Sunday morning (winter) market

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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.

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Plump scallops on the half shell, glistening sea bass, and scampi:

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This scene below cracked me up.  The customers, engaged in animated conversation with the vendor, 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.

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Goose eggs, fresh oysters from the Atlantic Coast, sausage and sauerkraut, mangos from Africa, tulips and hyacinths from Holland.

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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.

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Laden with produce, I repaired to the nearest café 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.

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11 thoughts on “Sunday morning (winter) market

    • Exactly! People-watching, strolling, gazing and taking photos too. Happy New Year, by the way. I hope 2016 will be a good one for you.

      • Thank you. It’s been rather a tough few months. Happy New Year to you, too. 🙂

    • Sure. It’s located in between the two metro stops, Porte Maillot and Les Sablons on the number one line. Either stop would be the same distance. And it’s open on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Thanks for reading!

    • Oh, all outdoor markets are nice. Mine’s a bit on the pricey side, actually, which is why I also like to visit other markets.

  1. I read your post today on the NYT in the article about secretaries. I too am a legal secretary and although I have done other things, it is something I can always fall back on. I am taking French courses and attend a French meetup group. My dream is to follow in your footsteps and snag a job in Paris at a law firm or international corporation. You inspire me!

    • Wow. That’s the first time that anyone has said that I inspire them. I’m touched. Thank you! Being bilingual definitely opens doors and being EMT (English Mother Tongue) in any foreign country is a huge plus. It sure helped me. Good for you for learning French. I only had high school French when I arrived in Paris in the 1990s. If you ever end up in Paris, I can certainly give you names of big law firms, I worked in a lot of them. Best wishes for a productive, prosperous and promising 2016!

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