A major fire ravaged the Enfants Rouges Market, in the heart of the 3rd arrondissement, during the night of Sunday, October 11, to Monday, October 12, 2026. The fire broke out around 4 a.m., producing massive flames and a thick plume of smoke visible from several neighborhoods in Paris.
Firefighters responded in large numbers to Rue de Bretagne and managed to bring the fire under control by mid-morning. Ariel Weil, mayor of Paris Centre, described the market as “completely destroyed” and asked Parisians to avoid the area while emergency responders were on the scene. Firefighters reported that there were no casualties.
Paris’s oldest covered market heavily damaged
The exact extent of the damage has yet to be assessed, but initial reports indicate it is particularly severe. The market was home to numerous food vendors, greengrocers, cheese shops, wine shops, and restaurants that had become very popular with both residents and visitors.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire, which remained unknown as of Monday morning. The fire has primarily affected one of the oldest sites in the Marais. Founded in 1615, the Enfants Rouges Market is considered the oldest covered food market still in operation in Paris. Its name comes from the former hospice next door, whose orphans wore red clothing. The site has been listed as a historic monument since 1982.
Its history had already nearly come to an end in the 1990s: closed and threatened by plans for a parking garage, the market was ultimately saved following a major mobilization by merchants and local residents.