Christmas tree in front of the town hall in the main square.

Every Friday is market day in Carpentras and this was Pauline's parents and the boys' first market experience. Being the last market day befor Christmas, there was a greater Christmas feel than previous times. Our impression is that this part of France winds up slowly for Christmas or is it that we are used to living in big cities that begin preparations too early?

The markets are a great experience and a feast for the eyes, but we tend to be a little more discerning when making our purchases these days. The attraction of buying in markets is that the vegetable and fruit produce is supposedly fresh and wholesome, but in reality the quality and the ripeness is very hit and miss - from avocados that are black when cut open to clementines, which are sour. We still like to buy some items such as olives, nuts, fish, and breads, but for groceries we prefer to shop in supermarkets where the quality is consistent.