Les Halles d'Avignon (Avignon Market Halls), Avignon (must see)

Located on Place Pie, Avignon Market Halls is the city's main covered food market and a popular meeting place for locals. Inside, you'll find around fifty traders selling everything from fresh bread, cheese, fruits, and vegetables to poultry, seafood, pastries, flowers, and regional specialties. Renowned authors like Peter Mayle and Jean Viard have celebrated this market, solidifying its reputation as a culinary hotspot. Indeed, it's a good place to discover the flavors of Provence, whether you're shopping for ingredients or simply looking for something to eat.

Spare a moment to look at the building's northern façade. One of its most recognizable features is a 600-square-meter living green wall, designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc. Covered with hundreds of plants, this vertical garden brings a surprising touch of greenery to the otherwise modern market building.

The market's history goes back to the 16th century, when this area was first designated for commercial use. The original covered market was completed in 1624 and included shops, a guardhouse, and even a chapel. Over the following centuries, the site underwent several transformations. An iron market hall appeared in 1864, followed by a major reconstruction in the late 19th century. The new halls opened in 1899, with further renovations and modernization taking place throughout the 20th century.

Today, apart from being a place to buy groceries, it is also a lively gathering spot where locals come to shop, chat, and enjoy good food. One tradition worth knowing about takes place every Saturday at 11 a.m., when local chefs give cooking demonstrations using fresh ingredients purchased right here at the market. Visitors can watch the preparation, learn a few culinary techniques, and usually sample the finished dish.

If you're visiting Avignon in the morning, it's well worth stepping inside, browsing the stalls, and getting a taste of everyday Provençal life.