Loire Valley Markets

Most villages within the Loire Valley in France have have a Sunday market at least once a week during certain times of the year. These markets are often a mix of wines, beer, fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, home-made goods and clothing. It’s a real treat to wander from stall to stall sampling products and visiting with the vendors about their wares.

While I worked as an au pair in the Loire Valley in 1979, I attended the Sunday farmers’ market as often as possible – usually with a mission in mind. Here is an excerpt from my memoir, French Illusions: My Story as an American Au Pair in the Loire Valley, describing my second visit to the local farmer’s market. 

Once I arrived in Songais, I made my way toward the main plaza and entered the Sunday market, surprisingly busy even at this time of year. The assortment of produce had dwindled in the last few weeks, but vendors still offered squash and misshapen red and yellow apples for sale. A larger number of merchants displayed their cold-weather goods and apparel, a positive development for me.

Up ahead I noticed a vendor offering samples of Bernache, unfermented new wine. Before I left the château this morning, Monsieur Dubois warned me I might not like the taste of this popular drink, enjoyed mostly by the locals this time of year. Stepping up to the merchant, I pointed to a glass, and he handed me a taster. “Merci, Monsieur,” I said and sipped.

“Comment le trouvez-vous, mademoiselle?” How do you find it, Mademoiselle?

“C’est très bon,” I fibbed, forcing down the overly sweet liquid.

He chuckled, seeing through my ruse.

Continuing through the market, I stopped to admire a woman knitting a colorful scarf, her fingers moving back and forth like a machine. Mesmerized, I didn’t notice Marie’s approach until she stood beside me.

When I recognized her, I jumped in surprise. “Marie!”

“Hello, Mademoiselle. How nice to see you,” she said in her familiar French, pulling three children around her. “These are my children: Pierre, Briand, and Élise. Say hello to Mademoiselle, children.”

Ranging in age from maybe three to seven, her brood clung to her like opossums. Rosy-cheeked and dressed in clean, simple clothes, they looked healthy and well cared for.

“Nice to meet you.” Large, chocolate-brown eyes gazed up at me when I bent down to shake each of their hands.

“Are you shopping for something in particular?” Marie asked, ruffling her youngest son’s hair.

I struggled with the language barrier, finally grabbing my coat to show her what I was looking for. “Something like this, but warmer.”

“Ah, a coat. I know just the place. Come then, I will show you.”

As we picked our way through the market, Marie kept a close eye on her children, grabbing them by the arm whenever an interesting vendor halted our progress. Soon we arrived at our destination, a booth filled with wool coats, sweaters, scarves, and hats in a kaleidoscope of colors. Billowing in the breeze, they enticed customers with their promise of warmth and comfort.

Noticing my interest, the merchant, a middle-aged woman wrinkled from the sun, sprang from her seat to ask if I needed help. “Est-ce que je peux vous aider?”

I turned toward Marie, eyebrows lifted in confusion, and she stepped forward to address the woman. They spoke for a moment in rapid-fire French, and then the woman drew me into her booth. She passed me one coat after the other, all of them too large for my petite frame. Clucking with discontent, the merchant dug deep in a pile and uncovered a teal blue wool coat with brown leather buttons. As soon as I donned the coat and gazed in the mirror, I knew I had found my prize.

You can purchase a copy of my book at Amazon.com. For a nominal fee, you can add audible narration with Whispersync. The audiobook is also available at Audible.com. (Farmer’s market photos courtesy of https://theculturetrip.com and https://www.experienceloire.com)