Every three months the beautiful city of Bordeaux holds the 'Grand Déballage' which roughly translates as the 'Big Unpacking' (some things truly are lost in translation but you get the gist).
It's held in the Place Canteloup beside the stunning Basilique St. Michel and couldn't be a more charming setting to rummage for trucs.
However, the last time we visited the market it was really, really, really cold and the sun flatly refused to put it's chapeau on. So my first survival tip for conditions such as these is to take your shopping trolley (the brighter the better so it doesn't blend in with all the trucs on sale) along with your trusty notepad and pen, find a warm brasserie and order a large hot chocolate:-
Then mentally prepare yourself for the freezing conditions by smugly looking out of the window at the poor people shivering outside.
Now take a deep breath and get stuck in...
When you can no longer feel your toes it's time to duck into one of the large and treasure packed antique centres...
then finish the day on a high by finding somewhere timelessly elegant to enjoy a well earned coffee and a classic pâtisserie item of your choice (I can recommend a tarte citron for an energy boost).
I can hardly wait for the next one in the Spring!
Then mentally prepare yourself for the freezing conditions by smugly looking out of the window at the poor people shivering outside.
Now take a deep breath and get stuck in...
When you can no longer feel your toes it's time to duck into one of the large and treasure packed antique centres...
then finish the day on a high by finding somewhere timelessly elegant to enjoy a well earned coffee and a classic pâtisserie item of your choice (I can recommend a tarte citron for an energy boost).
I can hardly wait for the next one in the Spring!
