Market of the Month: Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Surprisingly, most of the markets in Provence tend to be just as active in the autumn & winter months as they are during spring & summer. Admittedly, it’s hard to feel as enthusiastic without the glorious South-of-France sun illuminating your day, but there’s still plenty to get excited about on market morning.

And we found much to love at the Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market. First, as they say, it’s all about location. Even if you find yourself caught on a grey & misty day (as we did) the market is lined with boutiques & antique shops which make for a nice “escape”. And then there’s the peaceful Sorgue river that runs along the market and forms the center of life in this pretty little village.

I’d love to return and picnic along its banks.

We were also quite impressed with the number of cafés and restaurants around town. On our market morning, we started out with a good, solid French-breakfast at Au Chineur – including a choice of bread, jam, a coffee drink (a good, strong cappucino), and a juice. There are several “takeaway” options at the food stalls, and we opted for a clear seasonal favorite: a large serving of  choucroute – ham, various sausages, potatoes, and sauerkraut. – pas très “light” as they say, but hey, we’re in France and it’s winter… if you’re not indulging in heavy meats and or strong cheeses… you’re missing half the smelly fun.

Where:

In the center of town, along the Sorgue river.

When:

Sunday mornings, until mid-day.

Special Interest:

On several Sundays, an antiques brocante runs parallel to the market (find more information from the Isle-sur-la-Sorgue tourist office). We had a lovely extended weekend in the village, and if you’d like to read about where we ate & stayed, follow the link here.