Marché aux fleurs

Right in the middle of the Île de la Cité, you’ll discover Paris’s Flower Market, a hidden gem dating back to the early nineteenth century. Here you stroll among glass pavilions filled with fragrant flowers, rare plants, and colorful shrubs—a feast for the senses in every season.

The stalls are set under elegant glass roofs, letting in plenty of light. Along the way, spot the famous Wallace fountains, now recognized as historic monuments. The market is just steps from Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, and the bookshop Shakespeare and Company. Since 2014, the market is officially called Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II, in honor of the British Queen’s visit for the seventieth anniversary of D-Day.

In the early twentieth century, the flower market hosted a legendary annual festival: shopkeepers and craftsmen competed to create the best decorations. Today, this vibrant market is still a meeting place, with activities and traditions celebrating summer—a delightful, flower-filled oasis in the heart of Paris.