Cassis Market (Place du Marché)

Cassis is a small harbour town on the coast of Provence, east of Marseille, tucked below the high cliffs of Cap Canaille and at the edge of the Calanques. Its centre is made up of narrow lanes of pastel houses between the port and the church, and the weekly market is the best way to see its everyday life. It is held in the old centre around the Place du Marché, where an eighteenth-century fountain stands, and the stalls spread out through the nearby streets.

The main market takes place on Wednesday and Friday mornings, and on Saturday there is a smaller farmers' market, the Marché Paysan, where growers from the surrounding hills sell what they have harvested. The stalls are practical and varied. Fruit and vegetables follow the seasons, with Provençal tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and melons in summer, grapes in autumn and citrus fruit in winter. Others sell cheese, olives, bread, honey and herbs, with bunches of thyme, rosemary and savory in bags and baskets. Fishmongers from the harbour offer the day's catch, and you will often see the rockfish that go into a bouillabaisse. There are also stalls with soaps, lavender sachets, linen and local crafts, which make good small presents.

The market also shows the agricultural background of Cassis. The town is known for its wines, and the vineyards on the terraces above the sea produce a well-known white wine from grapes such as Marsanne, Clairette and Ugni Blanc, and also rosé, and Cassis was one of the first wine areas in France to receive an appellation, in 1936. A local winegrower will often have a stall or sell from a nearby shop, and a bottle bought in the market goes well with seafood eaten on the quay. Cassis is also known for the quality of its fish, and its restaurants around the port serve fresh fish and the traditional fish stew.

The market is free to enter and browse, and the best time to visit is before eleven o'clock, when the choice is widest and the sun is not too hot. In summer the town fills with visitors, so the early start helps. Parking in the centre is difficult, so it is wise to leave the car at the edge of the town and walk in.

After the market, the port, with its fishing boats and cafés, is a short walk away, and the Musée de Cassis, in the old town, tells the story of the place. The beaches, such as the Plage de la Grande Mer beside the harbour, the lighthouse on the point and the boat trips to the calanques begin from here. The Cap Canaille, the highest sea cliff in France, rises just to the west, and the Grotte de la Baleine and the Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde are other sights. The market suits food lovers, families and visitors exploring the coast.