My most recent visit was motivated by the compelling description I read about the Marché Couvert de Passy, which promised fresh fish and foreign fromage.

By foreign fromage I mean cheddar, which is a rarity in Paris and is pretty much the reason why I elected the Marché Couvert de Passy as December's Marché du Mois.

Under a crisp blue winter sky, the market seemed bustling for a Wednesday afternoon- with eager shoppers squeezing into its entryways bookended with Christmas trees.

Once inside the market, I scanned my surroundings for the venders mentioned in the description, including the Poissonnerie de Passy and the fromagerie Androuet.

Despite its tiled walls and floor- the Marché Couvert de Passy is cosy and one can quickly take a tour around the economically organized space, which seems to be a former Poissonerie.

The scattered wall tiles dedicated to different types of fish are a nice tribute to the building's current incarnation as well, due to the fact that this market boasts several fishmongers.

I made my way to the reputed Poissonnerie de Passy, which is located at the back of the market and is made up of two stands- one for cuts of fish and another for shellfish, which includes a counter space for dégustations of wine and fruits de mer.

The Poissonerie had a special on Bonite that day, which I tasted for the first time a few weeks ago at Le Verre Volé.

Bonite (casually known as "the tuna you can buy") is of the Tuna family and is deemed to be in no danger of overfishing or extinction and therefore makes for a guilt-free, sustainable meal. It is delicious when seared and even better when served with brussels sprouts!

As far as vegetables are concerned, the vendors at Marché Passy demonstrate a preference for local and fresh produce. However, non-seasonal veggies were also in abundance, so shoppers who want to buy local should read labels to make sure they are purchasing hexagon-grown goodies.

And on to the fromagerie, where a warm welcome awaited me!

As soon as I asked for my slice of cheddar at Androuet the vendor addressed me exclusively in English- but not in that I'll-speak-English-to-this-tourist-so-that-the-transaction-is-completed-as-quickly-as-possible English, just simply in a I-like-speaking-English-to-English-speakers English, which I don't mind responding to in, well, just normal English. We chatted about how great cheddar cheese is and he recommended I try the Stilton next time around, very impressive open mindedness for a French cheese vendor!

For a modest 4 euro, I had a hearty tranche of artisinal cheddar- which is worth its weight in gold this side of the pond!

While the eerily calm streets of the 16th may not beckon to me very often, I am happy to know that within this calm arrondissement there is the animated ambience that only a great neighborhood market can provide.

Marché Couvert de Passy

Place de Passy

m° La Muette (line 9)

Hours:

Tues. - Fri. : 8h-13h and 16h-19h

Saturday: 8h30-13h and 15h30-19h

Sunday: 8h-13h