The Trail's Our Thing

We have a certain routine to our Apt market visits. We usually take the scenic route from Bonnieux, through the vineyards, coming into Apt on the road near the hospital. We look for parking on that road... how close we can get to the first square (La Place de la Bouquerie) gives us some indication of how crowded the market is. Sometimes we go early (arriving before 9:00 am), get a good parking place, and enjoy breakfast at Le Louvre, our favorite cafe. Charley makes a reservation for lunch. At that time of the morning, many sellers are still setting up while others are enjoying a cup of coffee.

Brightly-colored African stand near Le Louvre

If we can't get going early, usually Charley drops Kelly and I off at the square and then goes to park. He occasionally goes to Mr. Bricolage (a do-it-yourself store) or runs some other errand before he comes to the market.

We don't shop as a family. Kelly and I stay together, and Charley wanders on his own. It's just too crowded for three of us to stay together, and we have different interests and rhythms. I'm not quite sure what Charley does, though occasionally we run into him... usually watching street performers or someone demonstrating a chopping knife. He likes to have another coffee and people-watch. He hardly ever buys anything.

Tomatoes are in season now

My shopping habits at the markets have changed a lot since my earlier visits to Provence. I don't need any more Provençal fabric items (tablecloths, napkins, bread baskets, placemats, pot holders etc.), unless I'm looking for a gift. I'd love more pottery-- but it's difficult to carry on the train, and I really don't need any more.

I like these scarves, but I already have several!

We probably do shop more like locals... shopping for food for the next few days, buying fresh flowers, and even looking at some flea-market type clothes. Kelly really really likes the clothes, and she's found some good deals. We both like the jewelry. We are all big fans of the five euro watches.

It's nice to buy fresh flowers every week-- and they're not that expensive

Over the years we've gotten to know some of the sellers, especially those that we see at other markets. We still follow our same route, check out the same stands, and browse in many of the same stores. We have our favorite stands to buy various fruits and vegetables, mostly in the large Place Gabriel Péri in the center of town.

One of our favorite vegetable stands

We also sometimes buy produce in another section of the market, by some large apartment buildings, that has a North African feel. I like it back there... it's different and not so crowded. A bit further along on our route, Kelly and I almost always stop to buy a slice of pizza from the pizza truck that also comes to Bonnieux on Fridays.

Another part of the market

By 10 am the crowd really begins to swell, and by 11 am it can almost feel frenzied. The narrow pedestrian street that snakes up past the cathedral is really a challenge, with sellers lined up on one side and people pushing in both directions. A baby stroller can really cause a traffic jam. You can't be too much in a hurry here.

Kelly and I buy our soap here

There are lots of good restaurants in Apt (including a Moroccan restaurant I'm anxious to try), but we always eat at Le Louvre on La Place de la Bouquerie partly because we're loyal to the owner Guy and his wife. We usually meet there at 12 noon, and we get a table on the terrace under the outdoor air conditioning-- a fine spray mist. We share the experiences of the day and show off our purchases. The lunch here is always good, and the 12.50 euro three-course "menu" is a very good value. Kelly and I both like the grilled turkey, though I sometimes order the plat du jour. In the summer when the weather is good the market doesn't start to wrap up until after 1:00 pm.

Two weeks ago the owner Guy told us he had sold Le Louvre-- he was there helping the new owner with the transition. Guy is ill and has to have surgery... we didn't really understand the details. He just bought Le Louvre last spring, but we quickly became friends. He and his wife are excellent and very friendly hosts. They have treated us well. When we were there this past Saturday, Guy and Babette were standing near the restaurant to tell us goodbye. We kissed and wished them good luck. That day they were just another local couple enjoying the Apt market. Somehow our meal at Le Louvre just didn't seem quite the same.