I wish this was a post on the marche de l'aveyron

But you know, that would be too easy.
I just realized that the Fete d'Auvergne was actually last weekend, not this weekend. This is one amazing market, so amazing it is only once a year! The auvergnats invade Bercy for the weekend, selling traditional products and hosting cultural events and activities. I discovered this on accident a few years ago when a friend and I happened to stumble upon the blocks after blocks of everything auvergnat. My favorite stand was the aligot stand (mmmm...aligot...mmm). Well, you can be sure I won't miss it next year! And in the meantime I'll just have to make it out to la maison de l'aubrac (if it's still around) to satisfy my aligot craving.

Les petits bateaux

This is one of the stands that rents out toy boats in the Jardin de Luxembourg. If you pass by on a Wednesday, you're likely to see the young French children, accompanied by their nounous, pushing around these old-fashioned wooden sailboats in the large pond in the park. And you might even be lucky enough to witness elementary-school style drama: there's always "that" kid, with a remote-control boat, terrorizing the rest (and the ducks, too!).

In my mind, these toy boats have an iconic role in French childhood; of course, I also make the association with one of my favorite brands, Petit Bateau, maker of oh-so-soft cotton goods for babies, children, and adult alike.

And just to up the melancholy on this gray day, how about the Raphael song "les petits bateaux"?