Markets

Markets are always an opportunity to discover and take part in daily village life… and to find delicious seasonal produce.

Markets and fairs have always been a feature of life in our towns and villages. For example, would you believe that Saturday has been market day in Dax since 1356. Every Monday in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, livestock and lambs take over the streets at dawn for the weekly market on Place du Trinquet.

The most typical markets of Aquitaine are certainly the duck and goose markets selling the famous foie gras and other products from fattened birds.

Between mid-October and the end of March, they are held all over the region, from Montignac to Orthez, Monségur to Villeneuve-sur-Lot and Aire-sur-l’Adour to Périgueux. 

Among the specialities of Aquitaine, we should mention the truffle markets – the black diamonds of Perigord. They are held in the winter season in a large number of villages in the Dordogne.

Alongside these exceptional items, there are all the products of farms, market gardens and the nearby ocean bringing colour to market stalls, festivals and fairs over the course of the year.

Bazas beef has its special festival on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday, Pauillac lamb at the end of May, shad from the region’s rivers on the last weekend in June, Espelette chilli peppers in October and so on all year round!

To wash down these different delights, every corner of Aquitaine has its wines from its local vineyards. Or you can enjoy it all in some of our good restaurants and learn how to prepare it at cookery lessons…