Market Day and a 3 Hour Lunch

Sunday is the big all over town market day in L'Isle sur La Sorgue, and this was our last one, so we made the most of it. It's a big event for locals and brings in many people from the surrounding area, but all we had to do was walk downstairs. Fantastic to be where the action is!

We strolled around, bought a few things, then headed for the best place in town for a long Sunday lunch... Grand Cafe de la Sorgue...didn't expect it to last 3 hours, but there was no hurry and it was most enjoyable.

There are way too many images here, but I wanted to give you a feel for what it's like in this lovely town on a sunny Sunday, a paradise of color, sights, smells and sound!

 It all started early this morning when the merchants were setting up their stalls right below our window! My bird's eye view around 9am.

 The 2 highest windows straight in front are ours, as well as the window to the left of them in the terra cotta building. Great location!

 Within 10 minutes Joe had bought one of these veggie cutting devices 'as seen on the tele'. Good little gadget.

 Stalls set up in front of the church. 

 This little one was content to read in their van while his parents sold olives.

 Ah, more olives...

 Love seeing all the pampered dogs.

 We got a front row seat at the Grand Cafe de la Sorgue, also a little sunburn, but well worth it.

All of these photos are from my seat at our table... well positioned! Her father gave me an ok nod to take her photo, he had a camera, too. Some girls love to dress up!

 Fellow sit-and-watch-the-world-go-by people...there were a few of us :-)

 The stalls start being taken down around 1pm.

Coffee and a cigarette... Still many smokers in France.

Scene of the 3 hour lunch. It takes about 20 minutes to get the menu, another to see what you want to drink, then ordering, food comes quickly, but the plates stay for a long while. Then 'do you want dessert'... yes. Wait for her to come back to see what you want for dessert. Chocolate something delicious. No, thank you, no coffee. Ask for l'addition, nothing for 20 minutes. Forgets. Do you want l'addition? yes... another 20 minutes. Yep, easy to be there for 3 hours, there is no hurry to move you along, and that suited us just fine.