France /Ile de Re
A Different "Good Humor" Man

The ice cream man isn't behind the wheel of this truck. Here it's the sardine man who rings the bell, as he drives through neighborhood streets. Take a turn off a main road anywhere on Noirmoutier. You may end up behind the sardine man, slowly moving along his route.

Watch. You'll see his regular customers come outside when they hear his bell. He stops the truck. Runs around to the other side & re-enters his store on wheels. He's a genial shopkeeper. Chatting as he weighs out an order of fresh fish, packed on ice in the display bins.

The sardine man has a following. But obviously not children. His customer is usually the lady of the house. She buys the daily catch from a fold-down counter at the back of the truck.

Tonight sardines will be grilled, marinated or fried. It's island food at its freshest. It's islandstyle shopping at its most fun!