Village and Town Markets in Rural Bourgogne - Interesting Facets

Today we went to the town market at Saint Gengoux. Similar markets are held in villages and towns throughout Bourgogne on different days and with different frequencies.

Of interest to people staying in The House at Le Gros Chigy are the following nearby markets:

Cluny - Saturday mornings

Saint Gengoux - 1st and 3rd Tuesday mornings of the month

Salornary su Guye - 2nd and 4th Thurdays of the month

It seems that these markets are as much a meeting place for the locals, especially in the smaller villages, as a place where people buy their food.

photo by ChigyTweet
(Creative Commons Some Limitations License)

The food on these markets seems to be fresher and of similar price to that in the supermarket and then there are all sorts of other things being sold. This is where you find sausages next to linoleum, tools next to cakes and sweets next to soap!

photo by ChigyTweet
(Creative Commons Some Limitations License)

Stalls are set up under gazebos, necessary to keep the drizzle of the cold day when we visited off the produce, along the side of the road or in a square. Produce is brought in trucks which are parked next to the gazebos and store the excess.

photo by ChigyTweet
(Creative Commons Some Limitations License)

An interesting sight to a South African, used to seeing roadside hawkers selling fruit and vegetables by the plate, was the stall selling endive by the bowl.

photo by ChigyTweet
(Creative Commons Some Limitations License)

This is a really fascinating way to spend a morning - much preferable to running the aisles of the local supermarket. Its not only local food, but its at least sold by local people locally.

photo by ChigyTweet
(Creative Commons Some Limitations License)