Markets in Occitanie
We all know that France is famous for it’s Markets. As a family now living here we can see just how important the Market place is for the locals. Apart from a place to buy, it’s a place to meet, swop news and maintain an important link with the older generation. In times of change the Market must feel like a safe haven for many!
Holiday accommodation South of France.
There is a Market on every day in our part of the Languedoc throughout the year. Our local is Olonzac, just 10 minutes from La Souqueto B&B. Every Tuesday we buy the fresh seasonal produce for the week. It’s a wonderful routine and a chance for us to immerse ourselves in another nations culture.
Probably one of the most dynamic Markets is Les Halles de Narbonne. Wandering round this famous indoor food market, your senses are hit with a myriad pleasures: the opulent and heady aromas of freshly ground coffee, the inviting homely waft of croissants straight out of the oven, the buzz of morning banter from the stall holders chatting with the regulars, the jewel bright colours of succulent fruit and vegetables, the wicked reek of maturing cheese, flower stalls brimming with seasonal plants, silver bellied fish lain out on ice, red and pink hued meat hanging from hooks, light glinting off polished bottles of local wine, sacks of exotic spices threatening to spill over, vendors busily preparing pizzas, paellas or chow meins for the lunchtime rush, the visible pride of traders who have one thing in common – a real love of real food!
There are 72 traders and artisans with permanent stalls at Les Halles – including at least one stall which has been occupied by generations of the same family since the market was opened in 1901! Dedicated to providing the city with the best quality produce, the stall holders convene every day from 6 am to 1 pm to take part in this important daily event which almost seems to define Narbonne. Indeed, local people are quite right to be proud of their famous market, which also represents part of the hard-won modernisation of the city at the turn of the 20th century. The beautiful pavilion was originally conceived of in 1871, as a sensible way to house the ever-expanding and inconvenient outdoor market.
Local Markets:
Sunday: Narbonne, Trebes, Meze, St. Chinian
Monday: Narbonne
Tuesday: Olonzac, Carcassonne, Narbonne
Wednesday: Capestang, Narbonne
Thursday: Carcassonne, Narbonne, Meze
Friday: Montagnac, Narbonne
Saturday: Pezenas, Narbonne, Carcassonne
