Toulon's Open Air Market – Shopping on the French Riviera
Fresh fruits and vegetables in Toulon
As you know, one of my favorite things about living here is the lifestyle… And more than the almost obligatory nap in the afternoon, mornings spent at one of the gorgeous French Riviera beaches (the ones frequented by locals, not tourists), the fabulous parties, the fascinating people and conversations or the 309 days of sunshine a year…
I also love the food, and getting to go shopping for fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish in the open air market! Toulon’s market is one of the best-kept secrets on the French Riviera – again, it’s something known by the locals – not necessarily by the tourist and people come from miles away to shop here because it’s almost 2 miles of vendors, so even without tourists it’s almost always crowded – which just adds to the fun and excitement of shopping here… and there’s a little something for everyone! Our fruits have been particularly spectacular this year – the weather this spring was perfect, so, for example, we started being able to enjoy cherries in May, and the season is just finishing now! (Cherries are one of my favorite fruits and I’m always a little sad when the season ends. This year I didn’t every get enough extra to freeze – we just kept eating them before I could! And the melons, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, mures (blueberries) and mangos are plump, sweet and
Cherries and Melons in Toulon
absolutely delicious!
You can also find green and black olives, tapinade (olive paste) fresh olive oil – which are Provencal speacialties. And if you like seafood, you can get fish, mussels, oysters and octopus that’s been freshly caught – and buy them from the fishermen themselves, or one of the local fishmongers.
And of course we get our beef from the butcher. I’m sure everyone along the French Riviera has their favorite butcher, or at least a local butcher shop – I know we do. We rarely buy meat from the supermarket, because our butcher is fabulous and we always get the “back room” special meat, which is the same as he takes home to his family!
Tags:France,open air fruit and vegetable market in Toulon,provencal specialties,Toulon
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We were recently in Italy and enjoyed buying fruit in the open air market long before they were available here in Nova Scotia, Canada, even in the import section. Cherries were in season, and like you I just LOVE them, but am terribly fussy about them too…the ones that come from the other coast here at home are just not the same as the ones grown in the Mediterranean sun.
I hope you know how lucky you are!!