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Château-Rouge: A Prominent African Food Market in Paris

Categories: Sub-Saharan Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, D.R. of Congo, France, Senegal, Arts & Culture, Economics & Business, Ethnicity & Race, Food, Photography, Travel
Market in Chateau-Rouge, Paris by Zanbard on Flickr via CC-BY-NC [1]

Market in Chateau-Rouge, Paris by Zanbard on Flickr via CC-BY-NC

In order to find ingredients for African cuisine in Paris, the go-to place is still the Château-Rouge area located in the 18th District, specifically in the Rue Dejean street market [fr] [2]that operates every day except Monday. The African Expatriate explains why the market is such a draw for many shoppers [3] :

Visiting this predominantly African neighborhood in Paris, is like stepping right into Congo Market in Freetown, Serrekunda Market in Banjul, Sandaga Market in Dakar, Adjame Market in Abidjan. Your eyes will instantly take in the colorful array of fresh food produces lined haphazardly along the streets [..] all in all you would love it, for it would surely transport you back to a typical market day in Africa.

Metro Politics points out that gentrification has had an impact on the local market [4]:

The extraordinary density of business activities in the neighbourhood masks large-scale daily mobility flows that connect it to other residential and commercial spaces, and which extend beyond the metropolitan area.   67% [of surveyed shoppers] said they did not live in the neighbourhood. These non-residents share certain characteristics: over 70% of them were born outside mainland France, of which half in Sub-Saharan Africa.