Adventures in the snow, Part 2

We headed into the courtyard of the château where several stalls were set up.  There really wasn't much of a crowd to reward the merchants for their perseverance.

We could smell the traditional hot spiced wine and one stall nearby was also offering soupe à la courge (squash soup).

Another featured traditional sausages and different cheeses.  There, we bought a mixed cheese blend for an evening meal of fondue.

We could hardly believe it but there was a raw bar featuring oysters and champagne - traditional Christmas fare - outside in the snow!  Somehow chilled champagne and oysters did not appeal to us at the moment, nor did a nearby wine-tasting stall.

After viewing the courtyeard, we visited the château outbuildings where exhibitors - more fortunate, in our opinion - were able to demonstrate their wares inside - in much warmer environments, such as here, in the former stable, where the old hayracks and water basins were decorated with crafts and ornaments that were for sale.

Upstairs, the former hayloft had been converted into a childrens' activity center for the duration of the market.  But as of our visit, none of the little ones had yet shown up.

A couple of iced over reindeer ornaments stood outside the entrance to the caves (former wine cellars),

which were now filled with stalls featuring more food items.

We were almost sorry that we had already eaten our lunch!  We were offered taste samples of everything and managed to muster up a small appetite for them.  The nice thing about being the only ones there is that the exhibitors, thankfully much less aggressive than those we had encountered at les Automnales in November, had leisure to chat with us and explain their products.

Fortunately, for HWMBO, most exhibitors also spoke English.  He was particularly interested in one Frenchman with a stand of flavored brands of honey, who explained that he moved his hives from region to region in France - from the Rhone Valley for acacias to the Drome for lavender.  The beekeeper admitted that yes, his bees were dying at an unprecedented - and mysterious - rate.

On that sad and ominous note, we took our leave of the main areas of the château to see what was happening elsewhere.