Wednesday 19 June 2013

French Market in Provence and a familiar vineyard


Yesterday we decided to take a little time out from sunning ourselves by the excellent pool of our villa near Vidauban, and drive up north to the little town of Lorgues for their weekly Tuesday market. 


Oh boy, what a French treat: there were clothes, excellent leather goods, fantastic veg, saucisson, mountains of dried lavender and other herbs, and cheeses to die for. Plus anything else you might ever think of needing (including vegetable cutters…) The place was very busy with hordes and hordes of both locals and tourists. 


With the sun beating down (it was 32C), after just a short stroll we were flagging and needed a cafe au lait and croissant in one of the many cafes lining the market.

Thus revived, we made our purchases: 



Son bought a much needed Panama hat (in the Mediterranean heat his black hair very quickly becomes a furnace on top of his head). 




Son's fiancĂ©e and I found a bargain in 5 Euro sarongs to wear around the pool (which also turn into shawls to wear around the shoulders in the evenings). I now wish I'd bought two; I've been wearing mine solidly since I got it, and I would really need one in a brighter colour.  Oh well…






Daughter got a ring and I got Son a Breton stripe t-shirt for his birthday today.

The Englishman brought the food….cherries, cheese, bread, fantastic tomatoes (not the same fruit we get back home in the UK!), 4 kinds of sausages.

If you’re ever around this area, the market is worth visit.

On the way back to Vidauban, we passed a sign for Chateau L'Arnaude and I realised it was a vineyard I visited with my mother five or six years ago. In fact we stayed in the house, as guests of the owners who have now sadly sold it on. I had no idea we were so close to the vineyard, and since I remember the wine being particularly excellent, we popped in to have a taste and ended up buying a box of white. (And very nearly a box of the rose and red too!)

It’s a small world.







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