The first Marché de Noel for the year

For us, anyway!

Yesterday we went to Ferrière-Larçon for the Christmas market. Jean from "A Very Grand Pressigny" was there selling handmade jewellery, so we went along to give moral support. It was her first time selling at a French market and she confessed to trepidation about the language thing - unnecessarily, as she appeared to be doing fine when we saw her.

Jean and her friend Jackie nursing vin chaud
(to keep the fingers warm, of course)

There was a good selection of artisanal food - cheeses, honey, saucisson and the like - as well as well crafted hand knitting, soft toys, napiery and bags, old linen and embroidery, wood turning and ceramics and various more dubiously handmade and kitchy gift things. We thought the best was Laurent Lissy's Créations Verres (glass creations). He's going to be at le Grand Pressigny on the 23rd, so look out for him there. Susan liked what was on offer on one of the mohair knitting stalls too (Gaec du Soleil, based at La Chapelle Blanche). Most stall holders were clearly small individual makers selling a limited quantity of items ranging from the affordable to the somewhat more luxury.

The market was in a series of tents around the church, as well as in the entry of the church.

The market had about 50 stalls and was well attended - to the point of being a bit of a crush in the main tent. Although it must have been cold manning a stall, especially if you were actually in the church, like Jean, the weather was warmer than the day before, which would have encouraged the crowds.