What-What: les Producteurs Fermiers

In America we have this big outcry for biological and organic products and yet here, just in the outlines of the city, lie hundreds of farms that sell locally created products.  If you are an American living in France or even just an American in general... watch the documentary:  Food, Inc.  I recently watched it on my French television and was absolutely disgusted by the amount of artificial perservatives Americans eat.  Worse, we have a major 'corn addiction' and genetically modified foods are a typical part of our diet.


It's for this reason I was ecstatic to discover a marché in Lyon called the "Producteurs Marché".  This marché is a direct from farm marché- this means there is no middleman.  Farmers from around the Rhone-Alpes comes to the center of Lyon to sell their own products.  Because of the cost incurred from the travel to Lyon, prices tend to be a bit more expensive in comparison to the normal market; but the quality is perfect.  Another huge difference is the respect one must have towards the market-people... because they are farmers it's important to understand that they know the product better than you.  Here's some information about etiquette at the marché:  Etiquette at the Marché.


Now these farmers head to Place Carnot every Wednesday between 4:00pm and 7:30pm.  I like the farmer's market but I can't afford to go every week.. however to purchase some of my basics (butter, eggs) it's definitely do-able and I am rewarded with a wonderful tasting product.. and a pretty damn good omelette!

If you feel the need to go on a little adventure one day.. I'd recommend heading out to a co-op marché outside of the city, it's a landing base for all the local farmers that can't make it to Place Carnot.  A bus goes directly to the area and surrounding the marché are plenty of parks and forests.  Take a little basket, shop for your lunch at the co-op and then find a nice spot in the woods to have a post-marché picnic lunch.  

A crusty baguette, bottle of wine, fresh charcuteries, some fruit and a nice fresh pressed cheese and butter will make it unforgettable; plus it will be more like ancient France and less 'prepackaged super markets'.

Information:
La Ferme Lyonnaise (big co-op outside of Lyon)
26 b avenue Edouard Millaud
69290 CRAPONNE


Weekly Farmer's Market in Lyon:  Wednesdays between 4:00pm to 7:30pm on Place Carnot near Perrache.


Link to Farmers of Lyon