These Special Markets in Provence Bring You The Most Authentic Local Flavors

Le Marche d'Arles is very popular among the tourists in Provence. Every Saturday, the grand Le Marche d'Arles will be held on the bvd des Lices street near the ancient Roman theater. You can smell the Camargue Sea Salt, goat cheese and Saucisson d'Arles in the air. And on Wednesday morning, Le Marche d'Arles will be moved to bd Emile Combes Street not far away. It is recommended to try some Saucisson d'Arles, which is very similar to Salami in taste. It's better when eaten with wine. This food has a long history in Arles, and the early sausages were made from pork, donkey meat and beef. There are also some clothes and shoes for sale on the market. The local Camargue-style handmade cowboy boots are also very famous.

Marché les Halles d'Avignon looks very special, and designer Patrick Blanc designed an amazing green plant wall to decorate the market. The open-air food market offers a wide range of Provencal products, including the most unique Avignon daube, which is stewed with local lamb and wine. In summer, you can buy pink Papaline d'Avignon with vanilla liqueur inside. At 11 o'clock every Saturday, the famous local chefs will come to the market to share cooking techniques and cook dishes on the spot. In addition to the food market, there are many second-hand goods for sale, such as Nikon film cameras, and English tableware and vinyl records. If you are lucky, you can find them all! You can also book a one-day tour of Avignon cuisines, including learning and tasting 10 local specialties, olive oil and visiting Chateauneuf-du-Pape winery. The tour costs 55 EUR.

There are a lot of markets in Aix that you can visit. In the morning, you can go to the flower market near the town hall where you can buy a bunch of flowers and eat French breakfast in a cafe. Then you can head to Place Richelme, where there is a lively food market every day. In the food market, you can purchase special Calissons, and also tapenade and Coteaux d'Aix en Provence with an AOC logo. In addition, you can also buy a variety of specialties in the local Place aux Huiles. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, there is an interesting flea market in Place de Verdum.

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a small town in southern France, a half-hour drive from Avignon. It is called the small Venice in Provence. Bridges and clear springs can be seen everywhere, and there are ancient waterwheels still in operation. There is a grand antique market in the town every Sunday which ends at noon. So remember to depart early in Avignon. There are 7 "large antique markets" and more than 250 antique shops in the town. If you like small shops, you may find that you can't see all of them in 1 day. In addition to the market and antique shops, there are many jam shops, candy shops and tea shops, so you can get some souvenirs.

If you like going to markets, you can go shopping in Marseille. Various morning markets occupy the Cours Julien. There are flower markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and every other Saturday there are old books for sale. On Sundays, you can find stamps and old books. There is a second-hand market on Prado Street every Saturday morning. If you like antiques or shopping, you may wish to go there. In Place aux Huiles in the old town of Panier, you can buy a variety of Provencal specialties every day, such as olive oil, tepanade and aioli with AOC labels. There are also many pottery studios and soap shops nearby where you can buy special gifts.

Valensole is a famous lavender town. The annual Lavender Festival is held on the third Sunday in July every year. During this time, there is a grand lavender market, in which pure natural lavender products and special appliances in southern France are sold. You can also taste violet lavender flavor ice cream there. It is also recommended to try the local pate, a sauce that is spread on bread. In addition to traditional flavors such as truffle and animal offal, there is also a special lavender flavor. The aroma of lavender will linger in your mouth after eating it. Pate can be preserved for a long time, and one box only costs between 9 to 15 EUR. It's a great gift to give to your friends back at home.