We Remember Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris’s Oldest Covered Market

About this episode

The Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris, burned overnight on October 11 to 12, 2026. This episode is a tribute to the market and the 17 purveyors who worked there. Emily shares what is known so far, and Caroline and Emily trace its history from the early 1600s, its place in the Marais, and the community that fought to save it more than once. They explain how listeners can help. Podcast Show Notes In this episode: • What is known so far about the overnight fire of October 11 to 12, 2026 • How firefighters reached the market on foot and kept the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings • Why the tight streets of the Marais made access so difficult • Why the loss matters to the neighborhood, to regulars, and to the 17 purveyors • How the idea of protecting architectural heritage took shape after the French Revolution • The history of Les Halles and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris • How the market got its name from a local orphanage where children wore red • How neighbors and filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier helped stop plans to turn the market into a parking garage • A look at the restaurants, counters, and stalls