One of the things I was most looking forward to when I read the itinerary put together by Provence Temptations was the promise of a jaunt to a local market. I felt sure that I was going to be in for a real visual treat, and I was not in any way disappointed. It was an absolutely delicious experience in every way, and I love love loved it.
We visited two different markets during the week, but my favorite of the two was the Sunday one in L'Isle-sur la-Sorgue. The town is very picturesque, with the river Sorgue winding right through and around it.
There were some lovely waterside cafés and restaurants to sit and while away a pleasant, warm Sunday morning over a coffee or two. Did I mention how much I loved the coffee? So delicious!
This is the old part of the town where you can see the Sunday market is in full swing.
It was incredibly atmospheric and I instantly fell in love with the whole experience of market shopping here. The abundance of fresh produce was absolutely breathtaking. There were huge piles of fresh, colourful fruit and vegetables, herbs, garlic, locally picked mushrooms....
There was an abundance of local cheeses and cured meats....
....and the famous lavender scented "Savon de Marseille" soaps.
There were rich, fragrant spices....
....and there was an enormous amount of (highly priced) bric-a-brac and collectibles.
There were beautiful fresh flowers....
....and gorgeous dried flowers.
There was oodles of lavender (swooon) in bundles and bags, it smelt sooooo lovely....
....and there were lots of hand crafted and brightly painted toys, instruments and decorations.
There were gorgeous scarves and beautiful embroidered linens...
....and there were baskets.
OH the baskets!!!!!!!!!!!
I absolutely went bananas when I saw these, aren't they perfectly gorgeous and desirable? I wanted to buy at least twenty in all different sizes and colours, but hell, I was travelling by train and had to be sensible about what I could cope with carrying.
I settled on one small basket for 5 euros, it just sang out to me from the pavement and I simply had to give it a home.
The colours of the woven straw (straw? not sure what they are made of exactly, but it looks like straw) are so vibrant, I love it very much.
Something else I fell in love with was the hand painted Provençal pottery. There were many market stalls selling these gloriously colourful bowls and plates, from huge big serving bowls down to these teeny-tiny little ones. To see it in such abundance was a real visual treat, although I have to say the vendors were very grumpy about photographs being taken. I bought these little ones for a few euros each, they are just so cute! I wish I had bought more. I wish I somehow had a huge case that I could've filled with these gorgeous items, with a personal porter to carry it on and off the various trains for me. Sigh.
The other thing I had to purchase was lavender, I felt I could not leave the market without some. The scent of true French lavender is out of this world, very much more potent than our English lavender I think. I have been inhaling it at every opportunity, my bag smells gorgeous!
I want to tell you that I used some lavender in my crochet project.....the scent of merino wool infused with lavender is oooooooooooo-♥-oooooooooooo!
Hoping you have enjoyed coming to market with me.....tomorrow I want to wow you with scenery and show you some of the gorgeous Provence Landscape. See you then....
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Oh what a lovely market and on a Sunday too Great!Five euros for that basket is a very good price. Are they French made do you know?AriadnefromGreece!
Posted by: Ariadne | October 21, 2012 at 02:34 PM
Oh Lucy, lucky you. I LOVE the market. I would have wanted to buy a basket for everyone I know for Christmas. What fun. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Cindy Bee
Posted by: Cindy | October 21, 2012 at 02:27 PM
My sister lives outside of Paris and the french markets are just fantastic. There is just nothing else like it anywhere.
Posted by: Debbie Gallett | October 21, 2012 at 02:12 PM
I really, really love those baskets. They are gorgeous! A lovely post and lovely photos!
Posted by: Sally | October 21, 2012 at 01:43 PM
Thank you for taking me back to Provence; the colours are so brilliant and I can smell the lavender.
Looking forward to your hooky project pics.
You brighten my day Lucy thank you so much
Mandy x
Posted by: Amanda Maddick | October 21, 2012 at 01:34 PM
Thanks for sharing your lovely photos, Lucy. Why is it that British markets are never as colourful or as interesting as foreign ones??
Posted by: Ann | October 21, 2012 at 01:30 PM
I have that scarf!!
Posted by: Corinne Inglis | October 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Beautiful photos and wonderful atmosphere ... to paint, and the scent of lavender ohhhh has come so far, o) thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Maria | October 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Adoro nas viagens ir aos mercados. É uma experiência rica.
bj
http://crochelinhasagulhas.blogspot.com.br/
Posted by: janelice | October 21, 2012 at 11:55 AM
my english is no good, but i want tell you that it is beatiful, i have a camping car, in summer i was in loyra, and next year i want to go to provence, its lovely, i love your blog, and i love do crochet and knitting. I live in cordoba in the south of spain. thank you very much for your photos, and for your blog
Posted by: maria enriquez gomez | October 21, 2012 at 11:33 AM
I made lavendar and honey ice cream for our dessert tonight so this really resonates with me. I can still taste lavendar at the back of my throat.
Posted by: Rose | October 21, 2012 at 10:18 AM
wooooooooooow Lucy! you are wonderful. incredible.
i get speechless you are a great artist, you live in colors :*
Posted by: farnoosh | October 21, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Thank you for these great photos! I would like to go to this market immediately!!!!:o)
Posted by: Judit Posch | October 21, 2012 at 09:43 AM
Markets are currently one of my favourite things. The cheese would have done it for me - yum yum yum yum yum!
Posted by: RainStorm | October 21, 2012 at 09:07 AM
glad to have u back lucy!i love the baskets:)
Posted by: eugenia | October 21, 2012 at 09:02 AM
Stunning photos! French markets are the best! Pj x
Posted by: Pj | October 21, 2012 at 08:48 AM
bonjour!!
very nice country!!
hope you enjoy it so much!!
ttfn
Posted by: mar | October 21, 2012 at 08:22 AM
Oh WOW now that's a market!! Love love the basket you've bought, and the colourful hand-painted pottery reminds me of the one you can find in Spain, I have several of these in my kitchen as well. Looking forward to enjoying the Provence landscape! :-) xxxx
Posted by: Nanita | October 21, 2012 at 08:05 AM
Fantastic pictures from a beautiful country!
Posted by: Unn | October 21, 2012 at 07:54 AM
I am not very surprised you succumbed to the baskets, they are delicious! What a perfect way to tote about your crochet?!?!
Posted by: Havok | October 21, 2012 at 07:31 AM
Lovely market trip...I love one of those basket too for 5 euros...it's a steal!! :-)
Posted by: Annie | October 21, 2012 at 07:09 AM
Markets are always lovely places for bargains and a holiday-like feeling. Thank you for such beautiful photos.
Posted by: Line | October 21, 2012 at 06:10 AM
This has been so much fun to read! Thank you for sharing these gorgeous pictures and your travel log! Makes for a lovely cup of tea!
Posted by: Bari Jo | October 21, 2012 at 05:20 AM
Oh just wonderful.. thanks for that little jaunt.
Posted by: Sue from New Zealand | October 21, 2012 at 04:47 AM
What a coincidence! Last Sunday, I was in a street market in Caloundra, (a small seaside town in Queensland, Australia) and there was a stall selling these same amazing bags! I was instantly attracted to them and bought myself one - smaller than yours, a shoulder bag with a zip. Like the ones hanging up in your picture. I just love it. The bags are made in Madagascar, using raffia and leather. Raffia palms are native to Madagascar and they remove the fibrous inner layer of the leaves to make raffia rope, which can then be dyed.
Posted by: deedownunder | October 21, 2012 at 04:35 AM