French market and a french abbey – our house swap continues

On holidays a highlight for me is always a visit to a local market.  This morning we visited the market in Soissons.

 The array of fresh fruit and vegetables, and they way they are displayed is wonderful. 
 

 
We purchased some fruit (strawberries, raspberries, nectarines and melon) and some vegetables (broccoli, leeks and yellow courgettes) – with some french, some pointing, and the stall holders usually handed us the printed receipt so we knew how much it would cost!

 I was tempted by these baskets, but did not succumb!

We then went for a wander in search of the St Jean Abbey, an amazing building – partly preserved/restored and mostly in ruins.  

This part was originally the front of the Abbey, and is now basically free standing.

This was the refectory
 

And of course a floor photo!
 

And underneath the cellars.
 

Not sure the kids appreciated the sense of history, and were glad when we returned to the centre of the town for lunch in a cafe.

A few more photos …..
 

This evening we are all enjoying the table tennis table on the patio at our french house swap home. Still cloudy and cool, but at least is is dry!

What has been the most historic or impressive building you have visited?

Hope your July is going well, whatever you are up to.

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5 Comments

  1. The abbey is gorgeous! The cellar pictures especially are stunning.

    Just one question…. How on earth did you resist those baskets? They are so cute!

  2. Ahhh – my dear JM – I get to world hop through you, and get all the best bits. I like the angles of the columns in the cellars – remind me very much of the underside of a bridge we saw one summer in Oregon believe it or not!

    I’ll be back to check on you v. v. soon – soon as I get all organized here! Missed you!

    Love,
    Barb

  3. Beautiful photos! And those tomatoes just look so shiny and amazing! What a fun trip!

  4. Ok well if not one but two of those baskets / carry bags would have been coming home with me
    How could you not? Those colors were amazing
    I love the abbey – it’s a photographers heaven
    How cool to have a market like that
    We don’t here and I wish we did
    Looking forward to today’s post

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