While all of Paris seems to sleep, the activity is in full swing 7.5 miles south of the capital. Between 3 and 5 o’clock in the morning at the MIN of Rungis, the largest fresh produce market in the world, it is rush hour. About 3,000 supply trucks converge to the toll, in order to supply the 1,200 companies gathered on an area of 234 hectares.
At the fruit and vegetable ‘Carreau’, more than 360 wholesalers, producers and importers receive fresh fruits and vegetables, which represent 70% of the arrivals on the physical market. Upon entering the facilities, a true spectacle of colors contrasts with the darkness of the night. The shades of bright red, orange, purple and soft green catch both our sight and smell. The sweet scent coming from these mountains of fresh fruits and vegetables awaken our still groggy taste buds.
Click here to view our photo report
It would be easy to let our mind wander through the smells and colors of the wholesale aisles and to be caught by the lively atmosphere of the Carreau, where sellers, buyers, bicycles and trolleys pass at a steady pace through the main aisle of the buildings. A few bird calls are sometimes heard, pats on the back and signs of affection that reflect the authentic and warm atmosphere so characteristic of the MIN of Rungis. The professionals of the market work passionately to feed the people of Paris and the entire country. One transaction after another, the merchandise transits at a frantic pace. Only the first rays of the sun, through the glass roofs of the pavilions, remind us that time has not stopped. As the day dawns, the pace slows down, the merchandise slowly disappears and silence falls, until just a few packagings are left, the only witnesses of the morning frenzy which will start again the very next day.
