Marché de Brive

The market of Brive-la-Gaillarde is the centre of the city's food life, and it is famous well beyond the Corrèze thanks to a song. In 1969 the singer Georges Brassens recorded Le Marché de Brive-la-Gaillarde, a tune about a market day and its colourful crowd, and the song made the name of the town known across France. The market is held in and around the Halle Georges Brassens, the covered hall in the centre of town that bears his name, and in the streets next to it, on several mornings a week, typically Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with the Saturday market the largest.

The produce comes from the countryside of the Corrèze and the nearby Périgord and Quercy, a part of France with some of the richest regional cooking in the country. Walnuts, from an area that has its own appellation, are sold fresh in autumn and in the form of oil and cakes, and chestnuts and mushrooms, among them cèpes, appear in season. Foie gras and duck products, such as confit and magret, are among the best-known specialities of the region, and charcuterie, goat cheese and cow's milk cheese, strawberries, plums and honey are also sold. Truffles appear in winter, for those who want to see this rare ingredient, though they are costly, and a stallholder can usually explain how to choose and use one.

The atmosphere is part of the pleasure. Farmers sell their own goods, and many regulars come each week, so the market is also a meeting place where people talk, taste and gossip. Visiting early, when the stalls are full and the light is good, gives the best experience, and many visitors buy picnic supplies or gifts to take home. If you want to eat on the spot, nearby cafés and restaurants serve regional dishes.

Brive has other attractions around the market. The old town, Vieux Brive, has narrow streets and Renaissance houses, and the Musée Labenche, in a sixteenth-century mansion, presents the archaeology and art of the region. In November the town hosts a large book fair, the Foire du Livre, which draws writers and readers.

The market suits food lovers, those travelling through the Corrèze and anyone with an interest in French culture and music. Allow an hour or two. Check the days and hours of the market with the tourist office, since they can change with the season.