Having now traveled about France’s canals for the last five years we have seen a market or two along the way and would like to share a few of our experiences with other boaters. The purpose of this is to give you our top ten choice of markets that are close to a navigable waterway. We visit these markets to buy food but it is really the atmosphere that is what makes us go back time and again.

I am hoping to provoke others to write in with there top ten, or even just tell us about the one you consider the best.

 

Avignon

There is a selection. The indoor covered market is a delight and open most days. Full  of Provençal produce. If you buy the olive oil from Nyons it is “appellation Controle” and I can just drink it on it’s own ; the asparagus in late April is a must. One stall keeper has six vanities including the delicious wild stuff. Mushrooms in October , Cepe , Pied de Mouton , Trompette de Mort in abundance. There’s a good butcher too;also a good bakery and a little Chinese lady with a stall doing nems and spring rolls. The fruit and vegetable stalls are a Provençal delight of smells and colour and the two Italian delicatessen counters do excellent ready made lasagnes and other made up dishes. I’ve bought good pigeon here.

The outside “Algerian” market on a Sunday morning is a well worth a visit if only for the atmosphere. It is by the city wall that faces the railway station. If it’s summer it comes inside the wall for the shade. If it’s winter it’s on the outside . Very good for fruit and veg. Local herb growers do good coriander. Lots of good lamb. Also good hardware stuff. We got our big outside gas ring from here that’s useful when you cannot be bothered with lighting up the BBQ.

Arles

Has an open market on two days a week. Both are good but the one that goes along the road by the tourist office on a Saturday is the bigger. A huge range of Med foods as well as a Greek lady selling baklava and stuffed olive leaves to die for. Lots of Olive produce from the area around Baux. Good price soaps. Provençal materials and flowers both cut and plants. Three or four good fish stalls at the bottom end. Strawberries from Capentras in late April early May.

Nancy

 

We never found an open market but the covered one is open most days and well worth a visit. It’s a bit of a trek from the port but the capitenerie folk are very helpful. It was cherry time as we passed through but they all were eaten by the time we got back to the boat .

Joigny

Right by the bridge on the right bank of the Yonne. Good mooring but we had our bikes stolen from here . This market is used by some of the hotel boats and well worth a stop. Medium sized but good.

Sens

Bit of a trek up the hill towards the cathedral but well worth the effort for this Bustly covered market .

Montmerle sur Saone

 

Not a huge market but in a good position right besides the pontoon mooring. A lot of small local producers. The small town with three good butchers and a supermarket.

Bram

It’s a fifteen minute cycle ride away but worth it. Good but not huge local country market.

Lyon

Being the centre of French gastronomy it is no surprise to find the covered market here is good. You can eat at oyster bars as well as buy a huge range of produce. The building itself is a bit of a disappointment but the stalls are fantastic. Expect to pay city prices. It’s to the East of the Rhone but the bus service in Lyon is good to get from the moorings on the Saone.

The Sunday markets are on the Saone banks. Right bank just upstream of the moorings is arts and crafts stuff. Lovely decorated silks here. Left bank a little further upstream is food.

Paris

Rue de Bastille , Sunday morning. Right beside the Port Arsenal . Big brash and busy. This is good but a lot of people prefer the smaller market at L’Aligre . This is a bit more of a walk away but worth the trek. Lots of little oriental shops in the area with spices and delicacies to die for.

Louhans

This is at the top end of the navigable river Seille. You turn off the Saone just downstream of Tournus to get onto the River Seille and it takes a leisurely day to get up to the mooring at Louhans. The market takes over the whole town centre and is a big social event with lots of local produce being sold. Goats cheese is good . Lots of hardware and clothes stalls as well as the fruit and vegetables. You are near Bresse so the poultry produce is good.