Tous au Marche - Let's all go to the Market!

 It was getting close to vacation time - only a few weeks away.  Back to Sablet and Provence.  Time to start packing and getting all those, “before we go” jobs done.  Start with the suitcases ….. yes they’re ready to start ….. wait a minute …. What’s this in the zipper compartment on the outside of this one?

    Dated Lundi 21 Juillet 2008 (Monday July 21 2008 ... 2008 ... really?), is a Sud Vaucluse edition the daily newspaper La Provence, carrying a front page headline and large color picture beckoning, Tous au Marché (everyone to the market).  It invites readers to take a tour of 120 markets in the Vaucluse, every day of the week in different towns and villages.   As I read on, this article and just the thought of the Provencal markets makes me feel good – always filled with characters and good natured stall holders who  love talking with and getting to know their customers.  They’re always ready joke with you, to share a recipe or make sure you know the best way to launder that table runner to keep it looking beautiful.  They love to know where you are from, and what really surprised me was, how many had visited the US – amongst the most common reactions – “love san Francisco – very European”  “Las Vegas is amazing ”  “New York – formidable”.

    Each vacation, we try to get to new markets in towns and villages we haven’t visited yet.  It’s a great way to start your sightseeing tour – with a true flavor of the local scene, lunch at a outdoor café or perhaps even better, pick up supplies for a picnic, followed by an afternoon of exploring and sightseeing. I must admit though that we have developed some favorites. They have become “old friends”.

    Usually arriving on a Saturday afternoon, amongst the first items of business for us is Sunday morning at Isle sur la Sorgue market, followed by an outdoor lunch at Lou Nego Chin (old Provencal for “the swimming dog”) – a small restaurant on the banks of the River Sorgue. Are we really such creatures of habit?   It appears so!  The market gets crowded in the summer, so go early.  There is a great little breakfast café on the rue du Docteur Taillet,  as well as outdoors at the Café de France opposite the Cathedral  - not too far from the scene of “the doggie voleur.”  

Oops!  Mustn’t forget – stop by Lou Nego Chin and reserve a riverside table for twelve-thirty.  Now ….. Spices, fresh produce, maybe a freshly cooked chicken for dinner, cheeses, olives and charcuterie (where’s the stall holder who told me that he’d never be able to afford a new truck, if I was only going to purchase one coil of saussison?  – better go back and see if the new truck materialized) …. Mon pauvre mari makes trips back to the car – lucky we discovered a great parking area not too far away that always seems to have free spots.  Time to check out what’s new at the market this year – linens, what’s new in pottery, don’t forget the artisan made soaps, olive wood items, fabric (absolutely the best place for furnishing fabrics) , anything at all!  I’m in my element here –  must have been a stall holder in a previous life!

                                        

     The morning passes quickly, with way too much fun.  It’s time to meet our friends at the restaurant.  One of the most comforting,  yet surprising  things is that the stall holders at the market, owners and staff of restaurants very rarely change, so it’s nice to go back to old friends.  Lunch is going to be fun  – we’re meeting friends who have come from the other side of the world.  Under a large shady umbrella, watching the ducks amble down the river, it’s time to relax with an aperitif and check out the menu.  As As the bells of the Cathedral chime one pm, the market starts to unwind.  Stall holders packing up their narrow tall vans into which disappears everything that made up the stall – tables, umbrellas, merchandise and anything else that was used. The food is great – as usual – the Soupe de Poisson is still great …… and I just can’t resist their Ile Flotant for desert.  Am I really such a creature of habit? 

                                               

      Before we know it – it’s nearly three – most of the day spent with old friends -  The friends we have lunch with, the friends at the restaurant and the Market itself – definitely an old friend.  Let’s walk back to the car, put the top down and head back to Sablet ….. ..
After all, we have more “can’t be missed” old friends to visit during the week ……
     

       Tuesday in Vaison la Romaine ......... early Friday in Sablet and then on to Carpentras     ......…. Just for starters.

I Like theTrend in 2012

Despite the "super-freeze" going on in Provence at the moment ...
 .....  the New Year began with a spectacular, sunny and warm day.  We had spent the previous day strolling through the markets at some of our favorite towns, beginning with Pernes les Fontaines and then onto Isle sur la Sorgue, where the Antiques market was going on.

We made our way to the Antiques vendors, through the bright and festive streets of  Isle sur la Sorgue completely involved in what the French describe as Lecher les Vitrines, window shopping ... but literally translated: licking the windows. 

They were all beautifully decorated from the Insurance Office to the Toy Shop - everyone was involved in the season.  Music was piped throughout the whole town creating an inviting and happy atmosphere. 

One of our favorites for a Cafe au Lait - the Cafe de France in Isle sur la Sorgue

We stopped by the Cafe de France which was well decorated for the season, and packed with groups of friends in animated conversation.  After a nice warm cafe au lait we kept going to the Antiques Market and spent most of the afternoon there.

The sun sets at around 5pm in Provence at this time of year...  we decided to to go to the Chapel of St. Roch, where Pere Pierre our neighbor was saying Mass at 6pm.  The little Chapel was light and warm, with a small Nativity in one corner.  It's always nice to attend Mass locally and see many of our neighbors - services in Sablet are usually on Saturday evenings.  In the Summer, they are at the Church of Nazaire, next door to Maison des Pelerins, but during the Winter, they are held in the Chapel of St. Roch.

The Chapel of St Roch - built by the grateful Sabletains, after the Plague of 1721 ravaged the area,
but  left  Sablet untouched

After Mass we had arranged to have aperitifs with friends before dinner at Les Abeilles.  It was so good to be back at this time of year, when there really is more time to spend with friends.  During our aperitifs, they asked if we were going to the Village LOTO the next evening (New Year's Day). It was a fundraiser for the volunteer Fire Department of Sablet.  We didn't even know what LOTO was... but they said it was a lot of fun and we could attend in the Cafe des Sports  instead of the Stadium (which was usually very crowded) - and we could enjoy a glass of wine!

    A bright, sunny New Year's Day - the Cafe des Sports decorated for the holiday season

OK - we would go - and at the appointed time after a glorious New Year's Day, we made our way down to the Cafe to join about thirty others who had chosen that location to play..  LOTO is like Bingo.  The cards they use date back to the 1950's and they have a little pull down tab, so that you can easily pull the little shade down over each number that is called out.  Our host (at the Cafe) was receiving the numbers via cell phone from the Stadium, where about two hundred plus people were assembled.  The prizes were numerous and ranged from two Pizzas and a bottle of wine to a digital camera or large flat screen TV.

Our friend had said that she would love the large screen TV, so we laid out the cards and listened intently.  Lots of prizes were called and the depending on where the winner was we would hear cheers or "Oh's" sounding more like a downcast "uuhh."


The next prize announced was the digital camera ... we talked and covered numbers as it went along.  Before I knew it, Gerard, my husband had only one number to go for the camera ... and the next number was... yes! ... he won the Camera, one of the two top prizes.  That was a nice way to start the New Year ... but that's not where it ends.  More games went on accompanied by "uuhhs", until it was time for the TV.  As the numbers were called our friend (who wanted the TV), filled up her card and now she had only one number to go.  After three more calls, yes! She won!  Can you believe it?  Our table won both of the top prizes.  Now... that's the way to start the New Year!

"The Winners"

But... it doesn't end here.....  Right after we arrived home, a friend invited us to a fundraising "Crab Feed" for their local Yacht Club.  We went along and as usual, bought the requisite number of raffle tickets for the prizes stacked on a very large table.  After a great dinner of fresh crab, the drawing started and we were not really paying attention - not expecting to win anything.  We went all the way through the drawing and as we expected - nothing.  We were at the very last prize, and the number was called .... not paying attention.  It was called again, and I thought,"just a minute that sounds familiar".  I checked my tickets and yes - we had won a very  large (magnum) bottle of red wine from the Napa Valley!


I definitely like this 2012 trend .... and wish all our readers the same.

Here's a comment and pictures from one of our "les Pelerins" guests who has shared his wonderful photography with us before  - thanks so much Dave we always enjoy seeing your beautiful pics!

Chere Marianne:  I just read your 2012 blog page and noted the picture of the toy store in L'Ile.  Here is mine from Vaison.

 

I also think this picture of Sablet shows Maison des Pelerins.  I think Maison is the long house below the church steeple with the kitchen window with its blue shutters to the right, the dining room window (likewise), and the two upstairs bedroom windows visible.
Rgds,  Dave Condeff


You are absolutely correct Dave - that is Maison with the blue shutters - from left to right, they are the two bedroom windows, the dining room window and the kitchen window.  Love the views from them!