Spoooooky Halloween!
Yes, it’s that time of year already. Time to put out the decorative pumpkins, stock up on spiced lattes and enjoy the autumnal hues in your favourite park. I’m not usually one to celebrate Halloween but seeing as 2020 has been quite the shitshow – excuse my French – I’ve been trying to make the most of the smaller things in life, such as the change of season, and international festivities, such as Halloween.
Growing up in Australia, Halloween was seldom celebrated. We watched the occasional Halloween film and maybe even made some Halloween crafts, but that’s where it ended. There was no pumpkin carving, or trick or treating in spooky costumes. I think most Australian children dream of one day experiencing a real Halloween in American. It’s a dream that remains on my bucket list and thanks to COVID, a dream which certainly won’t be achievable this year. Nevertheless, I wanted to celebrate this holiday my own way this year, and I thought what better way to start than with pumpkin carving. This plan, however, hit a little snag early on, as large pumpkins are impossible to find in Paris!
Despite an abundance of odd-looking pumpkins and squashes in literally all shapes and most sizes, the simple, bright orange, typical Halloween pumpkin is rather tricky to find here in France. Not to mention the exorbitant price tag attached when you do manage to find one. I’ve done a little research though and created this list on where to find real Halloween pumpkins in Paris. Hopefully, this will help you to avoid wasting a day aimlessly wandering in search of one, thus having more time for pumpkin carvin’ fun!
Where to find Halloween pumpkins in Paris
Independent fruit and vegetable shops
While pumpkins from independent fruit and veg shops can carry a heftier price-tag, they are often the best quality and I do believe it’s great to support your local greengrocer. While they don’t all stock them, they are often able to order you one. I bought mine from a greengrocer at the top of Rue des Martyrs in the 9th arrondissement and saw them available at few others nearby.
M&S Food
If you want an extra-large pumpkin, M&S Food is the place to go! They sell pumpkins in 3 different sizes: small, medium and large, and trust me, the large is LARGE. They’re also excellent value, the biggest costing only €11.
Online
Instead of lugging a heavy pumpkin all around Paris, purchase one online and have it delivered. Ma Petite Jardinerie has medium-sized ones available for only €5,90.
Pick your own
This has to be the most fun way to buy a Halloween pumpkin! Roughly a 30 – 45-minute drive from Paris, you’ll find a couple of large farms and gardens where you can pick your own pumpkin as well as other fruits, vegetables and flowers. I recommend La Ferme de Viltain or Cueillette de Torfou, where the pumpkins are abundant and very well priced.
Don’t bother with…
Supermarkets. You simply won’t find them there. For a beautiful, big, Halloween pumpkin, stick to one of the locations listed above.
If you’ve found a great place selling Halloween pumpkins in Paris, be sure to comment below to share it with other readers.
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