“Valentine” may only mean one day for most of the world but in the Dordogne, the fair of Saint Valentine continues to celebrate romance and indulgence for another week.

However, this weekend will mark the end of Saint Valentine’s season and on Saturday the 20th of February, gourmet food festivals and local celebrations will say goodbye to the public for another year.

One of the unique aspects of the Dordogne’s celebrations is that chefs, farmers and other producers of fine foods use the occasion to promote some of the region’s most regarded delicacies. Despite the unappealing name, the ‘fatty markets’ of the Dordogne are the home of some of the best fois gras and pate in the whole of France – and this weekend, the town of Chiviers will bring its market to a close.

This Saturday town organisers will give their market a fond farewell. As well as the opportunity to buy local produce and delicacies, there will also be performances from local folk group Saint Germain Des Pres, who will perform traditional Occitan farming songs and dances. In addition, local restaurateur and gourmet chef Jean-Francois Goillot will offer visitors the chance to sample some of his most popular recipes. According to SudOuest, these are intended as a romantic luxury and include liver with fried dumplings and chives, as well as apples and fois-gras macaroons with onion marmalade.

Members of the town committee will hand out samples to visitors around the centre of Chiviers, as well as samples of local fois gras and pate on toast.

Meanwhile other ’fatty markets’ in the Dordogne will continue to run each weekend until the 13th of March, the official date for the end of pate and fois gras season.