Friday in Carpentras

When its Friday in Carpentras that means market day. I could not believe that I have missed the market since we have been here! Too much to do until now like sewing for example...

but today was the day and since the weather was nice I took a walk over to take photos and maybe find some treasures.

The winter market is not as huge as the summer market but the bonus is that there are some different things to see and less people to have to struggle through.
At the entrance of town the booths were all set up.

Down by the platanes these fellows were selling dry beans, chickpeas and....rusty horseshoes (they were "authentic country" and cost 5 euros).

This stand is the total joy of the seamstress and that is me...I never go past here without buying some notions or ribbon or something.

Feast your eyes on all these treasures. Ribbons of all sorts...

Cords of many colors some elastic others not...

This is one side of the zipper cart

Ricrac and elastics and buttons galore...three bins full actually!!!

I bought some pins, basting thread and large snaps...just could not say no!

Some of the other stands that always draw my eye is this one with all the knives and other kitchen utensils...

don't you adore the colors of the knife handles?? I usually get a new color each trip...you can see them in my knife drawer in Portland!
This couple sells  all these things made of olive wood from local olive trees.

Then if you need some socks there is a huge variety here.

The vendor was worried about her many, heavy wool socks since the weather has been so mild there has been little demand for them this year.

Now, if you happen to have a variety of cheeses in your fridge here are some containers for each different kind. Those are mini Creuset pots next to the cheese boxes.

Or maybe you have a chair or two needing to be reupholstered.

Come along into the into the upper part of town to see what vendors were there. Passed by La Charité which faces the market.

I like the colors here (check out the lavender colored balconies)...

and here.

I noticed too that mimosa bouquets were already for sale at this flower stand.

Heading back to the house a sign to remind you of the baguette you might forget.

A bookstore with the best colors...its called Gulliver!

Christmas lights were coming down much to the chagrin of some school children heading home for lunch.

It was a nice enough day to push on to Avignon once again...we won't have time to go back again this trip so we had to take it in one more time.

They were selling roasted chestnuts on the Rue de la République

and this men's store was having a sale like all the shops around.

Loved these lovely Arlesiennes dancing at Olivades...these are santons and the photo was taken just before the holidays.

JC did some shopping in the very pretty, scented Fragonard shop. Those are pillowcases on the wall behind him. Very pretty designs!

Now, I have to ask you a question...what do you think a Norwegian pizza might be?? Karen K. any ideas??

We celebrated Epiphany with a galette des rois from  JOUVAUD. It was delicious and Maya got the bean (which was a little statuette of Joseph) so she was the queen! Vive la Reine!!

Notice the vintage Norman Rockwell plate? A treasure from Goodwill! I think its a favorite of Anton's.

We stopped over at L.Leclerc for a few items and this huge jar of Nutella was on the shelf...the movie is a big hit here so I'm sure its selling well. Who wouldn't want a big jar of Nutella around the house?

 

The other day in Bedoin I found this manner of parking rather unique! The older gentlemen went into the store behind the car to get some groceries...maybe he was in a hurry?

Parking method aside...don't you love the color and just the car itself??

Soon it will be time to leave Provence again for a few months. I can't believe that time has gone by so quickly. A bientôt!

A little bit of everything so far

Happy New Year 2016. We had a very nice New Year's Eve last night en famille and we were in bed just before midnight! We started out with black truffles from the region on buttered toast and some champagne.

Then we had the best supper of raclette...boiled potatoes, melted cheeses (several varieties like Morbier, /Gruyère etc.) and a variety of meat slices...grison is the really dark one in the center which is specific to raclette. The cheese gets melted in the contraption in the middle of the table and then you pour it onto the potatoes and have meat and cornichons with it! This is the perfect way to enjoy a festive evening and not have to do the cooking all alone! Hardly any dishes to wash too!!!

Just before Christmas JC and I went into Avignon to get haircuts. I love to go and see Corinne at the salon on this pretty street.

Of course the shop windows on the street were decorated so the whole area had a festive air about it.

 I remember when I was studying in Aix-en-Provence there was hardly a decoration up for the holidays. A few lighted streets and the santon seller booths and nougat makers on street corners but that was about it. I had some trouble then finding wrapping paper to send gifts back home. All this has changed now so everything is decorated.

At the salon things are quite different than what I am used to in the USA. The hairdresser cuts your hair but there is an apprentice who does the shampoo, after consultation with the main hairdresser, and then in a different section of the salon are the "specialists" who do only the hair color. The customer with cling wrap on her head is getting a weave.

The salon is small and busy and there is a lovely perfume smell drifting throughout.

Last Wednesday we took Maya and went to spend a day in Avignon. Lunch in a restaurant with "sirop de fraises"

...here is Souris Rose in her chair, she came along too...

then a turn on the merry go round on the place de l'horloge by city hall.

The weather was so warm that people were having lunch outside on the restaurant terraces.

Avignon was completely packed with people out for the day and we went up to the Pope's Palace and the park overlooking the Rhone.

This is the little train you can take to go up to the top of the park...we walked.

We saw the "Pont d'Avignon"

and Maya had a ride around on a pedal horse.

How many children can bike around in a park and see a medieval fortress in the background? The horse was called Zorro and he was great!

Then it was time for some cotton candy (so nice to be a grandparent who can do any amount of spoiling)!

At the palais du Roure we saw this sign...sigh... a sign of the times???

Then it was time for  a walk past all the little cabanons set up for the holidays.

We saw this soap booth...yes three walls of Provençal soaps artisan made...

and another with goodies from Ardèche

and then these with regional pottery....

and of course nougat.

Here I am at the foot of the stairs in the Pope's  Palace

and JC who wanted to take this picture especially for Laurent...this exhibit is going on now.

Maya and JC by the wall of the palace...

The busy streets of Avignon....

and a very amusing name for a hairdressing salon!

We headed home for a nice glass of wine, some compote for Maya and some feet up time but not before we did some "grimaces" in this office window!!