Dijon Market

Dijon Market-1It’s only 1.5 hours on the bullet train from Paris to Dijon, and we like mustard and traveling at 300 km/h across gorgeous pastoral landscapes, so… why not?

Dijon Market-2Plus, 12 seconds of online research had informed us that Tuesday is Dijon market day, and we love markets, so… why not some more?

Dijon Market-3While markets in France certainly sound different in the specifics than those in North America, the experience in general is the same.

Farmers proudly arrange their spring produce…

Dijon Market-4… and happily discuss the merits of sunshine, good health, and perfect radishes.

Dijon Market-5People of all ages wander to gander the stalls, the wandering being as much a part of the day as the gandering.

Dijon Market-6Olives? Check. Candied popcorn? Check.

Dijon Market-7Assortments of old clocks and inner workings? Yup.

Dijon Market-8Fashion-forward accordionist? Certainment!

Dijon Market-9The produce was glorious. I didn’t inquire, but these heirloom tomatoes looked like the gene pool probably started in the kitchen gardens of Versailles.

Dijon Market-10There were dozens of different kinds of everything, a few of which we even recognized.

Dijon Market-11The cafes were perfectly crowded with satisfied shoppers, soaking up sun and killer caffeine in equal measure…

Dijon Market-12… while other attendees were just waiting for someone to kick a stray sausage their way.

(The truth is this critter is probably another canine super-model, disdaining meat and carbs in preference for a daily handful of those exquisite radishes and a nice Cote du Rhone. He and Winston would make perfect room-mates.)

Dijon Market-14In the center of the market square was a huge indoor market, perfect for ending the shopping trip out of the sun and picking up goods from the refrigerator section.

Dijon Market-15Oh my word! Who can resist those cheeses?!

Dijon Market-16Not Rick and his trusty neon-orange bulging backpack.

Note how quickly he has picked up the local sign language. He was either telling the proprietor “Close enough!” or, “Sure… give me the whole block.”

(He doesn’t mean to be easy to spot in a crowd. He’s just drawn that way.)

Dijon Market-17We wandered a ways from the market to a quiet cafe where we stopped for some lunch and “un pichet du vin.”

Dijon Market-18Rick took  a moment  to try out his handful of new coloring markers, bought at an art store across from the market.

They worked so nicely in his cartoon journal (some samples to follow here in the next post or two) that we decided to head back to the market to buy a whole set, et…

Dijon Market-19… Voila! The market, she was gone!

Apparently, market “day” is a term thrown around loosely in the literature. We were informed by the art store proprietor that promptly at one o’clock, everyone rolls up their radishes and smoked eels and heads for the hills.

Dijon Market-20On walking into the now completely silent grand hall, Rick stood for a moment to take it all in, then pronounced, “Wow. If you don’t get your fromage before midi, you are shit outta bon voyage!”

On the plus side, our language skills have advanced to “Franglais 101.”

 

6 thoughts on “Dijon Market

  1. Dave Richardson

    Hey Rick and Kathy! Great pix from the continent. It looks like you are having the time of your life. I REALLY like the composition in your pictures.

    We might be going to Sweden in June, but it’s tentative due to the sequester.

    Anyway, travel safe and stay well.

    Dave

  2. Zinc

    Hey You Two,
    Dijon go to the market? No, but Rick and Kathy did….Magnifique! More blog please. That was wonderful.
    Zinc

  3. Sandi Fentiman

    I see they have those quaint little balconies on the apartment buildings. Sounds like market day is “Snooze, you loose”. As in not getting there on time to get what you want. What’s the name of your hotel (what’s the building look like, room number?

  4. Katherine Ernst

    Hi Kathy and Rick, you are in a beautiful area and some of the bests chiefs come from this regeon.Must get out the album and look up an ancient town near by, that has been preserved through the centuries. Think it was called Perouge. Of course , that was a time before digital cameras and portable computers.Magificent area.For twenty years we covered most of France and found each area was distinctive and equally beautiful. Food is a French religion , almost as bad as the Italians.Strange that we seldom gained weight as we walked every where, including a late night stroll after dining.Cannot decide between the food or the scenery as each was a delight.

  5. Katherine Ernst

    Hi Kathy and Rick, you are in a beautiful area and some of the bests chiefs come from this regeon.Must get out the album and look up an ancient town near by, that has been preserved through the centuries. Think it was called Perouge. Of course , that was a time before digital cameras and portable computers.Magificent area.For twenty years we covered most of France and found each area was distinctive and equally beautiful. Food is a French religion , almost as bad as the Italians.Strange that we seldom gained weight as we walked every where, including a late night stroll after Dining.It was a toss up between the food and the scenery. Sigh.

Comments are closed.