We finally visited one of the many farmers market in France! The Marche de Arceaux, is located under the ancient Arceaux aquaducts built by the romans. Sorry, I am not able upload my pictures onto the school computers here, otherwise I’d share the experience visually as well.
First, I learned that their not actually called farmers markets here, they are referred to as “open air markets.” And just like in the US there are still wholesalers at these markets, so it’s not as romantic as I had hoped. I actually got up a little early in order to see everything, and there were still farmers setting up when I arrived. Unlike farmers markets in the US, vendors are assigned their stalls on a first come, first serve basis. I also couldn’t find any one person, like a market master, helping people set up. And the differences didn’t stop there…
In the US everyone is very concerned with food safety, yet it is strictly enforced at a farm market, but lax concerning industrial farms, where small mistakes can multiply into large disasters much more quickly. Farmers are generally more careful which the products they sell because of the more direct relationship with the consumers and thus the food is safer because of this direct marketing.
What was really amazing to the kids here who are Nutrition majors, and are taught everything about food safety is the apparent “lack of it.” They thought it was strange for people to handle money and they freely dive their hand into a large tub of salad mix and pull out the pieces they want. Almost everything was offered in a buffet style, get a bag and take what you want sort of fashion.
In the US we’re not allowed to give samples, but here farmers regularly cut a slice of something to ensure their customers of its taste and quality. We were supposed to observe people shopping, and many of the customers freely tried individual fruit like cherries or strawberries without asking- but they also purchased things after. At other stands which sold sausages, bread, honey or jellies- they would freely give samples seemingly without expectation of purchase. At this Open Air Market the level of sensory experiences was astonishing. Everything smelled as it should, looked and was presented beautifully, and tasted even better.
Just like in the US it was also easy to pick out the wholesalers from the farmers. The farmers just threw everything into the largest baskets I’ve ever seen and attached crude price signs. The wholesalers just kept things in the boxes and placed them on their table- but they were much more honest than some of the wholesalers in the US since they often labeled the origin. I saw a lot of boxes from France, and some from Italy, many from Spain and a few from Morrocco. The farmers were also a little more grungy- so it was easy to pick them out of a crowd.
All and all it was a great experience- the quality of produce was high, and what we would call unusual vegetables like endive, fennel, fava and chicory, were the staples at the market. When I’m back in the states, I’ll upload the pictures to share too!
Hello!
What an interesting contrast of American and French markets. I have been to a couple “open air” markets in France, to look at antiques and flowers, while I was in the south of France. I’ve been to a few of them through Europe, in France, Italy, and Spain. However, I have never been to one back home. I like to look at the interesting things that maybe we don’t have back home, I think it makes for quite the experience.
I always find that when I am abroad I end up going to a local market. I especially enjoyed the Rastro fleat market in Madrid. You need a lot of time, and patience to be able to walk through the gigantic crowd that gathers over the weekends, but, it is worth it!
Have a blast!