Early on Friday morning, around when the clock chimes eight, the sound of clanking metal posts gently peppers the air. White vans fill the car park outside my door and market stalls spring up in Lourmarin’s Place Henri Barthélémy spilling out along the streets. Friday is market day in Lourmarin and as I grab my basket, no matter how many times I’ve ambled through its’ stalls, I wonder, ‘what might I find today?’
Delicious local produce,
mouthwatering seasonal offerings,
freshly picked and often just dug from the earth.
Sensory pleasures
to taste
and smell.
Gifts from Provence to take back home,
maybe in a new basket?
So many to choose from
and fill with things encapsulating the essence of Provence.
And when your shopping’s over, a café or a glass of rosé?
I love the terrace of La Maison Café where you’re serenaded from the street below.
And then maybe lunch at Café Gaby, merging into the ambience of this special corner of Provence.
And if you can’t wait until next week, there’s many other markets quite close by just begging to be explored, not forgetting Lourmarin’s organic market on Tuesday evenings.
Nearby Markets of Provence
Monday: Cadenet, Cavaillon, Lauris
Tuesday: Cucuron, Pertuis, Gordes, Lacoste, Coustellet, La Tour d’Aigues, St Saturnin les Apt, Lourmarin 5.00- 8.00 organic produce
Wednesday: Mérindol, Cheval-Blanc, Salt, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, St Remy-de-Provence, Le Thor, Nimes, Cassis
Thursday: Goult, Ménerbes, Rousillon, Pertuis, Lauris, L’Isle sur la Sorgue, Aix-en-Provence, La Motte d’Aigues,
Friday: Lourmarin, Lagnes,, Les Taillades, Bonnieux, Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Cucuron evenings (July & August)
Download the printable The Lourmarin Travel Guide to learn more about this beautiful region
Lovely… especially the photography. You have surpassed the “National Geographic standard” in my opinion… beautiful colors. Everything as I remember it… prices and all 🙂
Cheers,
John
You are too kind! Hope you can join us there for another perusal soon! x
Love it!!
Come and be there with me soon!!!
Such fond memories in a place very hard to forget….made even better with wonderful friends….miss and love u to pieces My lovely friend!
You have to come back! Miss and love you too!
I just love the way you write and capture Provence in such a dreamy way. It’s the simple pleasures that we all really want to hear about, if only to escape for but a moment.
Thank you so much Cheryl! As you know I love it with a passion and it gives me such pleasure to write about it knowing it makes others happy too! X
One day hopefully we will be able to visit and explore all these wonderful places, looks fantastic
and we will look forward to welcoming you!
Yes an excellent market. Bought great cheese and Chardonnay there last year. Brilliant photos Caroline! Well done
Thanks Dave, so sorry that we were not there to enjoy it with you!
Your photos are breathtaking!!! It is on my list to book your home!
xo Mel
Oh thank you Mel, love you to book the house, I know I’m biased but Lourmarin truly is a special place and I’m always so happy to share it xxx
Hi Caroline… is there a book I can purchase that is specifically on Lourmarin and it’s fabulous Friday market? We have stayed there for several weeks the past 10 July’s.. The photos on this post are so lovely and bring back great memories! Thank you from one California girl to another!
Hi Judy so glad that you enjoyed the photos of this special place! I will ask about a book. In the meantime you can download and print my Lourmarin Travel Guide which has a few photos https://shuttersandsunflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Lourmarin-PDF-v4.pdf Rent our home who advertise my house also has some great suggestions for books about Provence https://rent-our-home.com/good-reads-for-lovers-of-provence/
Hope we can all be there again soon. Stay safe and well!