Montréal's Marché Jean-Talon, among North America's largest remaining farmers' markets, is one of my wife's favorite spots--the freshness of the produce, the pleasant 'twang' of the vendors' Québecois accents, the abundance of color, taste, and texture...

And since the market is in the "Petite Italie" neighborhood, after smiling and sampling your way through the offerings, you can refuel with a cappuccino in a nearby café, eavesdropping on local conversations...if you speak Italian. But first, brush up on a few French phrases. English is also spoken, but the local lingo is always appreciated.

(A brief language lesson on the berries above: strawberry--fraise; gooseberry--groseille; blackberry--mûre; raspberry--framboise; blueberry--bleuet.)

For more information:
http://www.marchespublics-mtl.com/English/Jean-Talon/Mission/

To get there by subway, both the Jean-Talon and De Castelnau métro stations are nearby.