Taste of the Historic Les Halles Market District

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About this neighborhood: The Les Halles neighborhood is both the heart and belly of Paris, located in the center of the city and once home to the Europe’s  largest food marketplace. Vendors have been hawking their wares here since the 12th century, but the real action took place between 1870 and 1971 when more than 20% of all food consumed in France flowed through the towering glass and iron pavillions (halles) that stood on this site. The novelist Emile Zola profiled this bustling market culture in his 1873 masterpiece “Le Ventre de Paris” (The Belly of Paris). The market was moved in 1971 to a suburb just south of the city (Rungis), but the incredible food shops that grew up around this area still remain.

What we’ll taste: We’ll visit an internationally renowned baker, taste some cheeses from a shop that sources one of the city’s most coveted restaurants, and introduce you to the old-school traditions of traiteur and charcuterie. Armed with a sampling of luxurious desserts from the city’s most historic pastry shop, we’ll finish up with a tasting of several rare, small-production French wines.

Price for a small group tour: 95€ per person, including all tastings. More on private tour options here.

The neighborhood in video: 

A video from Food & Wine magazine featuring our editor Meg Zimbeck and Daniel Rose from Spring in Les Halles

Practical Matters

• Want to know when this tour runs? Here’s a schedule for all our small group tours.
• For the sake of other clients on our group tours, we can’t wait more than 20 minutes for late arrivals. See our cancellations policy below & send an email if you need help planning your transport to arrive on time.
• Other concerns? Consult our list of Frequently Asked Questions or send an email.

Cancellations Policy

A refund of 75% is available for those who cancel with at least 48 hours advance notice. For those who cancel with less than 48 hours notice, only the unspent tasting fee (20 euros per person) will be refunded. Our tours run rain or shine. Clients who arrive more than 20 minutes late without calling or who don’t show up at all (no-shows) will be treated as last-minute cancellations and only the unspent tasting fee will be refunded.