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Noisy and bustling, this huge market draws thousands of people to L’Aigle every Tuesday. Hundreds of stalls, piled high with regional bounty from fruit and vegetables to cheeses and cider, are crammed into the town centre. Meanwhile, the livestock market (8:30–10:30 am), the third largest in France, provides raucous accompaniment; it’s not for the tender-hearted.

Learn about the history and production of linen at this captivating museum, then treat yourself to some new napkins or a tea towel from the tempting shop.

The art of beekeeping is explained at this lovely, isolated farm, whose shop sells wonderful honey and a huge variety of honey-based products.

Taste the liqueur, aged in casks in the palace basement, before visiting the shop, well stocked with Bénédictines and B&B (Bénédictine blended with brandy).

Famous for its roof decorations and finials (épis de faitage ), this pottery also produces faïence animals, many of them life-size, as well as hand-decorated table-ware.

Place St-Marc is the scene of a lively market on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with fruit, veg, bric-à-brac and second-hand book stalls. From 24 November, there’s a Christmas market in place de la Cathédrale. Stalls resembling chalets sell gastronomic specialities and arts and crafts. Among the events are concerts and pony rides.

Latest venture of the Auzou family, chocolatiers since 1961, this irresistible shop is a chocoholic’s paradise.

There’s a typical farmers’ market on Saturday mornings in the main square of this ancient and historic town. Here you can buy fresh produce from local farmers and fishermen among the stalls selling furniture, clothing and flowers.

Like Dives-sur-Mer, this inland town has a magnificent covered market hall. Dating from the 11th century, it was the largest medieval hall in Normandy. After it burned down in 1944, it was completely rebuilt in the style of the original, using hundreds of thousands of wooden pegs instead of screws and nails. Small local producers bring their goods to the Monday market, which spills out of the hall.