Unfortunately, I’ve never had the chance to visit Montpellier. Now I feel like I have to go, not because of the gorgeous beaches, but because of the amazing markets that Christine Cantera, editor of WhyGo France Travel Guide, describes in this guest post. Enjoy!
For many, visiting food markets can be as high on the list of things to do in France as seeing the Eiffel Tower. There is something about seeing the fresh produce, smelling the pungent cheeses and tasting the lovingly cured meats that sends visitors into ecstasy. But for those of us who live in the city center of Montpellier, those markets are a necessity as supermarkets are scarce.
The best selection can be found at an Inno, which to get to from my house means battling the hoards not only of the entire length of the Place de la Comedie, the café-lined main square and one of Europe’s largest, but also the enormous shopping mall under which the store is located. Lest this sounds quirky or fun, imagine having to walk through Times Square on New Year’s Eve to pick up bread and milk.
Another option is the cramped grocery section stuck in the back of a Monoprix department store that sells little more than 40-centime beers and microwave quiches. And closer to my apartment is a Carrefour City, which features its store-brand line of packaged foods, an absurdly large candy section, and no butcher. It’s like a 12-year-old whose parents are away on holiday was in charge of its inventory.
That leaves the markets, that is, if we want to eat something other than cheeseburgers and Gummi Bears for dinner. Luckily, Montpellier is blessed with some fantastic markets.
The first is Halles Laissac, housed on the ground floor of a parking garage that looks like the Guggenheim Museum. This is my go-to market, not only because it’s the closest; this is the working man’s market, with rock-bottom prices and both the vendors and their customers are no-nonsense when it comes to choosing the best foods available. If they sense you may choose unwisely, the vendors will come around from behind the stalls and choose for you, with just a touch of French judgment. Nothing makes me feel more like a local than shopping at Halles Laissac.
Halles Castellane, at the top of rue de la Loge on the ground floor of a Virgin Megastore, is an orgy of gastronomy. This is where the artisans of the eastern Languedoc region come to sell their creations, from 18-month Comte to rhubarb confit to cured wild boar saucisson. It can be a bit pricey, but the vendors are proud to discuss all manner of French cuisine and I’ve gotten some great cooking tips and even full recipes from them.
If I’m up for just a bit of a stroll, off the back of the Peyroux and under the arches of the Roman aqueduct is les Arceaux market. This is where you’ll find crates of potatoes with much of the earth still clinging to their golden skins, and meat sold by the people who once called them by name in the farms outside the city. Dinner from items picked up at
les Arceaux is like eating in Technicolor. They also have local soap makers, bee keepers selling honey and other hyper-local artisans. And the setting couldn’t be more evocative.
If you’re thinking of coming to Montpellier, I’d advise starting each day at one of these markets – as early as possible, if you can. They are a true slice of local life, and chances are you’ll find the perfect picnic lunch fixings!
Christine Cantera is the editor of BootsnAll’s WhyGo France Travel Guide. She is a longtime expat who is still incapable of French fluency, but she’s getting there. Drop her a line @WhyGoFrance, she’ll be happy to answer all of your France vacation questions!
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