Market day in medieval Mirepoix

Finally, at long last, we went to a market! I chose Mirepoix as the market is held in the medieval centre and around the cathedral, and having visited briefly on one of our Moho trips a few years back, I knew it was very pretty and photo worthy.

Mirepoix is about 25 minutes drive from us, in the neighbouring department of Ariège. The market square, Les Couverts, is one of the finest surviving arcaded market squares. It is less easy to see the arcades when the market is in place as the umbrellas over the stalls hides them a bit, but you can just about see under the buildings in some of my photos. The beautiful half timbered houses showing all their different colours date from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The construction of the cathedral, St Maurice, dates from 1298 and continued over the next six centuries, then was restored in the 19thC.

I was very pleased to discover that masks must be worn at a market, despite being outdoors, because of the proximity of people. At last I found my plastic tablecloth-on-a-roll for my terrace table! Not to mention yet another handbag, well at 20 euros how could I resist. 😀 French markets are great for cheap handbags! I did note the absence of any fish/seafood stalls, something I found a bit odd after the Breton markets which always had plenty. Maybe we need to go closer to the coast? We weren't near the coast in Brittany though. Who knows? Finally I bought some tasty and spicy olives from a stall that you will see a photo of later. The sun shone, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. (I also took note, having gone to the supermarket after the market, that fruit was much cheaper at the market, something I am not used to as the Breton markets around where we used to live were always much more expensive than the supermarkets!)

I have included a photo of an ancient postcard showing the 19thC covered market, known in French as La Halle or Les Halles, so you can see what it looks like properly. Originally the agricultural markets were held in the space under four medieval houses, which were built up on stilts to make a covered area for the grains.

I'm not going to write any more as this post has many photos, so just sit back, scroll through, and enjoy!

Copyright: the Mairie de Mirepoix
Link about the history of La Halle, in French

I hope you have enjoyed this tour around a southern French market!
All photos taken with my phone.