Introducing The Provencal Market & A "Peculiar Obsession" with A Tower

                                               Part 2 of a 3 Part Series

                                       Introducing The Provencal Market


I have vicariously known of Provencal Markets long before experiencing the real thing first hand, having read numerous accounts in various travel guides, journals and photo essays about them. The uniqueness of these markets cannot be overstated. In my life I’ve never experienced anything quite like them in the “states” .
Part farmers market, flea market, “Fuller Brush man”, 19th century peddlers wagon, the butter ‘n egg man, the milk man, Gypsy peddlers, Jewish “rag-man”, all wrapped in the atmosphere of an old-fashioned county fair. Really.... this description doesn’t begin to do it justice.
It is an act of living history. Just as they have done for generations, dozens, in some cases, hundreds of nomadic merchants and artisans set-up their stalls in their assigned spaces in the market squares and streets of the towns and villages all over Southern France. On the designated day, every week, every month, every year, they appear at dawn, set-up their stalls, sell their wares, and, a little after lunch tear down their stalls and pack them into an incredible diversity of vehicles, only to move on to the next town and repeat the whole process the following day.
To be repeated over and over and.....
It’s incredible! I mean here it’s 2012 and this is all still going on. With malls, hyper marts, grocery stores, department stores, all accessible to most people with a minimum of effort, and still it continues.
Why, I can just about imagine in my mind the wagons, the carts, the sellers and buyers all in peasant costume.
Remarkable!!!
I have since experienced many such markets all over the South of France. Each one, similar of course, but unique in it’s own way. From the beautiful little ochre red hilltop village of Roussilon and it’s modest weekly market to Cote d Rhone town of Viason la Romaine and it’s huge granddaddy of all Provencal Markets.
Every time it’s exciting, my pulse actually quickens a bit upon arrival. A bit deja vu, perhaps, the memories... a young child... late summer... a visit to the county fair. It’s there!
But.......




                                             A “Peculiar Obsession” With a Tower


Central to the telling of this story is a tower, or rather La Tour (the tower). It is a ancient defensive stone structure of Roman origins, enhanced throughout the Middle Ages, that lords over the harbor to this very day. Second only to the Church tower as the most recognizable feature on the harbor landscape, it was in the late 19th century, incorporated into the body of the Hotel-restaurant La Tour, an excellent family-owned establishment, which was our home for a brief time during our first visit here back in 2006.
The tower is open to visitors daily, with interesting historical displays on each level which you ascend via a trying, if not a little claustrophobic assortment of spiral staircases and ships’ ladders. Once you craw (literally) through the final narrow “tunnel” via a steep ships’ ladder, you emerge at the top with what is unarguably 360 degrees of the finest view in the village.
Now here’s where it get’s interesting (or not, depending on your point of view). I have for years been intrigued with the thought of doing a photo-essay on the weekly Provencal Market. My efforts, however, have been repeatedly thwarted by the very qualities which make it so unique. Because of the compact nature of the location, the “snaking” nature of the layout, the congestion of the stalls and the throngs of shoppers milling among them, it is virtually impossible to photograph the market. That is to give a sense of it’s entirety, it’s character. You simply can’t see the forest for the trees!
But... the tower, or rather, La Tour. Now there’d be a wonderful opportunity to view the market, the whole affair, from above.
Brilliant!!
Except... open daily to visitors, except Wednesday (market day). It is not open until after 1:00 pm, by which time the whole thing’s packed-up and gone.
Damn!!
Surely there are exceptions. For the past several years I have checked on every market day, nope! I have even checked with the Hotel La Tour, nope! I have occasionally seen a maintenance person on site during the market, nope! (I even considered bribing one, but never got that far)
Always..... thwarted!!
Café time. For Sandy and I it is a cherished part of the “French Experience” here in this little village. Just a few days ago, during one such “cherished moment”, we found ourselves in our favorite café, ridiculously tiny tables and chairs, crowded cheek-to-jowl with the neighboring tiny table and chairs, (it is the tradition) a carafe of rose, warm sun, blue skies and that “Impressionist Masterpiece” harbor view spread out before us. It was, the quintessential “French moment”.
Now on this particular afternoon, we were blessed with the charming company of a friend of ours, a lovely French woman whom we had met a couple of years back. She is, as the French would say “tres sympa” (very nice). She has lived in this village for nearly 30 years, and, has lived in the “states” for a portion of her life as well. Fortunate for us, because her English is impeccable and her understanding of our culture is, well, remarkable. We feel quite honored to be welcomed into her company. She is for us, in addition to being truly “tres sympa”, a wonderful bridge between our culture and that which is here. She’s wonderfully adept at “translating” that “similar but different” that I have written about previously.
Today she has overheard my protestations concerning La Tour, it’s closure during the weekly market, and my almost obsessive desire to go atop it during the market so that I might be able to photograph it. She was surprised to learn that it was closed, believing that she had in fact observed people atop La Tour on market days. Huumm?
Probably thinking me a little weird, she seemed to quitely mull the thought.
Sandy and I continued to enjoy our “French Moment” with a second carafe of rose. I noticed our friend conversing with a gentleman at the table behind her, in French of course. Nothing peculiar about this, our friend seems to know nearly everybody here in the village and they her. Through my poor French I can just get the gist, the conversation involves us, or rather me and my “peculiar obsession” to go to the top of La Tour on market day. Telephone call made by her friend, in French of course, and a few minutes later.....
Next Wednesday, be at the gated entrance to the tower. A man will meet you there. He’ll let you in.
Voila!! It was done! Her friend had been an official at the Marie (city hall). She had pulled some strings
and..... what a dear!
And so.... that next Wednesday, 10 o’clock, you better believe I was there, Sandy too. The man was there, and yes, he too knew of my “peculiar obsession”. Our friend was there to meet us. I was smiling from ear-to-ear. She could tell that Kevin was happy.
How do you thank someone for a gesture such as this? Well.... Sandy did a bit of fishing... and... seems our friend was quite fond of macaroons ( little egg white cookies filled with various luscious cremes) and... we happened to know from our landlords of an excellent macaronier from Paris who had settled in the adjacent town. So... the previous day, hop on the velos (bicycles) and off to “Macaron Foliles” www.macaronfolies.fr . Little white box, macaroons inside, wrapped with a bow in true French style... thank you so much. Graciously accepted and I’m willing to bet well enjoyed.
Now... the previous Wednesday, market day, had been beautiful with blue skies, and the one before and... the one before. But, today... it was just not to be. Generally overcast, a hint of sunshine occasionally popping through, rain threatening to arrive at any moment.
Hey, beggars can’t be choosers. Gotta make the best of this and realize my “peculiar obsession”. So...
I ascend the trying if not a little claustrophobic assortment of spiral staircases and ships’ ladders, and...
Voila! I’m on top. Wow! 360 degrees of view, a bit grey perhaps, but wow. There it is. The market below, winding serpent-like through the streets for as far as I can see.
Awesome!!!
Admire, line up several well (hopefully) composed shots and leave the rest to Photoshop. Got it!!

Now... about that Provencal Market...

A view of La Tour (the tower)

Realizing my "peculiar obsession" 

One of two on the way up

This is a tight fit! Almost to the top.

Yeeesss! I knew this would work!

                                                  Special thanks to mdme. G



                                Next Part 3 of 3 The Weekly Provencal Market