Rick Steves Says This Unexpected Weekly Activity To Attend In France Is 'As Important As The Museums'

France is world renowned as a foodie destination, a place where countless incredible restaurants and cafes abound. But you don't have to sit down at a fancy restaurant to experience local cuisine and culture. In fact, your best bet may be to seek out an open-air market, which travel expert Rick Steves believes is equally as important to experience as the museums. Steves loves an overlooked, untouristy gem (like France's oldest and second-largest city), and the local markets are no exception. Usually held weekly, from morning until early afternoon, ask the staff at your hotel when market day is. Or, if you're in a larger city like Paris, ask where and when the closest or most exciting markets are held. In smaller towns the markets are usually held in the town square, whereas larger cities boast many different markets in parks or on smaller streets. 

Smaller markets will have stalls with fresh produce, cheeses, cured meats, and sometimes recently-caught fish. At larger markets you're also likely to find non-perishable items like kitchenware or linens, as well as prepared foods. Most markets thrive year-round, regardless of the weather. I visited the Saxe-Breteuil market in Paris one chilly, blustery Thursday in November. It was very crowded around lunch time, but I was able to warm myself up with a hot Lebanese wrap filled with savory greens and soft, melted cheese — perfect for eating as I casually strolled through the market and soaked in my surroundings.

Not only are these local market days beneficial from a commercial and economic standpoint, but they also serve as a point of social connection for the community. "It's a weekly chance for locals to resume friendships and get the current gossip," Rick Steves writes on his website.

While most vendors speak a bit of English, it's important to learn a few basic French phrases, as the French value politeness and manners. Most vendors will offer small samples, and will grab and bag the items you've selected, as opposed to the self-serve method of many American farmers markets.

Steves is a huge fan of Rue Cler, a small, pedestrian-friendly cobblestoned street near the Eiffel Tower. It is bustling on any given day, with various stalls spilling out into the street filled with fresh produce, cheeses, flowers, and meats. It's the perfect place to shop like a Paris local for everything you need for a scenic picnic in the park. 

If you have access to a kitchen, these open air markets are also the ideal place to shop for artisan products as well as the freshest, most locally-grown produce. It's these local growers and producers that bring the seasonal produce and goods to the markets — think bright green asparagus and crisp radishes in the spring, and earthy mushrooms in the fall. There are unspoken rules to dine like a local while you're in France, and this includes eating with the seasons, when local produce is at its finest.