Markets in Provence

To market, to market, to buy a penny bun,
Home again, home again, market is done.

That was the first recorded version of this rhyme,  Then they added a pig, a hog etc...

When we plan our trips to France, one of the first things we do, is check out the market days in the villages. There is a lot of activity on market day, great food and of course, people watching!

Valensole market

I have never seen so many lavender products in my life!  Paintings that smelled of lavender, bath products, honey, soaps and even vendors with lavender hair.  By the end of the day, the lavender scent was a little overwhelming...I needed to smell some coffee beans! The last time I was smelling a variety of fragrances, they gave me coffee beans to smell.  It is like sorbet between courses and helps you distinguish between scents!

Introducing the lavender girls of Valensole!

Forcalquier Market - our home on this trip

Sisteron market

Aix-en-Provence Market

There are many market days in Aix...It is a  larger city than the villages we have been visiting.  Many stores, bars, restaurants and opera!  

Some markets are better than others and one of my favourites is the Lourmarin market.  It has a mixture of crafts, food and other local products.  Maybe it is our favourite because Lourmarin is the village where we stayed on our first trip to France.  I love it!

Isle Sur-la-Sorgue Market

He is sooo cute!

Market days are such an important part of daily life in France...you can also pick up some vintage pieces of jewellery!

A la prochain....

Penny

The Photographer's Wife

We set the alarm for 6:00 so we would be on our way by 6:30 to view the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque. This iconic place, built in 1148 by Cistercian monks is probably one of the most photographed spots in all of Provence. It is set in a valley and framed with beautiful lavender fields. The plan was to get to Gordes by the time the sun cleared the mountain. We got there about 7:45 and waited ...and waited.  We counted the rows of lavender...the light is on row 4, we wait a little longer....on 5 now. It now hit a corner of the roof. Where is a Tim Hortons when you need one?  Cars stop and people jump out and take photos quickly of the abbey, but we continue to wait. Camera Guy says "not yet", and we wait a little longer. 

Oh look, the light hit the steeple...it's now 8:39 and the light covers most of the roof. Maybe by by 9:15 we'll be enjoying that long ago promised coffee in a cafe in Gordes. Camera Guy gets the car in the right position, climbs up on the roof and makes this beautiful image.

We found that cafe and enjoyed coffee and pain au chocolate and planned the rest of our day. I think Camera Guy will be waiting for me now, as I shop the markets. 

À demain.

Penny