Summer eating in Provence

Think aioli, bouillabaisse, loup, pistou, gigot d'agneau, ratatouille, tapenade ... and you have Provençal food, known and prepared all over the world. But in Provence it all starts with the open-air food marchés found in every town and village ... these are the stars, the highlight of the food realm.

Here are a few tiny glimpses of the overwhelming variety of fresh, sun-grown and locally-made produce at the Wednesday marché in one of the loveliest of towns in this region - St Remy de Provence - spreading out from the central town square in front of the Mairie ...

It's a full sensory experience, a riot of colours and smells and textures ...

It's art, social event, entertainment and an education all of its own ...

Take it home and enjoy it en famille ...

... or go out and discover what local chefs do with their homegrown bounty ...

Clockwise from top left, a few places we ate fabulously well:  Brasserie les Variétés and Bistrot Découverte - 19 and 32 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 13210 St Rémy de Provence, Du Pain sur la Planche - Route de Cavaillon 84660 Coustellet/Maubec, Les Cuisines du Chateau - Au Pied du Chateau, 84220 Gordes.

Outdoor tables in Lourmarin, Goult, Bonnieux

The chalk blackboard - l'ardoise - is everywhere, because what the chef vous propose aujourd'hui may almost certainly be different demain, depending on what struck his or her fancy at the marché that day.

Bon appetit!