French Experience 2013

 

Saturday. Must be market day. Head down into the town towards a parking area we've used in the past. Arrive and find two French cars bumper to bumper disputing who was getting the parking space that a car was reversing out of. Neither would give way. Unfortunately this meant that the car trying to leave could not reverse out as they were blocking him in! I drove past them all and pulled into a space I could see further down the row. They were still arguing when we get out of the car. I do love the French.

Cross the road into the food section of the market, EU regulations,no chance. Cucumbers the size of small marrows, tomatoes in every shape but round. It's wonderful. The biggest red peppers I have ever seen, about nine inches long and the same in diameter. Offers on apples if you buy 5 kilos. 5 kilos what do you do with so many apples? I know we're in the lower Reaches of Normandy but there is only so many tarte Normand that a body can eat, even me! The smells of fresh bread and the wonderful rotisserie wagon drift across the market. Cheeses fresh from the dairy, fish fresh from the coast, such an abundance of beautiful produce, I'm hooked. What has happened to markets like this in England? 

On into the non-food section of the market. Last year Marion bought four leather handbags from one stall. I must admit they were a bargain with the dearest being 17 euros. Same man was there this year but we walked past with only a quick glance. Thought I 'd got away with it. Oh no not so lucky, Marion decided to try a new shopping experience, buying CLOTHES on a French market. A top and a summer dress were found at good prices and the purchases taken to the stall holder who promptly told her that she needed a different size in the dress and found her a selection of sizes to choose from. Now our French stretches to the vocabulary for sites, restaurants, wine tasting and tyres (that's a completely other story) but not clothes shopping so most of this was done through gesticulation and an American who spoke better French.

Having completed our tour of the market we headed off to Carrefour to pick up a few bits we needed and then back to the caravan for R&R (nap) before dinner.