Two Parts Italy

A visit to a local market is a great way to learn about a region’s customs and culinary traditions. When exploring a new city, I always try to include a market stop. It’s especially fun to compare markets in various countries. While they have much in common, from fresh produce to meats and spices, it is the differences that are fascinating and provide clues as to how people live in each place. I’ve enjoyed opportunities to discover local markets over many years of European travel - the spices and grains in the market in Budapest, colorful fresh made pastas in Florence, amazing displays of olives and lavender in Uzes, good English cheddar at Neal’s Yard Daily in London, spicy chorizo in Barcelona. The colors, scents, and tastes of these markets color my travel memories.

No doubt this is a market in France ! Where else can you find macarons like this?

While all of those markets have been wonderful, the markets in France have been some of my favorites. From the small outdoor weekly markets in Uzes and Chalon sur Saône, to the big permanent markets in Avignon and Lyon, each draws me in and makes me want to inhale the scents, taste everything, shop, and cook.

So when I recently headed to France for some time in both Lyon and Avignon as bookends to a Rhône River cruise, you can bet that the markets in those two cities were on my “must see” list.

The market in Lyon is the bigger of the two. Its name was modified in 2006 to include a tribute to the legendary French chef Paul Bocuse so that today the market is named Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse. It’s a temple to French Gastronomy and a monument to one of its best known chefs.

It’s hard to describe all the wonderful foods to be found here, from the freshest fruits and vegetables to French cheeses and pâtés, crusty breads, seafood of all types, quiches, and pastries. So I will let the photos do the talking.

Not just a place to buy provisions, Les Halles in Lyon also contains several small restaurants, bars, and cafes. It’s the perfect setting for a quick coffee or a post shopping lunch.

One of the small eateries in Lyon's Les Halle Paul Bocuse.

The market in Avignon, also called Les Halles (which just means The Halls), is smaller but no less impressive. The tarts, large ones with big chunks of eggplant, and tiny ones with a variety of fillings were like culinary art. And oh the vegetable clafoutis !

The fougasse, a local bread, plain or filled, looked like perfect picnic food. There was even a booth that sold only potatoes – red, yellow, white, purple. Rounds ones and fingerlings. I was itching to make a French potato salad, if only I’d had a kitchen! And now, just writing this has made me hungry.

Do you have a favorite market, either at home or abroad? I’d love to see your market photos this week on the Two Parts Italy Face