Walking tours of Rungis, the world’s largest market

Situated on the outskirts of Paris, not far from Orly airport, the Rungis market is the largest of its kind in the world.

Here is where Paris’ best meals begin; and for many critics the difference between a mediocre meal and something otherworldly starts with Rungis and a chef’s ability to secure the finest ingredients.

On December 26, Context Paris docent Louisa Chu will escort a group out to Rungis to tour the market. Trained at the Cordon-bleu and a former chef at Alain Ducasse’s Plaza Athenes, Chu has extensive experience navigating the miles of meat lockers, fish stalls, and fresh vegetables and fruit that arrive in Rungis every day.

“Rungis is mecca for anyone serious about food,” notes Context founder Paul Bennett. “It’s much more than just a market. It’s the center of the gastronomic world in Paris. And Louisa, with her hands-on experience in some of the finest restaurants in town, is just the person to take us there.”

In addition to giving a participants a history of the market since it was moved here from central Paris in the 1960s, Chu will narrate a walk through Rungis’ stalls, commenting on the ways chefs jockey for position here to secure the best materials, the global reach of the vendors and their wares, and how changes in French cuisine have been shaped by the scope and quality of what is, arguably, the most important market in the world.

Context’s event will start at 5 am on December 26 and last three hours. Transportation (and coffee) will be supplied. This visit to Rungis is part of Context’s “out of context” series of special lectures and events offered throughout the year in addition to its regular schedule of small-group walking seminars.

In addition to her experience in Parisian restaurants, Louisa Chu is a columnist for Gourmet magazine and frequently appears on PBS, the Travel Channel, and Discovery International.

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals—including art historians, writers, architects, and gastronomes—who organize and lead didactic walking seminars across five cities: Rome, Naples, Florence, Paris, and Venice.

In May 2007, Travel + Leisure named Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs.

To learn more about Context visit its website at: Contexttravel.com