We set out early in the morning to go to the street market in Fontenay-le-Comte, intending to return to Bazoges soon afterwards to eat breakfast. We ended up staying out the whole day, driving to Niort and "Green Venice".
Fontenay-le-Comte
The market, where we bought garlic and other vegetables		He looks like a pole dancer, but was in reality setting up his stall.
The man who sold us apricots
Niort
Just down the road from Fontenay was the bustling city of Niort, whose market was far superior in our opinion. If we were seafood lovers, which we are not, we would have been spoiled for choice in the covered market. Instead, we made do with Chinese spring rolls, cheese, and the locally produced torteau de fromage.
The vast keep was built by English kings Henry IIand Richard I		Torteau de fromage, according to our guide book is a "zingy black-domed cheesecake made from goat's cheese...tasting rather better than it looks."
		Cheese!
		These artichokes were HUGE.
We thought the ad on the back of this paper was funny.		Renaissance musicans paraded through the market advertising something or other.
A fruit seller		Interesting colours and shapes. The small green things are baby gherkins.
The long dragon sculpture borders the main road		A bride and groom once featured on Nick's bingo card, but not this time.
These two men seem to be dressed identically...		Uncanny!
I bought the specialty of the region: angelica.		The poles signalled our next stop, Green Venice.
Coulon
Coulon is the capital of the "Green Venice" area		We picked blackberries for a pie later.
Enjoying beers by the canal		This man paddled by as we were drinking
The boat guides took a break during France's two-hour lunch time.
Guides or tourists?		Sunflowers in the town square
. There's a naked man blown inside this bottle!		A happy customer
Statues like these dotted the edge of the canal.		A row of swans
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