The best markets on earth – season 1

Yvonne Defour, Bruno Boulianne and Marie-France Laval

Summary

This series explores the world of artisans, producers and unusual characters that live and work in some of the most fascinating markets around the globe. With our smart and curious host, we’re transported to foreign lands filled with smells, colors, people and stories and given the rare chance to immerse ourselves in them.

Each episode explores the diversity and unique culture of a different world market, revealing the vital role it plays in its home city and the beating heart of the people who have inhabited it for generations.

Technical sheet

Premiere: January 04, 2016

Length: 8 x 48 m.

Direction: Yvonne Defour, Bruno Boulianne and Marie-France Laval

Broadcast: TV5 Québec, Canada

Episodes

View the season 2 page

Recycling Market, Dakar, Senegal

Nothing goes to waste and everything is made in the mind-boggling chaos of the Colobane market in Dakar. Thousands of Senegalese negotiate and socialize every day around the 2000 stands overflowing with second-hand merchandise. Here, creativity and a do-it-yourself spirit reign.

Spiders Market, Skun, Cambodia

Feeling a little peckish? How about a big, crunchy spider? They’re the specialty at the insect market in Skuon, Cambodia. Hundreds of people come every day for fried spiders, crickets and silk worms. Why not wash them down with some spider wine?

Floatting Market, Cai Rang, Vietnam

Navigating the floating Cai Rang market in Vietnam is not all fun and games. Countless barges – carrying wholesalers, retailers and tourists – glide past each other in an endless dance, as fruits and vegetables are traded and occasional shouts are heard in lieu of honking horns.

Incense Market, Sallalah, Oman

Surrounded by majestic mountains and sitting on the shores of the Indian Ocean, the city of Salalah is the second largest in the Sultanate of Oman. For centuries, its Al-Haffa district has been famous for its incense souk. The market is a small one, but it still has some 150 shops. Many of them carry similar wares; it is their personality and expertise in blending fragrances that keep the vendors in business.

Fish Market, Busan, South Korea

Jagalchi market is heaven on earth for anyone who loves fish and seafood. Located near the docks in the city of Busan (South Korea’s largest port), this market’s commercial zone – which welcomes nearly 10,000 buyers a day – is two kilometres long.

Esoteric Market, Mexico City, Mexico

This Mexican market is an incredible labyrinth of colours and smells, especially on the eve of Dia de los muertos (day of the dead). Located in the heart of Mexico City’s historic old quarter, the Sonora market is a mystical place beloved by Mexicans with a penchant for white – and black – magic.

Falcons Market, Doha, Qatar

Founded more than 100 years ago in Doha, the capital of Qatar, the Waqif souk is the city’s most significant architectural heritage site. Its run-down infrastructure was thoroughly renovated in 2006, highlighting all the beauty of the old architecture.

Silk Market, Taskent, Uzbekistan

n the shadow of the great Oriental dome of the Tchorsou silk bazaar you can find silk, spices, dried fruits, nuts, cheese, bread, meat, vegetables, crafts… As our host, Julie, was delighted to discover, the market’s massive size is matched only by the warm hospitality of its 5,000 vendors.

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Credits

Direction: Bruno Boulianne, Yvonne Defour, Marie-France Laval / Scripts: Marie-France Laval, Jean Roy / Animator: Julie Laferrière / Producer: France Choquette, Jean Roy / Editing: Cyril Lacouture.

View the IMDb page

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