If there’s one thing I love about traveling, it’s finding a good local market. While I visited many of them in 2014 (from London to Lyon to Lucerne and beyond), Montreal’s Marché Jean-Talon will go down as one of the very best.
On a dreary, rainy afternoon, my mom and I set off for the market while my dad and sister napped. Located in Montreal’s Little Italy neighborhood, the market dates back to 1933 – but however old it may be, it’s incredibly vibrant today as well.
What I loved about the market was what a variety it had – there was an abundance of produce of course (and all of it so colorful!), but there were many other treasures as well. Some favorite discoveries included the abundance of maple syrup products (it is Canada, of course), the sheep-shaped soaps (say that three times fast), and the chocolate-covered blueberries (much more delicious than I would have expected).
We also enjoyed something so simple yet brilliant that I’m surprised I don’t see it more often at farmers markets back home (or maybe it is there and I’m just not paying close enough attention): corn on the cob. Served piping hot and coated with a very generous amount of butter, these were the perfect mid-market snack break. Judging by the constant line at the stand, I’d say we were not the only ones who thought so.
Marché Jean-Talon totally won me over, even in the rain. If you’re going to Montreal, I’d recommend placing it high on your must-visit list.
This almost makes me miss Montreal. They did have great markets!