The most beautiful markets in Béarn

It's no longer a secret, Béarn is renowned for its landscapes, but also for its gastronomy. Between Orthez and Artouste via Pau, numerous markets are organized all year round to reveal Béarnaise specialties. Jurançon, garbure or sheep's cheese, it's time to get up to go to the market, most often set up between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. before lunch. Take your basket, we'll take you to discover the most beautiful markets in Béarn.

Opening photo: Adobestosk / Simonforstock

Photo of the article: Guide Béarn Pyrénées

1- The Salies-de-Béarn market

You can't go wrong, it's one of the most beautiful markets in the department, winner of the competition in 2021. Always as lively and busy, it takes over the Place du Bayaa on Thursdays and Saturdays with stands of fruit, vegetables, cheese and other specialties. Come and stock up on local products all year round on colorful and fragrant stalls that attract with their quality and freshness. Salie-de-Béarn is the starting point for this gourmet stopover near Orthez, in the north of Béarn.

2- The Sauveterre-de-Béarn market

We continue our epic journey to Sauveterre-de-Béarn, where the market takes place on Place Royale every Saturday morning. Artisans and producers from the region highlight regional products, favoring a short circuit and local specialties. Cheeses, wines, cold meats, all the delicacies of the region are offered on this market renowned for its conviviality between producers and consumers. Don't hesitate to stay for lunch, catering is available on site.

3- The Navarrenx market

The Navarrenx market is almost an antique. Created in 1180, it has lost none of its charm and still attracts many tourists who come to visit one of the most beautiful villages in France. The time of large meetings with the pig market, the cattle, horse and poultry fair is no longer relevant, but has given way to a pretty little market where mushrooms, local wines, cold meats, cheeses and vegetables are in the spotlight every Wednesday morning.

4- The Billère market

We get closer to Pau and enter the wooden halls of the Billère market, a meeting of local and organic producers who meet at Place George Clémenceau on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Meats, poultry, cheeses, breads, fruits and vegetables are pampered all year round by around thirty traders who love their region. Friendliness, entertainment, quality of products and freshness of ingredients, the Billère market is perfect for discovering the specialties of Béarn.

5- The Nay market

South of Pau, it is the Nay market which attracts the taste buds to a 700-year-old market. Under the arcades of the market hall or on the square, the Pyrenees are available on the stalls on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a wide range of food products. Butchers, charcutiers, greengrocers, cheesemakers or market gardeners , come and meet exceptional producers who will help you discover their region from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Take the opportunity to escape to the Pays de Nay where nature, history and heritage mix for a getaway full of surprises.

The eyes shine with pleasure after having wandered between these different markets of Béarn, filled with tempting smells and gourmet flavors.

The markets of the heart of Béarn and Béarn de Gaves

The tour of the markets is far from over despite this top 5 of the most beautiful markets in Béarn. We suggest you continue this gastronomic trip with charming towns that offer pretty markets:

• Puyoo where local producers meet from May to September every Friday evening
• Monein and its traditional market on Monday morning, as well as Friday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with local farmers and producers
  
• Mourenx sets up its market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings for a sale of local products
  
• Artix is animated every Wednesday by its farmers' market
  
• Arthez-de-Béarn brings together around twenty exhibitors every Saturday on its market
• Orthez is a town of traditions where the market has been established since the 14th century. Tuesday is the largest gathering with food, clothing and flowers, while Saturday is dedicated to local specialties.

The markets of Pau and its surroundings

Pau is the town in the heart of Béarn, between countryside and mountains. The Pyrenees come to the markets with regional specialties in the surrounding villages depending on the day and the season:

• On Wednesday, go to Lescar, Garlin and Lons for a morning spent under the sign of conviviality and gastronomy with local traders
• On Thursdays, you should go to Lembeye and Morlanne to enjoy stalls well stocked with fresh, quality products
  
• On Saturday, go stock up on local products in Arzacq, Bordes, Iron, Lasseube, Serres-Castets or Montardon
  
• On Friday, stroll through the Jurançon market and end your excursion with a glass of local wine
  
• The rest of the week, the Pau market welcomes you on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, the Morlaas market is organized on Friday and Saturday morning, the Gan market is set up on Monday and Wednesday and the Sauvagnon market every Sunday morning

The markets of the Pyrenees valleys

We are getting closer to the Spanish border to continue our gourmet escape, where every day corresponds to a market:

• On Thursdays, Bedous and Bury come alive with local producers and artisans
  
• On Wednesday, Eaux-Bonnes, Louvie-Juzon and Ogeu-les-Bains brighten up the morning with a friendly and colorful market
  
• On Sundays, Etsaut and Aramitz set up a market for local products and specialties
  
• On Friday, the Oloron market is a tradition, the busiest market in Haut-Béarn with 70 traders gathered all year round
• Saturday in Laruns is market day for locals and tourists, who can find traders on Thursday at the night market in summer
  
• On Saturdays, you can buy your vegetables, meats and fish at the small Agnos market
  
• On Tuesday and Saturday, it is on the castle square and under the market halls that Mauléon sets up his market
  
  

The markets of Pays de Nay

South of Pau, the Pays de Nay still has some nice surprises in store with happy and attractive markets with its good smells and pretty colors

• The Soumoulou market is organized every 15 days, on Friday morning, where some local producers treat you to regional specialties
• The Arudy market is on Tuesday and Saturday, a gourmet program with a greengrocer, a cheese maker, a market gardener, a butcher, a bread seller and many other exhibitors
• The Pontacq market on Saturday morning offers local products , exhibited by local traders

Béarn specialties

It's nice to go to the markets, but what specialties should you favor? A rich and generous agricultural land, Béarn is renowned for its fine gastronomy and its delicious cooked dishes . We'll make your mouth water with some typical features :

• THE foie gras, a must in the region. Plain or flavored, it delights all palates
• Charcuterie with country ham or Bayonne ham , and andouille béarnaise, one of the oldest and most typical of Béarn
• The meat is from Blonde du Béarn cow, Blonde d’Aquitaine or PGI lamb from the Pyrenees

• Cheese, whether sheep's or goat's, is a Béarnaise specialty to be consumed without moderation.
  

• The wine, particularly with Jurançon, a sweet wine with a golden color which goes well with the dishes of the region.
• Pastries, where the Basque cake is a renowned signature to end a meal

Garbure, hen au pot or pigeon, we could talk to you for hours about the traditional recipes of Béarn.

What a journey! A tour of the markets and gastronomic specialties of Béarn is finished. You can now give free rein to your creativity to cook all the local products found in the most beautiful markets in Béarn.

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