Off To Market

The French love buying chickens at local markets.

- Janine Marsh

Spring is when my neighbours head to the local markets to buy birds for the year ahead. Street markets are a way of life here in France and poultry stalls always have the biggest footprint.

My local market at Hesdin in the Seven Valleys has two poultry sellers – fierce rivals, their plots are opposite each other just outside the main square. The owners arrive at 6am each Thursday morning in very big lorries packed with crates of clucking chickens, quacking ducks, squeaking quail and squawking geese.