Markets In Provence

Markets In Provence

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If you are seriously considering buying properties in the south of France, then it is of great importance that you get to know the area where you plan to buy. One great way of quite literally sampling the flavour of neighbourhood is to pay a visit to the local market.

The markets in Provence are a daily feature of life. The local people called Provenals, are no more impressed with them than we are with the produce aisle at our local supermarket. And yet the difference in quality and freshness is astonishing. In the supermarket in your town, you have no idea how long the vegetables, breads and fruit sat in a truck or in a railcar making their way to the hyper-chilled environment of the store. In Cte de Provence, you know that the produce was picked that morning, and the crisp-crusted bread came steaming out of the oven less than half an hour ago.
While travelling through the region, ask the local people when their market day is. Have them show you the town square where it will be held. Several large towns will have more than one big market day for food. These include Aix-en-Provence, one of the largest cities in the region, which has a daily food market set up in the Place Richelme. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the Place Verdun, Aix-en-Provence adds a flea market - a true delight for bargain-hunters - to the food market. On Sundays, yet one more market opens for business in Aix-en-Provence: the antique book stalls. These are to be found in the Place Mairie.
St-Maxime and Ramatuelle host their weekly market on Sundays, where you will find the freshest produce, poultry, flowers, and baked goods. When examining fresh chickens, before buying, check for a blue tinge to their feet, which ensures good circulation and general good health. The vendor will be happy to remove the feet, and any other undesired parts, for you upon selling you the chicken.
Lorgues, in the Var department of Cte de Provence, hosts a gigantic market every Tuesday. Visitors have commented with wonder on the vast quantity and peak quality of the goods offered there. Along with amazingly fresh fruit and vegetables, they have found whole roasted chickens, paella, both dried and fresh herbs, packets of unusual spices, and even Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine packed for taking away. The Lorgues market also has stalls with clothing and shoes, many locally made, fabric, honey, fresh-pressed olive oil from nearby orchards, and small porcelain and ceramic gifts. Cheeses are sold as quickly as possible in the cool morning, so make your purchase early in the day.
Provenal markets tend to open at eight sharp in the morning, and do a hustling, bustling business until around 1:00pm. Most of the vendors will then have some lunch, pack up their stalls and depart for the day or till the next week. Larger towns and cities tend to open their markets in the afternoon from 3:00pm till 5:00pm.
Buying properties in the south of France, is about more than just investing in bricks and mortar, it is about investing in a whole new culture. While the French hypermarkets are amongst the best in the world, they are nevertheless impersonal places. Shopping in a genuine market is both a pleasurable experience and a great way of engaging with the local community.



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