May market.

I often go to market in a small town called Villeneuve de Marsan. It isn't a town that would be on a tourist itinerary just a typical French town. On a Wednesday, market day, it comes to life. There is still a small poultry (live) section and at certain times of year a foie gras market. In May the variety of plants on sale is astounding, vegetable plants, herb plants, annuals and perennials.
Due to the unseasonable weather this year, lots of rain and large variations in temperature I have lost most of my tomato plants which had been potted on for planting out this weekend. So, yesterday I set forth for Villeneuve to buy some replacements. When I got there it seemed that everyone else in the area was there for the same thing. The car park was crowded and the streets seemed to be full of elderly men driving elderly Renault 4s and equally elderly ladies treating the road as a pedestrian precinct! I did manage to negotiate these hazards and was lucky to find somewhere to park the car. Everywhere there were people carrying bags or boxes of plants. I managed to make my way through the crowds and join the queue at one of the vegetable stalls. The queuing was somewhat aggressive but I managed to hold my place. Patience is a virtue that I have learned since I came over here and whilst waiting my turn I looked around and watched the people.Where else but in France would someone say excuse me can I just get through to kiss my friend! The three people who were manning the stall were working at an amazing speed - no time to chat with so many people to serve. At the back of the stall were huge piles of boxes full of plants, mainly tomato plants - the French certainly love their tomatoes and even if they don't grow any other veg seem to find room for at least a couple of plants. Finally it was my turn to be served and I triumphantly bore away my plants. I was also tempted to buy a few annuals, I doubt if anyone could pass by such an amazing display of plants and not buy a few.