Every day in a town or village throughout the Luberon is market day. Some of the weekly markets are held all year round, while others are more seasonal, generally open to profit from the spring and summer tourist seasons from April to October.
An impressive market is held very Saturday morning in the Roman town of Apt. It carries the prestigious label of, 'Exceptional French Market, ' or marché d'exception, for its atmosphere and originality. During the summer visitors can browse amongst at least 300 stalls selling seasonal fruit and vegetables, homeware, local pottery, crafts, clothes and the vibrant Provençal fabrics. During the winter months, naturally it is smaller in size, but is still well used and is an excellent source of local produce.
Smaller, more seasonal markets are held in the perched villages of Gordes and Roussillon and are always popular with tourists. Many of the cafés and restaurants offer breakfast, a tasty treat to enjoy whilst sitting at the outside tables overlooking the bustling marketplaces.
It is easy to be seduced by the magic of the Provençal markets with their raft of multi-coloured umbrellas that protect the stallholders and prospective buyers from the searing summer sun and the biting Mistral wind, during the wintertime.
The multitude of stalls are breathtaking, groaning under the weight of locally produced fruit and vegetables and the air is always full of the pungent odours of fresh cheeses, sharp scented olives and tapenades, the freshness of lavender, hand-made natural soaps, fragrant flowers and the mouth-watering aroma of chickens roasting on spits.
The Farmer's Markets, or marchés paysans, tend to concentrate on seasonal foodstuffs. In many cases the fruit and vegetables are grown by the seller and other produce, such as honey, olive oil and nougat, are manufactured locally.
Where the Weekly Provençal Markets are Held in the Luberon, Seasonally and Throughout the Year
Most of the markets tend to run from early in the morning (6am) until lunchtime -
- Monday - Cavaillon, Goult, Cadenet and Lauris
- Tuesday - Gordes, Cucuron, Lacoste, La Tour d'Aigues and St Saturnin les Apt
- Wednesday - Gargas, Merindol, Sault, Pertuis and St Martin de Castillon
- Thursday - Roussillon, Ansousis, Cereste and Robion
- Friday - Bonnieux and Lourmarin
- Saturday - Apt, Cheval Blanc and Oppède-le-Vieux
- Sunday - L'Isle sur le Sorgue and Coustellet
Where the Weekly Farmer's Markets, Marchés Paysans, are Held in the Luberon, Seasonally and Throughout the Year
- Tuesday mornings (April to October) - Apt
- Wednesday mornings (All Year) - Pertuis
- Wednesday afternoons (June to August) - Coustellet
- Thursday mornings (July and August) - La Tour d'Aigues
- Saturday mornings (May to November) - Pertuis, Cadenet
- Saturday afternoons (May to December) - Lauris
- Sunday mornings (April to October - Coustellet, (April to November) - Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque, (June to September) - Villars
Whatever the time of the year and the preferred location, visitors are guaranteed a memorable experience when visiting the markets of Provence.
Sources
Heidi Brand - After winning first prize in an English Creative Writing competiton at school it took me over twenty years to re-discover the world of ...
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