Street · Paris
Rue Cler
Come on a weekday or Saturday morning to shop for a picnic (cheese, bread, fruit, wine) and eat it on the Champ de Mars ten minutes away; skip Monday and Sunday afternoon, when many shops are shut.
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Map to the start
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Length
300 m (0.2 mi)0.2 mi (300 m)
approximate
Walk end to end
5 min
without stops
Traffic
Partly car-free
Best time
Tuesday–Saturday, 09:00–12:30Tuesday–Saturday, 9:00 AM–12:30 PM
At a glance
- Area
- 7th arrondissement
- Length
- 300 m (0.2 mi)0.2 mi (300 m)
- Start
- South end at Avenue de La Motte-Picquet (École Militaire metro)
- End
- North end at Rue de Grenelle
- Traffic
- Partly car-free
- Currency
- EUR
Decide
What the street is for, and when to be there
At a glance
A short, mostly car-free market street near the Eiffel Tower, lined with cheese shops, bakeries, greengrocers, wine shops and café terraces used by residents of the 7th arrondissement.
Getting there
Metro École Militaire (line 8) is two minutes from the south end; La Tour-Maubourg (line 8) is about 5 minutes from the north end. RER C Pont de l'Alma is about 10 minutes north.
Traffic and walking hours
Partly car-free. The market stretch between Avenue de La Motte-Picquet and Rue de Grenelle is a pedestrian zone, but delivery vans and residents' cars come through in the morning (check hours).
Hours change for events and holidays: check locally.
Morning, afternoon, night
Best time: Tuesday–Saturday, 09:00–12:30
05:00–11:005:00 AM–11:00 AM local time
The street at its best: fruit and vegetable displays go out, bakeries have lines, and locals do their shopping. Most food shops open 08:00–09:00.
Best time: Tuesday–Saturday, 09:00–12:30
See & do
The stops in walking order, then where to shop and what to eat
Show 4 sectionsHideWalk this street, Where to shop and what it costs, Eat on or near it, Sights on the street
Walk this street
↓ about 2 min · 130 m (430 ft)430 ft (130 m)
↓ about 3 min · 220 m (0.1 mi)0.1 mi (220 m)
Minutes are walking time at an easy 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h) with a margin for crowds; add time for shops. The GPX opens in Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google My Maps.
Your walking clock
Choose when you start and how long you will spend at each stop to see when you reach each one.
About 25 min from the first stop to the last, at this pace.
- 1La Motte-Picquet end10:0010:00 AM
- 2Rue du Champ-de-Mars junction10:1210:12 AM
- 3Rue de Grenelle end10:2510:25 AM
Walking pace only, so allow more on busy days. The page's best time: Tuesday–Saturday, 09:00–12:30.
Where to shop and what it costs
- Cheese shops (fromageries)French cheeses cut to order; they will vacuum-pack for travel on request€4–40 (≈ US$5–50) / piecePrice check →
- Bakeries and patisseriesBaguettes, croissants, tarts and sandwiches for a picnic€1.2–8 (≈ US$2–10) / itemPrice check →
- GreengrocersSeasonal fruit displayed on the street; strawberries and cherries in early summer€3–10 (≈ US$4–12) / basketPrice check →
- Wine shops (cavistes)Bottles from small producers, many under 20 euros; staff will open a bottle for a picnic€8–60 (≈ US$10–70) / bottlePrice check →
- Chocolate and specialty food shopsChocolates, jams and tinned goods that travel well as gifts€5–40 (≈ US$6–50) / itemPrice check →
Typical buys
- Baguette€1.2–1.6 (≈ US$2) / loafPrice check →
- Aged cheese (Comté, Brie, goat's cheese)Ask for about 150–200 g for a picnic€4–12 (≈ US$5–14) / piecePrice check →
- Bottle of wine for a picnic€8–30 (≈ US$10–35) / bottlePrice check →
- Coffee at a café terrace€2.5–5 (≈ US$3–6) / cupPrice check →
- Rotisserie chicken€14–22 (≈ US$17–30) / chickenPrice check →
Ranges, not quotes: prices move with season and exchange rates; the equivalent in your currency is approximate. Checked Sep 2026.
Eat on or near it
- Café terraces on the streetOrder a coffee or a simple lunch and watch the shopping; prices are normal Paris café prices, not tourist-trap levels.
- Picnic on the Champ de MarsBuy everything here, walk 10 minutes west and eat on the lawns facing the Eiffel Tower.
Sights on the street
- Eiffel TowerAbout 10 minutes' walk west via Avenue de La Motte-Picquet and the Champ de Mars.
- Les InvalidesThe gilded dome is 5–10 minutes east; Napoleon's tomb is inside.
- Musée d'OrsayAbout 25 minutes' walk north-east along the river, or line RER C.
Practical
Getting a ride there, what goes wrong, and access
Show 8 sectionsHideShow the driver, Safety, traffic and scams, Accessibility, Photo tips, A line of history, Combine with, Questions people ask, Related
Show the driver
Show the driver
Pouvez-vous me déposer au début de la rue Cler, côté avenue de La Motte-Picquet, s'il vous plaît ?
Could you drop me at the start of Rue Cler, on the Avenue de La Motte-Picquet side, please?
The market stretch is pedestrian; drivers stop on the avenue at the corner.
Safety, traffic and scams
Pickpockets low
Delivery vans and bikes in the pedestrian zone low
Scams and traps
- No real scams on the street itself; the petition and ring tricks are common around the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars, so be alert when you carry your picnic there.
Accessibility
- Flat, with smooth paving; café tables and fruit displays narrow the walkway in places.
- École Militaire metro has stairs only; buses 28, 80 and 92 stop nearby (check routes).
Photo tips
- Shoot the fruit and cheese displays in the morning light before 10:00; ask shopkeepers before close-ups of their stalls.Shoot the fruit and cheese displays in the morning light before 10:00 AM; ask shopkeepers before close-ups of their stalls.
A line of history
Rue Cler takes its name from Jean-Joseph Cler, a French general killed in 1859 at the Battle of Magenta; it became known as a food-shopping street for the well-off residential 7th arrondissement.
Combine with
- Champ de Mars and the Eiffel TowerThe natural next stop with your picnic.
- Rue Saint-DominiqueParallel street to the north with more bakeries, bistros and clothing shops.
More streets in Paris: Champs-Élysées · Rue Mouffetard
Questions people ask
Which days are best?
Tuesday to Saturday mornings. Many shops close Sunday afternoon and all day Monday (check individual shops).
Can I bring cheese home to the US?
Hard, aged cheeses are generally allowed in checked or carry-on bags when declared; soft and fresh cheeses may be refused (check current USDA and CBP rules).
Deep dive
Sources; hours, rules and prices change, so check before you go