Why do roses smell so much better in Paris? Barely seven kilometres outside of Paris lies Rungis Market, the largest food and horticulture market in the world, where wholesalers spend their mornings selling multi-coloured blooms and greenery to florists from the city. It’s an experience far from of your typical Parisian tourist activity: Spanning a pavilion des fleurs and two accompanying greenhouses, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any English speakers as employees push double-decker carts of plants from end-to-end, and customers load their trucks with colourful pivoines (peonies) and oeillets (carnations). If getting swept up in a whirlwind of fresh-cut flowers and fast-talking French florists sounds like your cup of tea (or glass of wine), all you need to do is join an official tour or visit as the guest of someone with a buyers card.
The chilly pavilion des fleurs are kept cold so the cut flowers and foliage stay fresh as florists and curious shoppers pick and choose their blooms—roses, lilies, baby’s breath, and more. If you’re at Rungis to people watch, the earlier you arrive the better. The horticulture sector, not to be confused with the neighbouring food market, opens at 3 a.m., and by 6 a.m. most competitive buyers have already left, replaced by late-coming florists and serious hobby gardeners. Don’t worry about arriving early for the best cuts—unless you’re a very picky flower expert, they’ll still be plenty of options for you to choose from.
If you don’t speak fluent French, communication at Rungis Market may prove difficult—but it’s all part the authentic charm. Write down a few key phrases before you go, like puis-je prendre ta photo? In English, “can I take your photo?” The smell inside of Rungis’ pavillion des fleurs is overwhelming—in the best way possible !!