Les French Markets

Bonjour mademoiselle et monsieur! I hope you had a good breakfast this morning. Some crusty French pastries and sips of strong coffees? Yes, not too much and just elegantly enough to make you crave for more.

I see you are prepped for the Friday markets.  The touch of stunning sun-filled Spring is all apparent on our choices of clothing! Your cheery flare dress, mademoiselle, matches my bright tomato-red skirt. And you monsieur, those very smart tasselled loafers and harrington jacket, can’t be more perfect!

We will start with the beautiful flower market at Paul Riquet, then amble along the boulevard to the square of David d’Angers. You know – for the fruits, the vegetable and some cheese and well-baked baguettes. Of course, we won’t miss that.

Now, On y va darling! Let’s go!

Here it is, the Friday flower market in south of France, Béziers.

If you remember, I have told you a couple of stories about this place. But if you don’t, we can always take a quick walk down the memory lane.  🙂 

We’ve come to the flower market at the perfect time, don’t you think? When the sunlight softens the colours of these blooms and makes a scene so dreamy, it’s impossible not to love every flower we see.

I mean, look at these gorgeous bulbs of pink petals. So silky and feminine, any girl would be thrilled to receive a bouquet of them.

And here’s a fun fact, darling: Peony is the national flower of China. This was declared during the Qing Dynasty some hundred years ago!

I have an eye for these cheerful daisies, their lemon-y yellow centre and those smooth white florets.

Let me tell you a secret, these cheeky ones are fortune-tellers by nature. All you need to do is pluck their petals, one at a time, and go “he loves me”, “he loves me not”, “he loves me”… the answer that you’ve been dying to know will slowly be revealed… 

Go on, have a sniff! The fresh floral scent, mostly light and sweet.

Who can ever resist this?

And these tiny pots of basil and onions next to them.

I think we’ve come to the herbs and fruits section.

Can you see the strawberry? So pleasingly rich and bursting in this radiant shade of red.

What about the round fleshy orange and luscious lemon?

Oh, this bright yellow chap, having such great zest for life!

With a background of emerald green leaves, it’s become even more striking. 

Psst, as you may have noticed, people who come to these Friday markets are slightly older. 

First reason is that they have higher expectation of what they buy and these markets offer quality that the supermarchés or regular shops can’t achieve.

Second, they have the money because well, you see, the higher the quality, the heftier the price.

And most importantly, they have the time. To browse around and choose exactly what they wanted.

Now if you are done with the flowers, we will make way to the farmers’ market.

Jars of honey, blocks of cheese, a great amount of saucissons and other cured meat are the staples of a French farmers’ market.

The slightly smaller cheese on the left is the famous chèvres, goat cheese as we say in English. The are always covered with white dusty-looking rind and taste creamier than the cow-milk cheese. Nothing not to love!

Oh and of course, farm eggs. Made prettier in duck blue boxes.

That kind of display you’d find in a graceful and glossy home magazine.

Some onions and garlic with roots maybe? 

Or organic carrots like these?

But none of these makes me more excited than those furry little bunnies. 

Yes, bunnies!

So defenceless and fluffy, they are waiting for eager owners to take them home.

It’s such a shame we can’t carry them off the crate. But at least we are allowed pictures.

Now on to the fruits section!

At some of the stalls, we can even taste the fruits. Like this one here!

What a sweet fleshy drupe!

Now let me go get a baguette and we can make our way back.

Hundreds of colourful umbrellas now float above the streets of Béziers, providing shades. And give a strong radiant splash of child-like energy to this little town.

What better way to start the day?

I hope you enjoy the morning markets darling.

The rest of your day can only be more beautiful than this. 

 With love x