Nice it's Saturday and this beautiful autumn morning is perfect for a little trip to Entre-deux-Mers, to the Cadillac market. 30 minutes by car from the outskirts of Bordeaux, it seems to be worth the detour. Emmanuelle, our reporter for the day, takes you.
Sneakers on my feet and well wrapped up, I get ready as if I were going on a hike. In my memories, Cadillac is neither the smallest nor the flattest of the bastides of Gironde.
The markets, I love because with them, it's always a surprise. You never know what to expect or what you'll find there. I don't know about you, but I'm more the type to leave without a list. At each market, it's a new adventure and my two favorite baskets.
9 a.m. – The market, set against the ramparts of the medieval bastide, is already teeming with people. The regulars are certainly early risers. It is also a good barometer of quality to see all these busy people in front of the stalls of local producers.
It smells like fresh bread. The further I go, the more other smells mingle that I guess: cheese, chicken turning on its spit, cured meats, spices and mushrooms. I let myself be guided. The more I progress in the aisles, the more I realize that this market is much bigger than I had imagined. It stretches from the bottom of the ramparts to the top of the square, near the Ducal castle of the Dukes of Epernon. I am far from seeing the end of it.
It is barely 10 a.m. and hunger is already attacking me. It must be said that with all these temptations, I can't take it anymore. Here is a good reason to stop near the great stone hall, just to regain my strength. After a short, well-deserved coffee and canelé break, I leave again in the hubbub of the congested and joyful alleys. I'm only halfway to the Place du Château and the ascent in this long uphill street turns out to be more complicated than it seems. Everything appeals to me: a nice piece of pumpkin for a delicious soup, unless I take chard…. to this showcase which reveals beautiful pieces of duck breast with, why not, a little chestnut honey from this beekeeper in Entre-deux-Mers; humm, chestnut honey, my favorite!
It's a cruel dilemma and every time, I get caught. Unable to stroll in explorer mode, with light arms, I gradually filled my shopping bags. I told you, only the list of my desires directs me. Now, it's the aromas of porcini mushrooms that tickle my nose. Neither one nor two, the beautiful brown hats come to garnish the bottom of the basket with a few sprigs of parsley. And here I guess, a smell of smoked salmon. Perfect for friends coming over for dinner.
After turning, turning, from the ramparts, to the place of the castle, I finally opted for a chicken, a duck breast, a dry sausage and a piece of smoked salmon from Gironde. I stocked up on vitamins, discovered a honey beekeeper and brought back, in addition to the rest, a nice piece of very fresh cabécou. This trip is an idea to redo and from what I could hear there would even be nights in summer with meals of local products at the foot of the ramparts. I'll be back !
Emmanuelle, Saturday morning reporter.
For more info: Cadillac Market - weekly saturday morning
Cadillac and Podensac Country Tourist Office
2 rue du Cros
33410 Cadillac
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