Phnom Penh & Photo Gallery: The 2024 French Market draws big crowds
- Christophe Gargiulo
- Dec 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Last Saturday, the French Embassy played host to the third edition of the Marché Français, which, as in previous years, featured a wide variety of stalls, a number of sporting events, games, some new initiatives to discover and - of course - the famous walk in the Parc la Résidence.
Her Excellency Mrs Cham Nimul, Cambodian Minister of Commerce, H.E. Jacques Pellet, French Ambassador to Cambodia and Cyril Girot, President of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cambodia, had the privilege of cutting the ribbon for this event, which is set to become a classic not only within the French-speaking community, but also among Cambodians, who are discovering French know-how and the Embassy's splendid gardens in ever greater numbers every year.
Among the ‘successful stands’ were, of course, those offering food and drink. These included Khéma Go, whose grilled meats - as in 2023 - were a huge success, not to mention the desserts and pastries, which sold like hotcakes. Among the very French or local brands created by French people, Eric Kayser and a few others, regulars and newcomers, stood out. All these restaurateurs and drinks vendors were well attended throughout the day.
As in previous editions, sport was also one of the main attractions, thanks to the participation and efforts of Décathlon Cambodge, which offered archery, table tennis, badminton, football and billiards, all of which delighted the youngest visitors, not to mention the many sporting goods on offer at discount prices especially for this event.
Beauty and Health were also on show, with a large Ucare area, the Bodia stand, the pharmacie de la Gare, Sâmata, Bioderma and Daily Marché International, all of which were well attended, offering health check-ups and massages to the public. All at unbeatable prices.
One of the favourites among the artisans present was Doon Collective, a clothing brand created by Frenchwoman Jade Vilain to give women in Siem Reap access to well-paid jobs in good conditions, allowing them to work as many hours as they want, wherever they are.
In addition to its commitment to sustainability and its fair trade programme, Doon offers made-to-measure clothing for both women and men, with some splendid models, and at prices that remain quite reasonable for made-to-measure and a very high quality of design and material.
Another great initiative is the organic jam brand ‘L'irrésistible’, a concept created by the association KAMPUCHEA SËLA HANDICAP, which cares for Cambodians with intellectual disabilities. Through this initiative, some of the most vulnerable adults have been offered suitable jobs in the jam-making workshop. Each beneficiary takes part in the production and packaging of jams and syrups according to their abilities. These adapted jobs enable them to earn a symbolic salary, part of which is deposited in their bank account, the other part being given as pocket money each week.
In addition to the noble cause, the range of jams and syrups on offer is extensive, and some of them, such as the mango jam, are real delights, as shown by the hotels and restaurants that are already customers of this jam producer.
Frenchwomen Lola Javier and Amélie Jarno were also in the spotlight, this time with their photographs, paintings and fashion creations, ‘Colette’ for Lola and ‘Amé Kunty’ for Amélie.
Two inspired artists. Lola - who is also known for her photographic work - explains that the Colette clothing collection was created as a tribute to her grandmother, while Amélie finds her inspiration in her travels and the magical ‘beauty in motion’ of Cambodia, the colours, art, culture and artists of the 30 countries she has visited. Her art is colourful and vibrant, sometimes reminiscent of Australian Aboriginal motifs, and is intended ‘to be infectious and thought-provoking. Each piece carries its own message, but all her works reflect the joy found in everyday life’.
Last but not least, the public was able to (re)discover the delights associated with Kampot pepper, with the presence of two leading growers - two of them French - as well as the beautiful vanilla beans of Mondolkiri and the cashew nuts of Kampong Tom, to name but a few.
Finally, the walk through the gardens of the embassy remains as popular as ever, with many young people taking selfies to preserve their memories of this green space, which is one of the most beautiful in the capital. Covering an area of 4.7 hectares, this protected area of Phnom Penh is home to exceptional biodiversity: 200 trees of more than 50 different species and a large number of animal species, including around thirty species of birds, monkeys, muntjacs and many insects.
At around 3pm, there were around 7,000 visitors, compared with 5,500 in 2022 and 13,000 in 2023.
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