The weather is improving, the temperatures getting higher but that didn't mean there was no dew first thing. Now that it felt like summer again, we decided to stop an extra night here at Brantome, a decision wisely taken as it was to prove.
Once we had demolished breakfast, we set off the 500m along cycle paths into the town. Our bikes, mountain bikes, are of the classic era & in the 'olden days' we were keen mountain bikers on the North Yorkshire Moors, but after a few ski injuries involving cartilages & torn anterior crusciate ligaments, cycling has now become more of a holiday pursuit. Anyway, the town itself is surrounded by rivers, making it l guess an island. Crossing the footbridge over a clear river, pausing to watch visitors enjoying a boat trip, it became pretty clear that there was something on. There were people everywhere. 'It's market day' l shouted.
Brantome is a truly beautiful town, so beloved by the English. The cool creamy stone of the buildings, lush flowering baskets adorning windows & walls drew visitors to the market square.
Blue skies provided plenty of photo opportunities whilst the market was a cross between Farmers Market & Craft Fayre. Stall tables groaned with Artisan breads, golden honeys, fresh fruit, jams, plants, fish & of course foie gras, the sounds & smells that us Brits so love!
This is a real foodie mecca & extremely busy, gosh there were so many English there, it was quiet funny really watching them stare at the Poissonier & his stall, or trying to sound knowledgeable about foie gras or talk very loudly how cruel it was to force feed the poor animals.
It pretty much goes without saying that we did purchase some goodies for lunch, some wonderful bread, creamy, golden honey, some rather smelly cheese & sun-ripened fruit all carried back in my new-for-2013 bicycle basket!
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