Guest Market: The Beautiful Saint Antoine Farmers Market of Lyon

Lyon Saint Antoine Farmers Market Under the Trees

Lyon’s Saint Antoine Farmers Market Under the Trees

When James and I visit Paris, we rarely venture outside the city. We love our Parisian strolls and haunts. We can occasionally be persuaded to take a day trip or two (Epernay for the champagne, Chantilly for the cream and the chateau, etc.). However, several years ago, the pull of Lyonnais cuisine got the better of us. And so we hopped on a train to the Rhône-Alps region of France.

We met up with a wonderful food blogger, Lucy Vanel of Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook, who is an American living in Lyon. She also runs a teaching kitchen, Plum Lyon, which looks absolutely inspiring. Lucy took us to some amazing places, including the chocolatier Bernachon, where we had a gorgeous chocolate croissant and later nibbled on a perfect, shiny bar of chocolate flecked with gold. She used her magic to get us a table at Magali & Martin, where we enjoyed one of the most memorable meals we’ve ever had.

And she told us about the Saint Antoine Farmers Market.

This market is open every day except Monday, and farmers set up their market tables along the banks of the Saône River. The farmers are all business, and shoppers seem to know exactly what they want. The majority of the produce, meats and breads are local, and some vendors sell fruits and more from North Africa.

We never longed for a kitchen more than when we strolled through this market, if only for the black chanterelles, known as Trumpets of Death in France (trompettes de la mort). And oh, the fig tarts we would have made!

One of my favorite discoveries in Lyon is Tarte aux Pralines, or as I call it, Candy Pie (with apologies to the Lyonais). Actually anything “aux pralines,” which is a sweet, pink candy substance, is fine with me. Pies, brioches, croissants — all rosey and crunchy, all delicious.

These images will give you an idea of the overall beauty of this riverside market beneath giant London Plane Trees in the heart of Lyon. In a city known for its fantastic cuisine within a country that prides itself on its food above almost everything else, the colorful, robust and appropriately serious farmers markets as wonderful as you would expect.

~Karen Seiger, Markets of New York City