03/09/2022
If it’s Saturday, it must be market day. Well – not really. But for us, it is.
Farmers’ markets are quite the thing in this region. Most of the small towns, or communes, have a market day. There is a schedule available on the internet, helping you find a market in your vicinity. So this is what our aim is today. To find a farmers’ market in a small town. And maybe get a glimpse of some more pretty French towns.
We headed to Pernes-les-Fontaines (because the schedule said that their market was today!), and easily found the market. And absolutely loved watching the locals going about their weekly shopping. As could be expected, you could find all your fresh produce for the week here, but what astounded me most, was the guy selling mattresses. Such an odd thing to be selling at a farmers’ market, I thought.
After a light lunch from the market, we headed further east. For some reason I had marked Gordes as a village worth seeing. But for some reason we decided to head for Venasque first. I suspect this was one of those cases where the universe just politely nudges you in the correct direction, because it just knows…. Oh wow! Venasque is this stunning little hilltop town, that is clearly frequented by artists. On the square in front of the small church, quite a few artists were busy painting the surrounding scenery. It just felt so very peaceful and special.
Gordes is equally stunning, but way more touristy. I may have developed an allergy for tourist buses and crowds, so I always have to be cautious to not judge a place just because it deserves being seen by mainstream tourists. And besides, we did stumble upon a wedding. And so, while Niel did the walking thing to try and get some scenic photo’s of Gordes, I sat quietly outside the church, and listened to the beautiful singing of Ave Maria, and the occasional cheers, which seems to be something that they do. It also seems like the groom has to carry the bride out of the church, amidst another loud cheer from the wedding guests.
Back in Avignon, we made another attempt at some photo’s of Pont d’Avignon, and this time, we managed to get some rather imposing clouds behind it.
This was our last day in Avignon. Nimes beckons. We’re excited to see how it compares to Avignon. But then – each city has it’s very own unique character and history. They should not be compared, I think. They should just be experienced for what they are.
