Myer

We're thinking of going to l'Isle sur la Sorgue on a Sunday in mid-July.

We won't get there until about 1:30 in the afternoon. The food market being over is not an issue. However, what will be going on market or anything-wise the rest of the afternoon.

Thanks.

StuDudley

Roads in & out will be crowded with cars. Vendors will be packing up. Streets will be swept or hosed down. People will be at lunch. Most of the permanent antique vendors will still be open in the afternoon. Don't know if they close for the normal 2-3 hr lunch, however. Non-antique shops in town might be closed. Those that will be open will probably open after lunch - around 2:30 or 3:00.

Stu Dudley

Myer

I was under the impression that except for food the rest of the market is on until late in the afternoon.
I guess not.

Myer

Are we better going there on Saturday?

mjs

We went about two years ago and our experience concurs with Stu. No market on Saturday.

StuDudley

>>I was under the impression that except for food the rest of the market is on until late in the afternoon.<<

The antique marche aux puces opens up later than the other vendors in the morning - so it might close later than the other vendors. And as I stated above - the permanent antique vendors will be open in the afternoon. The market is a mixture of food, crafts, soaps, clothing, fabrics, and antiques. We usually "get out of Dodge" by 10:00 when it becomes shoulder to shoulder people. Only once did we stick around for lunch. We've "hung out" in about 10-12 other markets in France just to witness them "close down" - and all of these 10-12 markets completely closed around 2:00 (Uzes, Carpentras, Montpellier, Caussade, Bedoin, Gordes).

But things change!!!

Stu Dudley

Christina

Even if official market hours go later, no market I've ever been to in France is that great after noon. I wouldn't bother going for the market at 1:30. In fact, I think the official hours are only until 1 pm on the tourism website.

Marchés Provencaux de l'Isle sur la Sorgue | Office de Tourisme Intercommunal du Pays des Sorgues

this website says it stops at 2 pm
Marché de l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue dans les marchés provençaux de Provence-Guide.net

StCirq

It's really not that big of a deal, vastly over-hyped and expensive IME. Pick another town with a less hyped market and go enjoy the real thing at the right time. As noted, no market in France is much of anything after noon. If it's antiques you're after, go any non-market day, but expect to pay a king's ransom for anything in Ile-sur-la-Sorgue. Better to google for brocantes in less tourist-oriented spots. They are everywhere in summertime.

geetika

StCirq and Stu, which other market would you recommend in that region? I was also in two minds about the one at l'Ilsle sur la Sorgue, was told Carpentras or Uzes might be better. Your thoughts?

We're not really looking to buy anything specific except for some local produce, if at all. Thanks~

StCirq

I'm very fond of the Uzès market. Also the one in Maussane.

StuDudley

Bedoin on Monday
St Remy on Wed
Carpentras on Friday
Apt on Saturday.

There are others - but these are our favorites.

Gores is Tuesday - but it can become overly crowded too and it is not as big as the others.

Uzes on Sat & Wed (I believe it's Wed) is nice - and so is the town with the arcaded square where the market is mainly held. But on market day - the market "hides" this lovely square - and your attention will be focused on the market and not the architecture of Uzes.

However - I think the Sunday market in l'Isle sur la Sorgue would be the best for first timers. Get there early - around 8AM to watch the vendors set up, and then go have a cafe creme & croissants at the cafe next to the church & tourist office. Then hit the market at 9. Do the marche aux puces/traveling-flea-market last. If you are into serious antiques - visit the permanent vendors on the "other side" of old town - across the heavily-trafficked street (not open on Mondays - as I recall). Get out of there about 10:30 when it gets too crowded. I think this market has the larges assortments of food, fabrics, pottery, soap, crafts, flea-market stuff, and antiques. And I like the way it runs through the village streets and round the water. Yes - it is quite touristy & crowded - but guess what - remember the old phrase "nobody goes there anymore because it is too crowded"? You can easily avoid the crowds by getting there very early.

But - you won't get there until aftger 1:30 - so don't go. You'll encounter the crowds & traffic - but not the market. Go to the one in Bedoin instead and after the market visit Mt Ventoux, lavender fields around Sault, Simione la Rotonde, Montbrun, tiny Brantes, or and the Cote du Rhone/Dentelles wine region on that day. You could visit medieval Vaison and also Roman Vaison on Monday - but many shops will be closed in the morning & some may open around 2:30,

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

I just realized that geetika asked the question about markets, but Myer is the OP & the one getting there after 1:30.

Stu Dudley

kerouac

Bedoin is indeed the first market that came to mind for me. But in any case, any market worthy of the name is normally finished by 14:00.

Myer

Ok. I might as well lose a few people right here.

We don't rent a car in Europe and don't expect to on this trip.

And now for those who are still here. We were in Provence 6 years ago. After spending a day in Aix we spent about 8 days in Avignon as a base. We were in Uzes after going to Pont du Gard and it happened to be market day. Other than the main square which was going thru "cleanup" we loved the town. I wish it wasn't market day.

We went to I'sle sur la Sorgue on market day. Personally, I could just as soon have been there on a day other than market day. While it's nice to see a town with people the town gets over-run.

We'll be in Aix for part of 4 days (get there around 2:30PM on day 1 and leave around 5PM on day 4. So part of 4 days. I figure we'll be in Aix the rest of day 1, day 4 until we leave for Marseille for our return home and left over parts of days 2 and 3.

I'm a little concerned that we may not find enough to do in Aix so I asked my wife where she'd like to go. She mentioned Isle sur la Sorgue. What I haven't asked her is if the market is the draw. I guess that's an important question.

In any event, getting there from Aix is not quite as simple as from Avignon.

kerouac

The covered Les Halles market in Avignon is already delightful, at least in terms of food.

Myer

We won't be in Avignon again.

geetika

Thanks StCirq, Stu and kerouac.

Like Myers we usually tend to skip the towns on market days, though with 10 days in the area we might do one market, mainly for my mum who loves to potter around the various stalls.

kerouac

If I were being truthful, I might admit that I get almost all of my local Provence products at the Auchan hypermarket at the Avignon-Nord shopping mall in Le Pontet. Not open on Sunday.

pavot

This is the only type of market my husband actually enjoys.

StuDudley

>>>If I were being truthful, I might admit that I get almost all of my local Provence products at the Auchan hypermarket at the Avignon-Nord shopping mall in Le Pontet. Not open on Sunday.<<<


>>This is the only type of market my husband actually enjoys.<<

We avoid the hyper marches. They are interesting and perhaps fun the first 10 times - but after that - too many people, too long lines, too much looking for goods in different & unusual places, traffic jams in the parking lot, etc. There is one outside of Toulouse that had 97 checkout stations. We like Carrefour Contact sized groceries.

Stu Dudley