Wednesday 14th August

The night market in Eymet is a real event.  Held every Tuesday in July and August they are real tourist traps; but the French love them too.  The French of course come mainly for the food; mussels, chicken, barbequed duck, pizza, melon, desserts and crepes.  But it is full of stalls selling jewelry, clothes, toys, gifts, pashminas, and my partner selling soap.  Last night I helped her.

Firstly there was loading the car and getting as close to the town square as possible; several roads are closed and market traders van’s are parked two deep.  Then waiting for the emplacier (the woman who runs the tourist office – et une petite tyrante) to give you your pitch.  Setting up the tables, umbrella, lights and soap takes about an hour; hardest task is finding electricity, there are power points around the square, but all the traders are fighting for a socket; we have a very long lead, and no-one in France seems to think of health and safety as there are cables and overloaded sockets everywhere.

Business starts about 6.30, and surprisingly it was about eighty percent French.  Lots of sniffers of soap, and every now and then a buyer – it is steady business until about 11.30, when the whole business of unpacking and trailing stuff back to the car takes place.  We have grabbed food and drinks as the evening wore on, but you don’t really want to eat that much, especially in front of potential customers.

Home about 12.30, although the bars are still busy until much later, it is a real social occasion.  All the night markets are different, this one in Eymet is full of traders, the one in Sigoules is all about the food.

Can you imagine the English ever allowing or encouraging such a thing?  But the English out here love it, but then I do think the English who are living in France are all a bit mad anyway.