Whether you’re in this part of Northern France for Matisse or WW1 visits, or heading further south for champagne, make a foodie stop at St Quentin market
The term ‘off-the-tourist-trail’ screams authenticity and that’s exactly what you get here at St-Quentin, an official town of art and history in Northern France. And you could say St-Quentin market on Wednesdays and Saturdays is quite the fixture: it’s been here since the Middle Ages, its location is affectionately known as Place-du-Marché (even though it’s actually called Place-Gaspard-de-Coligny!) and to celebrate another week of trading and tradition, the incumbent bell-chimer plays a different melody on the majestic Hôtel-de-Ville’s bells every 15 minutes during the market.
In France it’s not all about the eating but the buying and preparation too, and – against St-Quentin market’s backdrop of art deco, flemish and gothic architecture ─ you can certainly tell from the mountains of raw ingredients that Picardy people like to prepare dishes from scratch. In addition to Monsieur le cheesemonger, the butcher, the fishmonger, the baker, the charcutier and so on, there’s every conceivable type of fresh Northern France fruit and vegetable here (local apples, pears, red fruits, strawberries, potatoes, chicory, carrots, huge cabbages…) and maybe some you won’t recognise too. Don’t be afraid to ask – locals are known throughout France for their warmth, openness and humour and will welcome a little franglais exchange!
To get right to the heart of St-Quentin food culture, hear the history of the market and meet the local stallholders, contact the tourist office regarding guided tours of the market in English.
Useful information
Tourist Board Information of Saint Quentin
3 Rue Emile Zola
F-02100 Saint-Quentin
Tel: + 33 3 23 67 05 00
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