Marché des Capucins

The Marché des Capucins is the big covered market of Bordeaux, found at the edge of the Saint-Michel district in the south of the city, and Bordelais call it le ventre de Bordeaux, the belly of Bordeaux. It lies a short walk from the Basilique Saint-Michel, and for many locals and visitors it is the best place to understand how the city eats. The market has existed on this site for a very long time, and it has grown into a large hall of stalls whose sellers are mostly family businesses that have supplied the neighbourhood for generations.

The produce reflects the rich agriculture of south-west France. Stalls offer fruit and vegetables from the market gardens of the Garonne valley, fresh fish and shellfish from the Atlantic, including oysters from the Bassin d'Arcachon, cheeses from the Pyrenees and the Périgord, charcuterie, and duck products such as foie gras, confit and magret. Butchers sell the beef used in the traditional entrecôte bordelaise, served with a red wine and shallot sauce. Bakers and pâtissiers offer the canelé, a small caramelised cake flavoured with rum and vanilla that is the city's best-known sweet, and there are flowers, spices, olives and honeys.

The atmosphere is part of the attraction. Early in the morning, the aisles fill with shoppers, chefs and neighbours greeting stallholders by name, and the hall rings with conversation. Some stalls serve food and drink at the counters, and many people finish a shopping trip with a plate of oysters and a glass of white wine, standing at one of the oyster bars. Saturday and Sunday mornings are especially lively, and stallholders often hand out samples. The market is open most mornings, and the lunchtime crowds bring a different kind of energy, so visit in the morning if you want to shop and at midday if you want to eat.

The market sits in the Capucins district, which has kept something of its working-class character despite recent change. Outside, the square hosts stalls and a flea market on Sundays around the Place Saint-Michel, which is a good place to hunt for second-hand books, tools and furniture. The Basilique Saint-Michel, with its separate bell tower, the tallest in the south-west, stands nearby, and the Cours Victor Hugo leads towards the city centre. The Cité du Vin, the Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'eau are a longer walk or a short tram ride away.

The market suits food lovers, families and anyone wanting a sense of local life, and it combines well with a morning walk in the Saint-Michel area. Take cash and a bag, arrive early for the best choice and give yourself time to browse.