FRANCE
Provence Markets: 5 of the Best
There’s no better way to dive into the soul of Provençal culture than by experiencing a local market, known for their colour, fragrance and regional specialities.
Markets are central to life in France, where food, its provenance and taste are taken extremely seriously. If you want to see the French at their happiest – handling ripe tomatoes, sniffing creamy cheeses, tasting regional honey – visit a local market. This is particularly true of Provence, where there’s easily a food market somewhere every day of the year – from Arles to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. And markets are also galleries for local craftspeople, where you can buy lavender-scented soaps and olive wood bowls as souvenirs of your Provençal stay.
The pick of Provence’s magical markets
Here are five of our favourite Provence markets – take your time exploring them and don’t be afraid to dive off the well-trodden path; you’ll be rewarded with a new gastronomic or artisan experience at every turn!
1. The city market: Aix-en-Provence
Staying in elegant Aix-en-Provence hotels? This gorgeous city is home to several markets, all within walking distance of each other in the charming Vieille Ville. Here’s our choice of the crop.
The produce market
At the heart of the Old Town, Aix’s daily produce market offers a genuine taste of the Provençal terroir. Olive oil from the Alpilles, Luberon goat’s cheese and lavender from Haute-Provence sit side-by-side with sun-kissed seasonal courgettes, tomatoes, melons and peaches grown by passionate producers. Big bunches of basil and rosemary add the smell of Provence to the air, and you can also buy savoury Herbes de Provence spice mix, lemons fresh from the trees and Mediterranean seafood straight out of the sea.
- 13100 Aix-en-Provence
- Place Richelme daily 8:30am–1pm
- Place de Verdun and Place des Prêcheurs Tue, Thur and Sat 8:30am–1pm
The craft market
Scattered with fountains and shaded by plane trees, we think that handsome Cours Mirabeau has the finest market setting in lovely Aix. It showcases traditional Provençal skills on stalls selling hand-embroidered tablecloths, lavender fragrances and cheery hand-painted ceramics. You can also unearth straw sun hats in an array of colours and boat-shaped, almond Calissons d’Aix biscuits as souvenirs of your unforgettable trip to Aix!
- 13100 Aix-en-Provence
- Tue, Thur and Sat 8:30am–1pm
2. The flower market: Cours Saleya, Nice
Always buzzing with life and one of Nice’s biggest tourist draws, Cours Saleya is the gorgeous backdrop for four markets that are the very life-blood of local residents – they have shopped there since 1861. The biggest of these is the iconic Marché aux Fleurs (closed Monday), where you’ll find bunches of lavender, hand-tied bouquets of irises and late-summer sunflowers among the vibrant colours and scents of scores of stalls. A regional produce market runs alongside the flower stalls, so you can pick up a Niçoise socca (chickpea pancake) for lunch at the same time.
- 06300 Nice
- Produce market Tue–Sun 6am–1pm
- Flower market Tue, Thur and Fri 6am–5:30pm; Wed and Sat 6:30am-6:30pm; Sun 6:30am-1:30pm.
- Flea market Mon 7am–6pm
- Evening craft market daily June–Sept 6pm–midnight
Good to know: There are several comfortable hotels in Nice and its environs if you’re looking to base yourself in or near the city.
3. The brocante: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue antiques market
The antiques capital of Provence, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a mini-Venice home to a charming waterside brocante alongside a twice-weekly food market. You’ll find about 60 stalls set along the canal, all offering a beguiling mix of rotund traditional Provençal wine bottles, gilt-framed mirrors and vintage clothing, as well as local artisans flogging boutis quilted needlework, brightly glazed pottery or delicately embroidered tableware. Learn the arts of bargaining and rummaging for the best deals – you might just source a genuine Dior bag among the bric-a-brac.
- Quai Jean Jaurès, 84800 L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
- Thur and Sun 8am–1pm
Good to know: If your dates coincide, catch the floating market on the first Sunday of August, when farmers punt down the River Sorgue in traditional costume while belting out the rousing ‘Coupo Santo’, ancient anthem of Provence.
4. The marché paysan: Coustellet farmers’ market
Provence’s best farmers’ market specialises in seasonal and often organic produce like aromatic Cavaillon melons and juicy beef tomatoes – both a staple in the region’s cuisine. Local olive oils, truffles and honey are also popular buys, while lovers of Provençal wines can grab Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Ventoux or Luberon reds, whites and rosés. Why not make up a simple picnic of baguette and cured ham to eat in the scented grounds of the Luberon Lavender Museum nearby?
- Place du Marché, 84660 Maubec
- Apr–Dec Sun 8am–1pm
- June-Aug Wed 5pm–7:30pm
5. The winter truffle market: Richerenches
Pungent, earthy black truffles – nicknamed ‘black diamonds’ – are highly prized in Provençal cuisine and consequently very expensive. They’re only available in winter, when the otherwise sleepy hamlet of Richerenches sees up to 400 farmers gathering to sell their precious cargo – up to 12 tonnes annually – at France’s largest truffle market. It’s the go-to places for chefs who debate the merits of each truffle loudly before paying a small fortune for one to flavour their cuisine. Keen to add the flavour of Provence to your cooking? Truffles are sold by weight and quality.
- Avenue de la Rabasse, 84600 Richerenches
- Mid-Nov–late Mar Sat 9am–noon
Good to know: Want to know more about black diamonds? There’s a museum dedicated to truffle cultivation on the same street as the market, where you’ll find truffle-inspired recipes from local Michelin-starred chef Christian Etienne for an authentic taste of Provence.
Five tips to make the most of Provence market visits
1. Check your dates
There are markets every day somewhere in Provence. Always check dates and locations to avoid missing out on a local experience.
2. Arrive early
Locals get to Provence markets early in the morning to snap up the best produce. Arriving early helps you avoid visitor crowds too.
3. Take a sustainable bag with you
Reduce plastic waste by taking your own bags – a handwoven Provençal straw bag or basket will score you points for both practicality and style.
4. Have some cash with you
Small stallholders often do not accept cards, so ensure you have euros to hand.
5. Talk to the stallholders
As a rule, vendors love sharing stories about their produce and their local terroir, so don’t be afraid of striking up conversations with stallholders.
Now we’ve inspired you to discover vibrant Provence markets, why not learn more about French cheeses to enrich your food-tasting experience? And don’t forget to book a charming and comfortable hotel close to your favourite market!
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