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The colourful stalls at Swiss markets

Warm weather draws people out of their homes and down to the squares of their towns and villages for the weekly market, a place where flowers, fruit, vegetables and much more are on offer.

Whether it’s organic fruit or traditional produce, rare species, flowers and seedlings, fish or various breads, there is a vast and colourful array. Unlike the supermarkets, the farmers don’t just offer a few varieties of apples, but a big selection with names hardly anyone knows. Here you see that an apple is not just an apple.

Weekly markets of seasonal produce have a long tradition in Switzerland, as elsewhere. In cities like Lucerne, Bern, Zurich and in Carouge near Geneva, life would be unimaginable without them. Markets are also often a common photo subject for tourists.

At the weekly market, it’s about more than just picking up some groceries – these are sociable places where people meet up, say hello, stop for a chat. Here, you can both see and be seen.

(Photos: Anne Gabriel-Jürgens/13PhotoExternal link, Text: Gaby Ochsenbein/swissinfo.ch)

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR