Foire aux plantes Maisons
Foire des Plantes Maisons is now entering it’s second year and third edition.
2022 saw the three plant growers in Maisons, Sam and Cecile et jardin du Naounes, Paul and Vero from the Perpiniere de Piques Rouge and us, Caroline and Pete launch a plant market and festival in out small remote village.
With the help of the Mayor of Maisons, Florie Blanc, with Cecile Cordon and Kevin Jeanroy from the Maisons council, and Mau from the village we put together a small group of local producers, a bar and a menu.
Loic from Davejean, a professional chef, made sure that the food was edible and on time. Caroline’s friend Deri drove up from Narbonne to handle the sound and music. Jamie from La Mandra Brasserie in Soulatga and Olivier from the Domaine de Pierres Bleues in Villerouges Termenes provided the much appreciated beer and wine, and Jamie the glasses and all important the glass washer. Julia and her coffee truck promised to be nice and early so we could have the all essential caffeine fix.
The morning if the first Foire de Plantes it was, naturally, raining. We already had two last minute cancellations the night before from hesitant stand holders So it was with some trepidation we descended from Montrouch with a car full of plants and a Landrover full of food and materials
However behind the clouds the sun was poking her lovely head, a light wind chased off teh clouds and it rapidly turned into a sunny, if a spot cold morning. The stand holders arrived on time ish, and the village place quickly filled up, the music arrived and the home built sound system took shape. Deri, a friend of Caroline’s from Narbonne Organic market had volunteered to be our DJ, so Brazilian tunes soon flooded the market.
And then folks started to turn up, and them more, and in no time the place was full, the bar had a queue and the meal tickets had sold out. The bbq was lit and folks started their apperro with Spring Rolls and Nems from Natalie, followed by roast Toulouse sausage and salad and finished with Penny’s goat and sheep’s cheeses.
It was a superb first event for such a small village.
Foire aux plantes
November’s Tree and Plant festival was equally successful, with live music, trees from the High Valley of the Aude as well as down from Pique Rouge, sales were good, stand holders and clients happy, and the only rain arrived at the end of the afternoon, chasing everyone home happy.
So we come to the second year and the planning for Sunday the 30th April is well underway, the same formula, the same crew and hopefully the same success.
