Bergerac Market Day


Every country has its markets but none are as vibrant as "farmers' markets" in France. Here they are not only a way of life, but a social occasion as well as the stall holders seem to have more intent on having a conversation than selling their produce. There are an array of traditional fruit and vegetables straight from the farm as well as an infinite variety of cheeses and bread along with pre-loved clothing and bric-a-brac. Food markets here are an integral part of France's famed tradition of good eating and give one a truly authentic experience of French provincial life. At the market I wss delighted to be entertained by a procession of rather elderly minstrals wearing the traditional garb of an earlier era and marching from square to square playing their musical instruments before breaking into enthusiastic folk dancing. Another Dordogne town I shall soon be visiting is Périgueux, the heart of French truffle and foie-grss country, and I shall look forward to its market day. France is a country of great tradition and one can be sure that the stall holders of these farmers' markets, who have grest attachment to their rural heritage, are determined that their way of life will survive.  

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