The village of La Tour d'Aigues anchors a lovely and vibrant valley that runs along the southern edge of the Luberon. Far less well-known than the northern slopes of Luberon made famous by Pater Mayle, the Val d'Aigues is home to wonderful villages like La Tour d'Aigues. The Tuesday morning market surrounds the entrance to their famous Chateau. It has long been an active market for locals in the region, but in recent years the number of vendors has increased, the variety of offerings has grown, parking has been made easier to find and use, all making the market at La Tour d'Aigues an attractive venue for shopping!
It is in this market that I learned how to find the vendor whose produce is produced locally and has been harvested within hours of the market. After a tour of the vegetable vendors, my neighbor, a local native, stopped me in front of a particular vendor. She pointed out the age and habits of the customers.
Nearly all were senior citizens, if you will; all carefully checking each item; and choosing only things in season. They knew one another and they knew the vendor, spoke of family and cooking strategies as they shopped.
At the other stalls, the vendors did most of the talking, encouraging customers to purchase certain products and hurrying from one customer to the next. Valuable lessons! One last secret to tell about La Tour d'Aigues--the best bakery for miles around is just 1/2 block from the Chateau, on the main road with a yellow awning.
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