If it’s Friday, it must be France…
Bonjour mes amis! Let’s go to the daily market in Nice. Whatever you want, they have! If 
you are a photo junkie like me, go crazy! We can hang out and browse, conduct a little retail therapy, and then chill with a beverage of choice at one of the cool cafés bordering both sides of the market while we watch the action.
Speaking of beverages, you might want to take a minute to have one while you watch this slideshow. I hope you enjoy the trip.
First we’ll take the train into Nice and hop onto a quick and quiet tram down to Place Massena. Then we simply dive into one of the enticing laneways leading to the Cours Saleya in the old town and voila! When we’ re finished there, it’s simply a walk across the Boulevard Des Anglais to the Promenade so we can park ourselves beachside. You’ll be glad you came with me!
Did you notice the action at the mushroom stall? The customer chooses a mushroom and the vendor slices it open to show the quality. Those were some serious champignons!
Are your speakers on?
Do you like to spend time at the fresh markets where you live? Have you taken way too many photos of vegetables like I have? Where was the best market you visited?
Just subscribed! Are you an American in France or French?
Hey Susie. I’m a Canadian who spends as much time in France as possible. Last year my husband and I rented an apartment in Antibes (between Nice and Cannes) for 4-1/2 months … and my heart is still there. I’m just finishing writing my next novel which is partially set in Provence and the Cote D’Azur so I’m over there a lot in my mind. When I’m not over there I’m in Toronto … or Florida … Thanks for subscribing!
Nice!
LOVE to visit our local market. It is only open during summer. I have yet to take pics, but I will this season. 🙂
Where is your market? And, yes, do take your camera!
We have ours at the fair fields. There is a pavilion there where the local farmers set up. I would say there are about 10 “booths”, maybe even a bit less. We live in a rural area, but there aren’t as many farms as I would have thought there would be.
Yes, the camera is coming with me the first day they open!
This reminded me of a market we went to in Fougeres. My husband bought a homemade knife there and then forgot he had it in his pocket when we got on the plane in London to come home. They kept it in the cockpit until we landed. This was a long time ago but imagine getting that far with it.That would never happen today. We’d probably be taken away to jail.
Omigosh! You are so right. That would not have gone over well these days.
My favorite fresh market was in Barcelona – but do have a strong love of that City so I might be biased. To answer you questions, YES! I loved fresh markets I have little local one, which is nice but nothing in comparision to the pictures above. Your post made me pine for holiday.
Barcelona is a very beautiful city and I’m sure they have a huge market too.It’s nice to have a small local market nearby too. It sounds like you are going to be planning a trip soon!
Oh, Patricia, you are so good at doing these videos! Gosh I felt like I could reach out and touch those veggies. Love seeing the zucchini with the flower attached, the men’s hats and I was drooling over the figs and dates! I want to go there! We have nothing so wonderful here or in my hometown.
Thanks, Marcia. It’s fun to put videos together and enjoy all those happy memories.
There are several fresh markets in Belgrade, I tend to visit one or another (the one closest to me, or the one closest to my mother when i visit her) once in a week or two, and get some fresh fruit and veggies. I don’t take eggs or dairy products, though, because they’re being kept in the open, no matter the temperature.
The fresh markets I visit are small, but there’s usually something nice and green over there, so it’s worth going.
They’re usually way too crowded for my taste, so I don’t spend much time there, nor do I take pictures.
Yes, markets can get very crowded and going early is a good idea! I imagine Belgrade would have some good ones!
Having enjoyed markets from both sides of the table (my grandparents had a family farm that we retailed vegetables up until two years ago), I agree, there is something magical about being at an open-air market. The colors, the odors, even the flavors… I still go whenever possible (and help out my uncle who has been trying to keep the farm going now that Grandma has passed on). Seeing this post… a bit fond, a bit sad. And like life itself…full of color,
Good for you for helping your uncle. Farming is a difficult way of life and where would we be without those strong folks who keep their farms going? I hope he knows how much his efforts are appreciated!
*smiles* If I may put in a bit of a “plug” here, when you can, support small farms. One, you are often supporting one family (and maybe a few local teenagers with summer jobs), and Two, the produce is almost always local (I don’t know what the policies are for a lot of places, but at the markets we retail at people are required to show whether they are farmers (grow/produce their own produce), dealers (buys produce from other farmers or at a regional commission house), or Farmer/Dealers (they must label which produce is their own and which is not).
My uncle is a good man. However, if he tried to live on the farm, he’d be destitute. He drives a city bus most of the week for his salary. Even when Grandpa was farming he also worked full time at Crucible Steel as well to pay the bills.
Oh, that’s another reason to support small farmers. Anything under 100 acres (our farm was 64 acres, 85 total, but not all used) is called a “hobby farm” and isn’t eligible for a lot of the tax breaks farms could get, at least in NYS. If a bad year hit… the IRS didn’t care.
OOh… umm, sorry, you didn’t need me preaching here about farming troubles. Really, it IS a wonderful life. But it’s like writing. People who do it and stay with it, do it because they love it.
I’ve enjoyed and love the markets from Hawaii to Nice and the artistry of the displays. I love the Promenade and you’ve made my mouth water and the desire to return. Thanks!
“and the artistry of the displays” – you are so right, Valerie. The visual appeal of these markets is just as wonderful as the gustatorial!
Oh, Patricia. You always make me want to book a flight and GO! Beautiful!
And one of these days you will do just that!
These are lovely pictures! Just beautiful!
Call me single-minded, but I only go to one place at my farmer’s market, and that’s the gluten free bakery stall. Toaster struedel, cinnamon rolls, pizza crusts, sandwich rolls, muffins, and these deliciously powerdered cookies I have no idea what they’re called–all gluten free, and all amazingly soft! Seriously, gluten free breads tend to be stiff and hard. That place is heaven for me.
Angela, you have a very good reason for being so particular about where you shop. How wonderful you have found a gluten free bakery stall that sounds like heaven!
Love this. I need to add some French music to my writing music. This song is fabulous! Ooh, all those foods look so good. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere where each morning I could go to market to buy our ingredients fresh. I so need to move to Nice. Seriously. Now I want some brie with those delicious looking tomatoes. No, raspberries!
Great pictures, Patricia. Thanks for taking us to France…
Great video! The markets in Sao Paolo blow my mind because you ain’t seen fruit til you seen South American fruit. For example, the papayas are so big that you buy a half or a quarter. It’s nuts! And creepy. It reminds me of the Lost World where the bugs are as a big as humans.
Oh, I would love to see photos of those fruits. I’m going to google Sao Paolo markets right now!
You have my juices flowing! Planning a trip to Paris and Southern France again, and remember the market in Arles. My favorite are the figs the size of apples. I love having five of them, dark rich plum-colored, on a yellow plate in my kitchen. A natural work of art. Thanks for your Fridays. Fills in the time between trips.
Lucky you! Ah yes … the figs! You are so right about the visual feast they present as well. I’m so glad you enjoy these Friday visits and I look forward to hearing your travel tales when you set forth! There’s nothing like a visit to France to help you feel better!