Pamiers Market and Camon - May 4, 2024

 May 4, 2024 Saturday

Our breakfast croissants and daily bread come from Mirepoix each day, a trip that Dave and Dale make for our benefit. Dale took a couple of photos to show us their daily experience. 

our Mirepoix bakery

Boulangerie Patisserie François Bauzil

As it's Saturday, it's market day in Pamiers 

walking from the car to the market

3 houses each one door wide

and we've always got a grocery list of fresh produce needed. We always need cheese, sausage, olives, and fruit for aperos. Besides, Janis and Clark haven't been to a market yet. Unfortunately, we didn't set up a meeting place before setting out in 2 cars, and of course we got separated in the narrow streets of Pamiers. 

the knife sharpener had a lot of customers

It took a bit of phone help to get us back together again, especially as the main square of town was empty of stalls this week - nothing going on, no sign of a market. But of course, the market is behind the church and not visible from the main square. 

Dave and I also stopped at the Post Office to mail postcards to the grandchildren. Not sure how long it will take for them to arrive. Hopefully, the kids will let us know when they come.

the Post Office (La Poste) in Pamiers

Home for lunch. Dale's picture is typical for us - sandwich, fruit, and mustard chips. Some days there are cookies as well. 

The afternoon agenda is a trip to Camon, a "plus beau village" just 20 minutes away. 

It is a beautiful village, set above a meander in the Hers river. Each house is growing roses outside their door (planted courtesy of the municipality), blooming profusely in spite of the cold May weather. 

Unfortunately, the former abbey and church are now privately owned and run as a bed and breakfast, so visiting this historic feature of the village isn't possible. According to legend, Charlemagne had this abbey built in 778 as he returned from Spain. Of course, a flood in the 13th century and pillaging by roving bands of bandits in the 15th century required restoration in the 15th century. 

However, we could wander the streets

Clark

Dave & Lynn

Janis

and meander along the outside of the fortified wall that protected the abbey in the middle ages.

Lynn with Clark & Janis in background

Dave

Dave & Lynn walking along village walls

At the parking lot, we ran into an English couple on their way to their garden plot. I asked them about these garbage collection points. She explained that one bag of trash per week is allowed per household, extra bags cost an additional fee. It is all controlled by an electronic input on the top right of the garbage receptacle. You put in your code and the door to the receptacle opens. She also told us that they have the same problems as we have - people, especially old people leave bags of trash or recycling outside these collection points. France is heavily into recycling and reduction of waste. All glass has been recycled for many years - most grocery stores have a container much like those in the photo but green with circular holes just larger than a wine bottle. There is often similar containers for plastic recycling. Food waste is composted and special containers collect paper. 

community trash and recycling containers

On our way home, we stopped in Mirepoix for ice cream, our first since arriving, hard to believe.

Janis, Clark, Dale, Lynn