Marché Forville, Cannes

Local Products

 

This huge Provencal market is located at 6 rue du marché Forville, in Cannes. There, in a superb ochre building sheltered from the sun, the most beautiful products of the region are sold: herbs from the scrubland, vegetables and fruits of the season, olives, sunny condiments, fish from the Mediterranean waters, fresh cheese with figs, aniseed-flavored cookies and Cannes specialties of all kinds…

 

This giant market of 3000 m2 in the old center of Cannes occupies a whole block. It was built in 1929 in reinforced concrete replacing the old wooden market. Its massive aspect contrasts with the small adjacent streets and their town houses. But the facades and the four doors were decorated with regionalist decorations in order to facilitate its integration (pergolas, balconies, canopies, false dovecote).

 

Inside, the place is bustling with people: fishermen are hurrying to display their best fish, bar managers are chatting with tourists passing by, shopkeepers with their lilting accents are extolling the virtues of their products and offering tapenade-covered bread rolls as a preamble to the “Forville” experience.

 

Yes, the moment deserves to be experienced to appreciate the “soul” of this colorful Cannes place. The regulars are numerous and you can feel a real “local” life, far from the glitter of the “Croisette”.

 

The market was pedestrianised in 2012 and is a delight to wander round, whether you choose to taste the samples on offer, buy fresh produce or simply go for a stroll. With seasonal vegetables, fish (fresh off the boat) and handmade local delicacies, there’s plenty to choose from.A little further on, we enjoy a coffee – rosé – cheese board, in good company.A gourmet meeting with a southern accent!

 

 

Marché Forville can be extremely crowded in peak tourist season, so it’s best to get there early to beat the crowds. Rather than filling up on a big breakfast, you could choose to wander round the market tasting things as you go, eating lunch bought from its stalls or even taking ingredients away for a picnic or at the beach. Remember to take a bottle of water with you in summer, as the market can get very hot. Instead of the food market, on Mondays there is an all-day flea market.