We went to Giat on the 15th April. It was when my sister - Katie, Simon, Rosie and Noah were staying and helping with the painting. Dad, Jacqueline and James were also here and of course those wonderful people that organised the whole day for us - Claudie, Eddy and their daughters - Sophie and Amandine.
Giat is no ordinary farmer's market - it is a market for farmers i.e. there is stuff on sale for the public but there is also lots of livestock that farmers come for (though there were a few animals that were trying to soften up some of our party for a new home with us!). Giat is only 20mins north of Savennes and is a pretty town with a huge central square - perfect for the market. It is quite famous in the region because it has a weekly market however there are 2 really big markets ever year for the selling of livestock so people come from towns all over the region - like we did! When this happens the whole place is totally crammed with stalls and there is loads to see. Here is just a small selection of what we saw that day:
These were the first animals we saw and Eddy was immediately captivated. He loves cows and dreams of keeping them on his farm in Savennes one day. I think he wanted to take them home today because we spent ages at this stall while Eddy chatted away with the owner, patted the cows and even helped move them down the line.
Most of the animals seemed to be very well looked after but it was all a bit chaotic from our English perspective with animals just out in the open and not penned-in in any way.
As you would expect the produce stalls were excellent and there was loads of Asparagus on sale.
Every imagineable type of Asparagus too. These ones were huge!
The children were of course drawn to the donkeys.
And the shetland ponies.
But it wasn't just the children who were interested in the ponies....
Emily and I spent a long time looking at this beauty discussing the pros and cons of taking him away with us today. Of course it would have been totally the wrong time but Em was in love by now and I wasn't making any sense...well not in her mind anyway. Luckily there were others there to help her see the light. She did get away with the owner's phone number though and so I think we will be paying him a visit in the not too distant future.
James eventually worked out that this wasn't a hand puppet!
Pigs are very lazy animals, not unlike Joe - I think they would get on very well together if I brought some home. However, I was reminded about the pony Em couldn't take home so I wasn't allowed either.
I don't know why I like them so much but one day we will have some. Between, Eddy, Em and I we'll have a proper farmyard in Savennes!
There is always some old lady spying on you from a high window!
Once you had seen everything living you then carried on through the market to see everything dead and roasting on a spit!
This stall was very impressive. At the end he is making Auvergne's most famous dish - Truffade.
And here they have done something with those poor little piggies' feet.We had a great day and I am really looking forward to coming again next year.
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