LA  GRANDE  BERGERIE



Virtually every village has at least one market.  Everday of the week there is at least one market in one of the towns or villages around Puyvert.  They range from the Sunday market at Ansouis, where there are four or five stalls to the big markets on Saturday in Apt and Lourmarin on Friday.  One of the most attractive is at Cucuron where the stalls are around three sides of the etang - a large pond surrounded by magnificent trees.  Another very colorful one is the flower market in Aix-en-Provence which takes place three mornings in the week - in the afternoons, the squre reverts to its normal use as a place for outdoor cafes.

Don't expect rapid service in the markets - these are social as much as commercial events and many of the stallholders are colorful characters with long standing relationships with their local customers!

A growing trend is for "producers' markets" which are limted to locally grown or made produce.  For example on Tuesday evenings the producers market at Lourmarin has plenty of local cheese, vegetables and breads.  There are tables to sit and have a "picnic" with wine sold at low cost by the local wine cooperative and with a cooking demonstration by one of the local chefs!