This morning I arrived at the Marché d’Aligre in the 12th, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary for a Tuesday morning at one of the city’s best food markets. But as I got closer to the covered market, the Marché Beauvau, I saw that it was blocked off and the gates were closed. “Oh no, they must be closed for renovations,” I said to my guests, because that happens often in a city with so many historic monuments.
But no. As I got closer and saw many other Parisians peering into the gates with confused looks on their face, I finally saw the blackened roof. I asked one of the onlookers what happened. “There was a fire Sunday night,” he said with a heavy sigh.
Luckily, the fire brigade arrived quickly and only three stands were heavily damaged (it looks like the cheese stand, Italian deli and butcher shop in the very center were destroyed), and although the roof did catch fire the wooden beams held and can be fixed.
In the meantime the covered market will be closed while they clean up (follow the news on their FB page), and the fruit and vegetable stands normally right outside (and the florist) have been moved closer to the flea market side of the square. This historic covered market made of wood is one of the best in town, with gourmet butchers, fruit and vegetables, cheese and dairy, craft beers, fish mongers, olive oils and spices, and regional specialties from all over France. It’s usually open every day in the morning (except Monday) and the afternoon (except Sunday and Monday), check the hours here.
– See the article from Le Parisien here (en français).
– See the photos from the Paris Fire Brigade’s Facebook Page here (also en français, but pompiers are cute).
