Lectoure, France

After being housebound for weeks, working on the DIY project list, we decided to take in an Antique and Flea Market being held in the nearby community of Lectoure. I was all fired up to bring home some furnishings, vases and a huge gold framed mirror to hang over the fireplace in the salon. I, unfortunately, went home empty-handed.

Very few of the booths, had prices marked on anything, and my inability to speak the language meant I was in no position to ask, let alone negotiate. And let's be honest, that whole bargaining process can be wildly intimidating--no matter the country. The few things I did see that had price tags, were way out of my budget. Because, here's the thing: it may be valued appropriately (how would I know), but its only worth (to me) what I'm willing to pay. So, since this market was all antiques and no fleas, I went home with all my euros. I think I'm more likely to find affordable options in the many thrift/secondhand stores that abound. Also, there is an abundance of vide-grenier or “empty your attic" sales that are held in the center of towns. I look forward to sifting through the cast-offs in search of bargains that I can repurpose for the house.

There is good news from the day, though. The town of Lectoure proved to be incredibly lovely. It's a small town, population 3000-4000, but it's home to a popular thermal spa and a casino, and I suspect that generates a fair amount of visitors and income for the town, so they had thriving restaurants and shops. The town sits on a hill, which impacts my mobility, but makes for some impressive views.

Saturday is Market Day in Moissac, and the vendors set up in the square about a block from our house, so we walked over this morning to check it out. The very first booth was selling rotissere chicken hot off the roasting rack, as well as seafood paella cooking in a giant steel pan. It smelled amazing, but I thought the prices were high. Plus, I wanted a chicken that I could boil myself, in order to make chicken stock to use this winter for homemade soups. So instead, I bought some locally grown carrots, celery and onion from one of the stands, and then headed to the boucherie stand to purchase a chicken. The chickens were lined up tightly in the butcher's display cooler, so I could pick the size I wanted. But, when he pulled the chicken from the line up, I could see that they sell the chicken with its head still attached (tucked up underneath so I didn't initially see it). I could hardly turn it away now, else I look the fool, right? So I bought the poultry, head and all, and took it home to see what else might have been left inside its cavity. Luckily, I found only the heart, liver and gizzard. So into the stock pot went my puchases from the market. My cousins in Nebraska were raised on farms and they are probably laughing out loud right now at my sheepishness, but I'm feeling pretty capable after this first attempt at french markets (many more to come, I'm sure). And, I now have gallons of chicken stock for the cooler weather to come.