Marché de Vannes, Place des Lices
Every Wednesday and Saturday morning, the medieval walled city of Vannes erupts into one of southern Brittany's finest food markets, filling the Place des Lices and spilling into surrounding lanes with the full, glorious spectrum of Breton produce. Buckwheat flour, salted butter caramels, live lobsters, andouille de Guémené and fat Breton strawberries pile up on stalls under canvas awnings while l
What to Buy and Eat
Head straight for the fishmongers at the covered hall end — langoustines landed the same morning at Lorient or Quiberon are sold in polystyrene trays at prices that would make a Parisian weep with envy. Pair them with a wedge of Breton salted butter and a baguette from the Moulin du Roy bakery stall.
The charcuterie vendors near the cathedral side sell andouille de Guémené, a concentric-ringed smoked sausage unique to Brittany; buy a thin-sliced portion to eat standing up. Several honey producers from the Morbihan interior offer tastings — the heather honey from the Landes de Lanvaux is intensely floral.
Beyond the Food
Vintage clothing dealers and antique sellers set up on the outer ring of the market, making it worth a wander even if your suitcase is already full. The backdrop of Vannes's 13th-century ramparts and the timber-framed houses of the Place Henri IV makes every photo look effortlessly cinematic.
After shopping, duck into La Tête en l'Air on Rue des Halles for a galette complète — buckwheat crêpe filled with ham, egg and Comté — before the lunchtime rush hits.
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