Monday 16 March 2009

Saturday at the big market

Versailles has several markets but none as well-known and trodden as the Marché Notre-Dame. The food part is housed in four buildings called "les halles du marché", open every day. On Saturdays however, allsorts of stalls are set up outside les halles and it becomes a huge, bustling place where you can buy just about anything, including these ceramics.
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Il y a plusieurs marchés à Versailles, mais aucun n'est aussi connu et fréquenté que le marché Notre-Dame, dont la partie alimentaire se trouve dans quatre bâtiments qui s'appellent "les halles du marché", ouverts tous les jours. Le samedi, des dizaines d'étals sont installés devant les halles et la place devient un lieu fourmillant où l'on trouve un peu de tout, y compris ces poteries.

27 comments:

Frankie / Nick said...

Oh My Goodness, we LOVE markets!! The only ones we have here are in the summer months but they are only Farmers Markets mainly consisting of produce and crafts. However we have been to huge markets as such in other cities and spend a very enjoyable day. You are so fortunate to have one as such.

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

I love ceramic ware and these are especially pretty. Nice snap :)

Barb said...

Wonderful photo and information on your market....Barb

Rob said...

Pretty ceramics, always fun to browse these markets.

B SQUARED said...

Part of the photo is in color and half in B & W. How did you do that? Tres cool.

Anonymous said...

It's geat having these kind of markets. They are becoming more important and common over here on the West Coast. I love seeing all of the fresh produce and unique homemade crafts.

Bob Crowe said...

I think that french bric-a-brac is more colorful than American. Even the dishes are more interesting. I remember years ago when some French friends took us to the factory store at Gien. The wares were almost too pretty to eat from. Perhaps we will find a market like this when my wife and I are in Paris next month. Or maybe we should just come out to Versailles.

Lowell said...

Great photo, CQ. You caught the ambiance perfectly. Is this considered a "flea" market? I guess I'll just have to come visit and experience it for myself.

It looks to be a grand experience!

Dave said...

If I was there I would have had to buy something.

Olivier said...

on pourrait se croire au marché de limoges, avec toutes cette porcelaine. Superbe ton marché

Catherine said...

Les marchés ! Le coeur palpitant d'une ville. A ne jamais manquer, juste pour s'immerger et s'imprégner.
Beau traitement de l'image.

alice said...

Ah, ça je m'en souviens! Et quand tu parles de nourriture, je crois n'avoir jamais vu autant de belles boutiques regorgeant de victuailles qu'à Versailles et à St Germain...

Antjas said...

When I enlarged the photo, the colors just exploded. The different shapes and sizes add to the organized chaos!
For some unexplained reason, my site has fallen out of the CDP portal and the issue doesn't seem to be getting resolved. As a result, my visits have slowed to a trickle. Yet, you keep coming! Thanks so much, I enjoy your comments.

Karen said...

I love markets like this but try to stay away from them. I am at the stage in life where I am trying to let go of collections and all of the things I've accumulated from markets like this. But they are so seductive with their variety of merchandise.
I am hoping to unclutter my house so I can do a house swap with someone in France or Europe for Les Vacantes..

EG CameraGirl said...

It looks like such a fun place to poke around. A treasure could be in there!

Juergen Kuehn said...

Very creatively work. you contrasted the colorful delftware against black & white. Great idea!

Cergie said...

Un de mes péchés mignons, la poterie, mais là il faut vraiment que je me soigne car je suis envahie. Tiens, j'ai même un broc que j'ai acheté à... Quimper il y a...
Ouh ! Prescription.
Tiens, dans l'angle d'une de mes photo d'aujourd'hui, tu verras son petit frère.

Debbie Courson Smith said...

I would love to browse those goods.

Arnaud said...

Je connais bien les halles et le marché mais je n'avais jamais fait attention au fait qu'il y avait de la poterie ...

cieldequimper said...

@ Jacob: no, it isn't a flea market!
@BSquared: Picasa... ;-)
@Alice : Saint-Germain bat Versailles à plates coutures pour les boutiques!
@Cergie : c'est de la faïence de Quimper ? J'ai beau regarder, je ne vois pas :-(

Cezar and Léia said...

Beautiful details ! I love handicraft!
Léia

Anonymous said...

If I ever went there I'd have to leave my purse behind, otherwise I'd bankrupt myself!

Sterl the Pearl's Daily Pics of Boulder said...

would be fun to browse this market and others in your area. fun pic! thanks for all your comments on my site, I have been super busy lately and haven't been great at seeing everyone's work as of late. always like visiting your blog!

Clueless in Boston said...

Very pretty ceramic plates. I don't usually care about things like that, but these are quite colorful (some anyway:)

raf said...

What better than an open air market, especially if you happen to be a shutterbug like some of us around here. Love it!

Dottie Jo said...

Oh, I would LOVE this! However, when I do make it to France (not IF, but WHEN!), I couldn't go here - I would need 3 extra bags to bring home my stuff!

Becky said...

I love the colours in this shot. Beautiful!