Markets are the soul and substance of France. All over the country, usually on a Sunday morning, French citizens flock to their local markets to barter, socialize, stroll and stock up on weekly provisions. My market is a 20-minute walk from my apartment and takes place on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. Here are some scenes.
Plump scallops on the half shell, glistening sea bass, and scampi:
This scene cracked me up. The people are having an animated discussion with the vendor and are seemingly unaware (or unperturbed) by the fact that a dead piglet is hanging ignominiously on a hook in front of them (This little piggy went to market…) It’s called a cochon de lait which means suckling pig, so we can correctly assume that it was snatched from it’s mother’s teat and then slaughtered. Also below are skinned rabbits.
Goose eggs, fresh oysters from the Atlantic Coast, sausage and sauerkraut, mangos from Africa, tulips and hyacinths from Holland:
Some friendly gazes and some not so friendly. It’s worth noting that this market is in a fairly well-heeled district as you can probably tell by the fur coats and supercilious air of some of the denizens. I’ll find another market next time.
Laden with produce, I repaired to the nearest cafe for a tartine and espresso. As you can see, a tartine is simply half a baguette spread with butter. I wouldn’t have minded a dollop of raspberry jam on top, but they were all out.
wonderful pictures and very evocative. I can almost smell the scent of the sea while seeing the fish, scallops, etc….
and tulips in the dead of winter…how refreshing, especially from my perspective in Chicago, where as I type this, the thermometer is at -2F….
my wife can hardly wait for our return in a few months…
I don’t mind cold, snowy days – like you get in North America – when the sun is shining. But here in northern Europe, the gray drizzly days can be endless. That’s what we’re going through right now: 6°C, gray and light rain. I’d love to jump on a plane and fly to the Caribbean.
Super photos. It’s like I was there.
_I’ll find another market next time._
Suggestion: Find another country more suitable to your bitching.
Do I bitch a lot?
not all all…you have a crabby subscriber who should be stricken from your list.
Thanks, Sherman.
Actually, her name is French, so I guess she doesn’t appreciate my criticisms about her country and culture….which, in a way, is fair.�
bonne journee,
Juliet