On Monday, our lovely and somewhat scary Prime Minister tightened the rules on lockdown, including open air markets - and I was devastated. What he said was that in principle, all open air markets should be banned, but that Prefets could change that decree at the local level. I believe that his reasoning was based on Paris and some of the other major cities, where there had been something of a scrum at the markets, and bizarrely it is easier to ban at national level and allow local exceptions than the other way round. This is the case with bonfires for example.
So on Wednesday I was able to go to my principle market and get all sorts of good things, including raw milk and butter, as the Prefet of the Sarthe allowed la Flèche market to go ahead, strictly regulated of course (see day 9). The Prefet of Maine et Loire was much less open to exceptions, and it was getting really rather nasty on social media. The mayor of Baugé en Anjou, Philippe Chalopin, contacted the Prefet, told him about the measures that had already been put in place for a producers market to ensure security and access to local produce, and told him about the potential revolution, and was accorded the right to run the market today! We found out yesterday.
The Saturday market is normally very vibrant, food only and vendors come in from around the department, but today it was restricted to local producers. Nonetheless we had dry goods (pasta for example that is made down the road) and flour, eggs, vegetables and fruit, goat's cheeses, a butcher - 9 stands in all providing an excellent local service. The stands were well spaced and those waiting were well disciplined and kept a good 2 to 3 metres between each other. I was also able to pick up my order of loose Earl Grey tea (without which life becomes very harsh indeed) from a shop on the high street.
Thank you Mr Chalopin for perservering with the Prefet!
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