheese and charcuterie tasting.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) Enjoy a private tour of the Marche D’Aligre, a true locals market nearly 200 years old that is located close to the Bastille area of the 12th arrondissement. You will meet your host Laurence at a coffee shop just next to the market; stay about 30 minutes as Laurence introduces you to the market, its history and explains your agenda. Laurence will share information on some of the different cheeses you might find in the market, and recommend some of the best French wines to try. After finishing your introduction, begin your tour through the covered section of the market, starting with the meat and charcuterie stalls. Continue on to the cheese stalls, and then the fish section of the market, where Paris’s freshest fish and seafood can be found. Finish your tour of the market with a trip through the vegetable portion of the market where Laurence will purchase a few seasonal fruits and vegetables for you to try that you might not have encountered before (for example a seasonal persimmon or blue radish, a lovely sweet and mild radish). After your tour, visit a nearby local wine bar where you will sit and enjoy an assortment of cheeses, charcuterie and two glasses of local wine. All tastings, as well as the ending charcuterie and cheese assortment and wine at the end of your tour, are included in the price of the experience.

Notes: Market tours with Laurence are available everyday except Monday's. Market tours typically begin at 10am. Please note that the wine and tastings are included in the price of your experience. The experience duration is 3 to 3,5 hours

Languages spoken: French, English, German

Traveler reviews

5.0 (6)
Laurence was a wonderful guide - friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. We learned a lot about the market and the huge variety of foods there, and all four of us tasted some new-to-us things along the way. I would definitely recommend this tour for families, as long as your children are willing to try new foods (in particular fruits, cheese, and cured meats). Laurence also has a lot of knowledge about Paris in general and she suggested some great things for us to do and see during our remaining time in the city. I'm really glad we did this instead of a traditional restaurant-based food tour!
- Casey_R July 30, 2022
We loved our tour with Laurence. She is knowledgeable about the market’s offerings and friendly with its merchants. We loved that Laurence gave us a background on the market’s history and present-day purposes and tailored the tour to our interests. We tried a couple of new-to-us items and picked up a few for a picnic later in our trip. Lunch at the end with wine education and tasting and Laurence’s additional suggestions for our remaining time in Paris were a treat! This was our second time booking this tour, having done it in 2014 with Nathalie. Both were a different and worthwhile experience.
- Amye May 30, 2022
Delightful morning/afternoon learning about regional French food and wines and discussing all things related to food, France, and travel. Walked through market and tasted food not easily available in American grocery stores (cheeses, meats, and some fruits too). Loved getting a local perspective on food and Laurence was kind, patient, and gracious with all our questions/conversations. Absolutely loved it!!
- LLG1972 September 26, 2019
This was our favorite experience while we were visiting Paris. Our guide was fabulous. She made us feel very welcome, showed us the best market, and helped us experience Paris like a local! She was knowledgeable in the local wine and cheese and spent time sharing customary shopping and eating habits of the French. I highly recommend this experience with Laurence.
- gogypsylife September 17, 2019
We had a great time with Laurence exploring the Marche D’Aligre market! First we met with her at a wonderful cafe where we had coffee and discussed the history and details of the market. Then we explored the market and Laurence impressed us very much with her in depth knowledge. We were traveling with our 15-month-old which isn't always easy in Paris but Laurence was very understanding and flexible. This experience was a wonderful authentic way to end our trip and we would highly recommend it!
- CoryL495 May 19, 2019
Laurence has built this tour around her vast knowledge of and passion for good quality food, which makes the experience truly enjoyable. She has an exciting and fun way of describing the ingredients and explaining the background of the food and the people you encounter that makes you want to only eat fresh, local, high quality food ever again. As we walked through the market, Laurence was tailoring our tour and our tastings to what she observed we were interested in, which made the experience extra special. Having this local experience was a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the Paris most tourists are seeing. Even the staff at the coffee shop where we met up were sweet and energetic, which is not always the temperament of people working in the tourist heavy areas. We highly recommend this tour if you love food, a local experience and good company!
- CarolForLA April 26, 2018
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Laurence

$86-$136 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Market Tour
 $136 $94 $86
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Market Tour
 $136 $94 $86
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Market Tour
 10:00am-2:00pm

Meet Laurence

Laurence is passionate about sharing her culture with travelers from around the world. A market researcher for a local telecom company by day, Laurence is delighted by Paris’s local markets and her true love is sharing French food and culture. With a French mother and Algerian father, Laurence was exposed to a multicultural environment from her earliest days. Laurence developed a love of learning about cultures from around the world and also became passionate about the English language. At home, Laurence and her husband, who comes from a family of oyster farmers, love cooking traditional French meals with seasonal vegetables and fresh seafood. Laurence says, “I would be happy to share my favorite recipes with you, tell you about our more than 350 cheeses, our superb wines and even teach you a few French words!” Join Laurence for a tour of the Marche D’Aligre that includes a tasting of regional produce and ends with a wine, cheese and charcuterie tasting.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Market visit: (1-6 guests) Enjoy a private tour of the Marche D’Aligre, a true locals market nearly 200 years old that is located close to the Bastille area of the 12th arrondissement. You will meet your host Laurence at a coffee shop just next to the market; stay about 30 minutes as Laurence introduces you to the market, its history and explains your agenda. Laurence will share information on some of the different cheeses you might find in the market, and recommend some of the best French wines to try. After finishing your introduction, begin your tour through the covered section of the market, starting with the meat and charcuterie stalls. Continue on to the cheese stalls, and then the fish section of the market, where Paris’s freshest fish and seafood can be found. Finish your tour of the market with a trip through the vegetable portion of the market where Laurence will purchase a few seasonal fruits and vegetables for you to try that you might not have encountered before (for example a seasonal persimmon or blue radish, a lovely sweet and mild radish). After your tour, visit a nearby local wine bar where you will sit and enjoy an assortment of cheeses, charcuterie and two glasses of local wine. All tastings, as well as the ending charcuterie and cheese assortment and wine at the end of your tour, are included in the price of the experience.

Notes: Market tours with Laurence are available everyday except Monday's. Market tours typically begin at 10am. Please note that the wine and tastings are included in the price of your experience. The experience duration is 3 to 3,5 hours

Languages spoken: French, English, German

Traveler reviews

5.0 (6)
Laurence was a wonderful guide - friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. We learned a lot about the market and the huge variety of foods there, and all four of us tasted some new-to-us things along the way. I would definitely recommend this tour for families, as long as your children are willing to try new foods (in particular fruits, cheese, and cured meats). Laurence also has a lot of knowledge about Paris in general and she suggested some great things for us to do and see during our remaining time in the city. I'm really glad we did this instead of a traditional restaurant-based food tour!
- Casey_R July 30, 2022
We loved our tour with Laurence. She is knowledgeable about the market’s offerings and friendly with its merchants. We loved that Laurence gave us a background on the market’s history and present-day purposes and tailored the tour to our interests. We tried a couple of new-to-us items and picked up a few for a picnic later in our trip. Lunch at the end with wine education and tasting and Laurence’s additional suggestions for our remaining time in Paris were a treat! This was our second time booking this tour, having done it in 2014 with Nathalie. Both were a different and worthwhile experience.
- Amye May 30, 2022
Delightful morning/afternoon learning about regional French food and wines and discussing all things related to food, France, and travel. Walked through market and tasted food not easily available in American grocery stores (cheeses, meats, and some fruits too). Loved getting a local perspective on food and Laurence was kind, patient, and gracious with all our questions/conversations. Absolutely loved it!!
- LLG1972 September 26, 2019
This was our favorite experience while we were visiting Paris. Our guide was fabulous. She made us feel very welcome, showed us the best market, and helped us experience Paris like a local! She was knowledgeable in the local wine and cheese and spent time sharing customary shopping and eating habits of the French. I highly recommend this experience with Laurence.
- gogypsylife September 17, 2019
We had a great time with Laurence exploring the Marche D’Aligre market! First we met with her at a wonderful cafe where we had coffee and discussed the history and details of the market. Then we explored the market and Laurence impressed us very much with her in depth knowledge. We were traveling with our 15-month-old which isn't always easy in Paris but Laurence was very understanding and flexible. This experience was a wonderful authentic way to end our trip and we would highly recommend it!
- CoryL495 May 19, 2019
Laurence has built this tour around her vast knowledge of and passion for good quality food, which makes the experience truly enjoyable. She has an exciting and fun way of describing the ingredients and explaining the background of the food and the people you encounter that makes you want to only eat fresh, local, high quality food ever again. As we walked through the market, Laurence was tailoring our tour and our tastings to what she observed we were interested in, which made the experience extra special. Having this local experience was a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the Paris most tourists are seeing. Even the staff at the coffee shop where we met up were sweet and energetic, which is not always the temperament of people working in the tourist heavy areas. We highly recommend this tour if you love food, a local experience and good company!
- CarolForLA April 26, 2018
Read More
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Market Tour
 $136 $94 $86
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Market Tour
 $136 $94 $86
Alcohol
 $0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Market Tour
 10:00am-2:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

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