On a brighter note...

Some of our haul a week ago...yum! 

After the gloom of the last two posts, it feels like high time to hit on something a little more colorful. Yes?

We're in a rural region, and our town holds a wonderful farmer's market on Tuesday and Friday mornings. At home in the US, our family has been spoiled by the many lovely markets in and around Lancaster, and we feel lucky that we've been able to maintain those kinds of shopping habits here. Local cheeses, meats, fish, honey, eggs, and bread can be found in abundance at the Thouars market, and it's so nice to have it all just up the street. Of course we've find shopping at the market a little tricky at times since we're not always efficient in communicating our needs or questions. I'm happier shopping on Tuesday, which is the "little market" day, when the stalls are slow and only food stuff is for sale. I don't feel so bad requiring the patience of vendors when no one else is in line!

On Fridays, the place is teeming with people and there are dozens and dozens of additional stalls. I'll note that while some of the additions feel in keeping with the historic market (e.g., live hens, flowers and plants, ready-to-eat-food), many others surprised us. At home, non-food stands at a farmer's market would probably consist of artisan items, vintage wares, handmade products, etc.  Here, there's some of that, but overall it's more like a huge Dollar Store sidewalk sale. There must be 25 stalls selling clothes and shoes, with most displaying nearly the same items. Multiple vendors sell nothing but rainbow loom bands. There are some nice kitchen wares, but most are aluminum and plastic items that don't look like they'd last long. A lot of the linens consist of piles of (garish) polyester tablecloths. Obviously I carried a romanticized notion of what wares "should" go alongside a lovely French farmer's market!   :)   But regardless, we *love* the market and won't be stopping our biweekly visits anytime soon.

P.S. - Two little details that I love (and ought to photograph): first, how all the price signs are penned in pretty cursive, and second, how shop owners and boulangers close paper sacs by twirling the corners rather than just folding over.