with considerable interest from Europe. There are several markets
trading, notably the largest, "Grand Marché Azeke" which one of the
largest in Benin, an international market spanning over a block. The Grand
Marché Azeke has a large covered hall overlapping onto the streets with stalls,
with 500 and 1000 vendors. The market sells an enormous range of goods from
items of pottery including vases and bowls, to cotton textiles, cassettes and
CD's of local and international artists, local spices, fruits and wagasi (cow's
milk cheese) and even food and kitchen utensils. Another market, located
several blocks north, is called the "Marché Kobo Kobo", which lies
across the street from the French Cultural Centre. Marché Kobo Kobo is known
for its clothing retailing, primarily second hand goods and in one section of
it, sells livestock. The Marché Depot is located near Parakou Railway Station
around numerous hotels and sells mostly food but also calabashes and baskets.
There is also the smaller Marché Guema, located next to Guema Church on the
northern road to Malanville in the Albarika quarter of the city. The market was
founded by the Somba tribe of the Atacora, and takes place every Sunday at
10am. The market consists of a collection of grass huts, and specialises in
beef and pork and local millet beer known as choukachou or simply
"chouk"
