We decided we needed a day to do nothing much but wander around town and just relax at home. We did some laundry, ate some breakfast of the ever-delicious fresh croissants, fruit and jelly, then headed out to enjoy our very last Sunday Market here in L’Isle.
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| Market day in Place De Buisson - L'Isle's main square by the Cafe de France |
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| Perky Threesome! (GET IT?) at one of many clothing vendor stalls |
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| Market displays in front of Chappelles des Penitents Bleus |
We tried to take pics to show the intensity of the market: the vendors drive in early in the morning, set up temporary booths and displays of their products, then around 9 a.m. everybody from miles away starts to arrive. The town is filled up, in almost every little street and nook and cranny, with customers, vendors, cars, trucks, and us tourists! It’s not a gimmick. Market day happens every Thursday and Sunday here. It lasts until noon, when the merchants pull down their displays, pack up and drive away. We’ve learned from experience that they go to other market days at other towns, where the market starts later in the day, so vend their products at two places in one day. They will be on another town Monday for the market there, then another the next day, etc. Market day is essential to this way of life.
Because fresh produce, meat, cheese, etc. right off the farm, is available in town every couple of days at the fresh market, people always use fresh ingredients for their food. No need for freezers or huge refrigerators. Every little town has at least one boulangerie/patissierie (bakery), so every day you can buy fresh-baked bread, croissants (YES!) and all kinds of baked goods. You constantly see people walking around with a fresh baguette tucked under their arm on the way home from work, etc. Day old bread? Forget it!
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| A BUNCH of Fruit & Veggies for under 5 Euro...it's charged for by the kilo |
We shopped around all over the place today for final souvenirs and gifts, and to remember the market in this beautiful, unique little town. The vendors were always nice, but very busy, so short conversations were the rule of the day. I am determined to make a replica of the fantastic ham & cheese sandwich I got at a cafe in St. Didier last week…but couldn't find that kind of cheese in the market. Maybe I’ll be successful at the final Thursday market this week!
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| Lynn's search for Chemin de Table |
Lynn had fun talking about fabrics and table decorations with several shop ladies and vendors. One elegant young lady sold us a table runner (Chemin de Table), and I recognized her tattoos! She was elegantly dressed with a scarf/shawl thing on, but her arm had a number of solid tattoo’d bands circling her forearm. I remembered seeing her when we were at a cafe last week, when she looked more like a biker chick in her off-duty hours. I didn’t mention the thought; she was very nice and helpful to us in her shop.
While shopping, you must remember to bring your own bag! Lots of older ladies can be seen pulling a wheeled shopping basket behind them all over the market while buying the provisions for the next few days. We use a cool bag Lynn bought years ago in Hossegor, FR, that has a joke picture on it: a monkey riding on a jaguar (animal) in the jungle, with the saying “I do my shopping on my Jaguar” … only it’s in French. We filled it up with fresh fruit, produce, and a fantastic rotisserie chicken and baguette for dinner, plus a few last souvenirs. Nobody hands out big shopping bags. If you forget your bag, well too bad for you!
We had a light lunch: bread, cheese we bought in the market, & fruit, then I took a snooze. Lynn headed out to explore a huge antique store-warehouse building we found at the Gare (Train station). She found all kinds of oddities, took some pics, and left not a customer. Cool stuff for sale, but you would have to want it pretty bad at these prices...
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| Cool Mickey Mouse children's furniture set, in mint condition, at Antique shops in the Gare |
Afterwards, the market madness had cleared out of town, so we could take a drive out in the country just looking around. After, Lynn made a fantastic supper, then we headed out for a late walk to explore L’Isle for waterwheels we’d not found yet.
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| Terrific supper with our market purchases |
The Tourist Information office’s waterwheel map is awesome. We followed it and found at least 6 or 7 wheels we’d not seen yet. It was pretty much dark, but we improvised some photo opps using street lamps and my phone camera flash. I’ll post some here. What an industrial city this must’ve been 200-300 years ago, with all these wheels powering mills, grinder wheels, looms, and all kinds of machinery. Water power was what made it happen, and is still here today. Neat to see how they harnessed the water flow with channels and canals and sluices under and through the city, even under houses and streets. This place is a little like Venice…water everywhere if you look for it!
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| Waterwheel near a street lamp! |
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| BIG functioning wheel, but it was dripping on me like a rain shower! |
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| THERE SHE ROLLS! Big one near our apartment |
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| Pretty one but not functioning |
Thanks for reading this diary/blog/narrative. We are trying to remember every detail, because we will probably not be back here again. More France trips surely, because we love this place in so many ways, but another part of the country next time. Gotta ride new roads & see new sights. Bonsoir!
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