Located on the Île de la Cité, the Paris Flower Market, or Marché aux Fleurs, is one of the most popular markets in Paris during the weekdays. But on the weekends, the area is converted into a lesser known but much more fascinating market called Marché aux Oiseaux, or Sunday Bird Market. Birds both common and rare can be heard squawking long before visitors enter the market. Tables lined with favorites, from macaws to parrots, doves to canaries, entice the gaze as soon as one steps foot within. Chickens and other game birds sit in cages at the foot of the tables. Every once in awhile, visitors will happen across a rare species, with spectators and specialists sparing long moments in admiring the fine fowls.
Birds are not the only noteworthy items at the Sunday market in Paris. The cages they sit in are often as sought after as the animals inside. Cages can vary in their elegance and rarity, giving bird collectors and enthusiasts another item to swoon over. The antique cages draw the most attention, due to the obvious fact that they are no longer largely available. While birds are the main attraction of the event, they are not the only pets present. Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, and other house pets can be seen in cages along the booths, stealing the hearts of passerby with large eyes and soft fur.