For this first blog article, I chose to take you to a small town that is teeming with eco-responsible initiatives. Giving a second life to clothes, furniture and even a monument is a specialty of Pleumartin.
I put on my super ambassador outfit and off we go. You follow me ?
12:30 p.m.: At see and eat
A restaurant-flea market, this is an unusual concept to say the least! When I push the door Deli: L’Atelier des Saveurs, I immediately let myself be seduced by the atmosphere that reigns in the main room. To the left, the magnificent zinc bar makes you irresistibly want to climb on a stool to drink a coffee while chatting with Christophe, the talkative and friendly waiter.
To the right, the mismatched tables are set and all uniquely decorated. Clocks, paintings, copper pans and even musical instruments compete for every square centimeter from wall to ceiling. Because here, everything is for sale!
Opposite, through the porthole of the swing door, I see the chef working alone in the kitchen. Zouheir Bouchane, initially a teacher in Morocco, came to France to satisfy his passion for cooking. Or rather the cuisines: Moroccan of course, but also Italian, French... In 2018 Alexandre Roux, manager of the L'Atelier flea market in Chauvigny, suggested that they combine their two passions by resurrecting this ex-PMU. To the delight of gourmets and bargain hunters…
That day on the menu, it was chicken tagine. The flavors of spices and candied lemon tantalize the taste buds. Cooking poultry like potatoes is perfect. All this makes me really want to come back and taste the other specialties of the house: couscous, almond pastilla, praline millefeuille, chocolate ginger macaron... After lunch, I take advantage of a beautiful ray of sunshine to visit the large terrace and all its treasures. A true paradise to satisfy both my taste for retro and my desire to fight against overproduction…
New for 2020: opening this summer of a flea market gîte for 6 people in the old hotel at the back of the courtyard.
14h : The hall in all its forms
I have an appointment with Jacques Perochon on the town hall square. Indeed, I am curious to know the incredible history of the remarkable building which sits in the center of the town.
The former councilor tells me that these halls, 27 meters long and 13 wide, were built in 1650 by the Marquis de Pleumartin.
Originally, they were already located on the square, but were positioned slightly further south, perpendicular to the current location. The grain and oxen that were sold there made the town famous.
At the end of the 19th century, the municipality bought the building in poor condition, then sold it to a farmer who dismantled it and transformed it into a barn in the place called Ribatou in Leigné-les-Bois.
A hundred years later, the new owner of the farm no longer had any use for it and suggested to my interlocutor, mayor of Pleumartin at the time, to sell halls against a symbolic euro. Attached to its history and heritage, the city decides to rehabilitate and reassemble them with financial assistance from public partners.
Since its inauguration in November 2004, the monument has once again become a place of life, regularly hosting events, a Sunday market, and housing picnic tables ideal in rainy or heatwave weather.
Indeed, I observe a group of passing visitors happily having lunch under the superb oak frame. What adventures for these old stones when you think about it!
15:30 p.m.: Second-hand clothes are chic
A year ago, Laura Decaillon fell in love with the location of this boutique next to the imposing town hall. A caregiver for 13 years, the thirty-year-old told me that she aspired to develop a friendly and ecological professional project.
It will ultimately be a thrift store offering clothing for women, men and children, second-hand of course, but always rarely worn. Some bags, shoes and jewelry as well.
À La P'tite Friperie, no mountain of dusty clothes, nor price per kilo. Skirts, jackets, shirts wait coquettishly on their hangers.
Chatting with Laura in her mini-tea room, I understand that her credo can be summed up in three words: “accessible to all”. This is of course valid for the prices (€5 for tops, €8 for dresses or pants, up to €15 for a coat) but also for the sizes (from 36 to 54).
On the racks, I find beautiful colorful pieces, perfect for summer. Notice to fashion lovers, vintage or contemporary…
Finally, special mention for the delicatessen corner and its exclusively local products: delicacies from Serenity Biscuits, honey The Stinging Hive… But good !
You will have understood: in Pleumartin, it is possible to consume differently, in line with slow tourism which is close to my heart. I hope that this article has made you want to stop off in this charming village with such unique initiatives.
See you next week for new adventures…
Themes
