The Most popular Flea Markets in France 


 

If you get a thrill every time you hear the words bargain, rummage or collectable, it is time to hit the flea market for a well-deserved treasure hunt! This is the place you will get fresh produce, apparel, beauty products, handicrafts, or other seasonal products at reasonable prices.   

Flea markets first got their start in the 19th century Parisian slums where vendors would sell their goods, and the scene was not as pleasant as it is today. You can imagine the lack of hygiene in those days made these markets not only pungent but held out the welcome mat for fleas, hence the origin of the name flea markets.  

Thankfully, today’s flea markets are well managed and maintained, making them a must-see destination when visiting France, and generally any given country. Flea markets also provide a great solution for sustainable shopping.

Flea markets are very popular in France, as each region in has its own flea markets that are held on a regular basis, either weekly or monthly. In this article, as we discuss the most popular flea markets in France, we will try to incorporate a market in the different regions in France.

1. Les Puces flea market, Paris

A vintage travel gear seller at Marché Dauphine, Saint-Ouen – Wikipedia

The Paris Flea Market of Saint-Ouen, formal known as Le Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen at Clignancourt, is the largest of its kind in the world and is brimming with vintage and antique treasures. 

The market covers seven hectares, making it the largest antique market in the world. It has over 3,000 vendor boutiques, stalls, and showrooms packed along a maze of lanes and alleys plus cafés, bars, and sidewalk vendors.  

Les Puces is where you’ll find genuine, bizarre objects and vintage furniture, Asian art and formal French antiques, futuristic space artifacts and vintage clothing. This market receives between 120,000 to 180,000 visitors each weekend as each visitor is guaranteed to find the treasure of their dreams: something spectacular, unique, and wonderful.

Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Paris’ largest flea market.

Practical Information 
book this tour with us: PARIS FLEA MARKET GUIDED TOUR-SMALL GROUP
Location: 99 All. des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, France 
Open:  
Every Saturday from 9:00am – 6:00pm 
Every Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm 
Every Monday from 11:00am to 17:00pm (please note that many stalls close around lunchtime) 

2. Cours Saleya market, Nice

Flower Market at Cours Saleya

Flower Market at Cours Saleya – Wikipedia

Nice’s colorful, sun-drenched Cours Saleya is at the heart of the Old Town and is filled with around 200 flea market vendors selling their goods. 

Cours Saleya hosts four different markets. The most famous is the Marché aux Fleurs, or Flower Market, held Tuesday through Sunday. This market is actually a combination of the flower market and the fruit and vegetable market but the name, Marché aux Fleurs is commonly applied to the combination. 

The other three are the Fruit and Vegetable Market, Marché aux fruits et legumes, the Nice Antique Market, Marché à la brocante, and the Artisanal Night Market, Marché artisanal nocturne.  

Cours Saleya is a high-quality market that offers fresh flowers, silver, vintage clothing, posters, nautical and travel items, ceramics (with some emphasis on regional items from Monaco and Vallauris), paintings, toys, rustic wooden items, jewelry, etc. 

Practical information  
Location: Cr Saleya, 06300 Nice, France 
Open  
Flower Market – Marché aux fleurs – Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 6.00am – 5.30pm.  Wednesday and Saturday 6.30am -6.30pm.  Sunday 6.30am – 1.30pm.  Closed Mondays. 
Fruit and Vegetable Market – Marché aux fruits et legumes – every day except Monday from 6.00am – 1.30pm 
Antiques/Flea Market – Marché à la brocante – 7.00am -6.00pm – every Monday 
Evening Market – Marché artisanal nocturne – 6.00pm – 12.30am – June through September 

3. Foire à la Brocante des Quinconces, Bordeaux 

Paintings, gold and silver ware on a wooden table

Paintings, gold and silver ware on a wooden table – Unsplash

Foire à la Brocante des Quinconces is the oldest flea market & antiques fair in Bordeaux & in the Aquitaine region. It is also THE appointment of all “bargain hunters” who live in the region. 

The market is held twice a year, in Spring and Autumn. The market gathers more than 200 exhibitors showcasing a considerable range of furniture and objects, from past centuries to more recent times. 

Foire à la Brocante des Quinconces welcomes gathers over 180 000 flea market enthusiasts, seasoned collectors or just curious passersby from around the region, who try to find the gem or just want to enjoy from a day out with their family. 

Quinconces Flea Market has it all from junk, antique, furniture and books to jewelery, china, silverware, crystal glass works, and a wide selection of classic and unusual collectable.  

Top 10 things to do in Bordeaux.

Practical Information 
Location: Place des Quinconces 33000 Bordeaux 
Open 
Fall sale 
November 23 and 24, 2022  
Opening to the public:   
November 25, 2022 

4. Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Avignon

High-angle shot of a stall in a flea market full of bits and pieces

High-angle shot of a stall in a flea market full of bits and pieces – Unsplash

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is among one of the best-known flea markets in Southern France known to sell a variety of items ranging from antique pottery, ceramics, crystal, and glassware, to wine and barrel-making tools, small and large pieces of furniture, silvers, toys, kitchenware, and other collectables. 

This market is located just across the Rhone from Avignon and held every Saturday morning of the year, from 6:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. As many as 95 professional exhibitors gather along the walls of the Fort St André, to sell their goods.  

The regular flea market of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is enriched by two annual antique fairs: the Brocante Passion in May (duration: 2 days) and the antique dealers’ day on the second weekend of October. 

Villeneuve-lès-Avignon is located against the backdrop of a stunning 700 years old medieval city that is a must-see. It is known for its high-quality exhibited goods, its spirit of conviviality, and the relatively fair prices charged by its merchants. 

Top 10 Things to do in Avignon.

Practical Information 
Location: Place Charles David, 30400 Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, France 
Open:  
Every Saturday of the year (including holidays), from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

5. The Grande Brocante de Chambord, Loire Valley 

Mixed stuff at the flea market

Mixed stuff at the flea market – Unsplash

The Grande Brocante de Chambord is a yearly flea market that takes place on the first week in May and the second Sunday in October from 8 am to 6 pm. It may not be as big as the other flea markets, but you never know what you might stumble into when you go bargain hunting. 

Over 50,000 visitors and nearly 500 exhibitors from all over France and from various European countries attend this huge brocante, which spread over more than five kilometers along the National 113. 

It enjoys an absolutely unique backdrop: the Château de Chambord and its stunning gardens. The Château de Chambord is one of the most recognizable castles in the world and offers a unique and majestic environment for all flea market lovers who visit.  

The Grande Brocante de Chambord is a paradise for bargain hunters and antiques lovers offering antique furniture, heirloom-quality oil paintings, gramophones, kitchenware, antique tools, vintage clothing, phonographs, antique cameras and other knick-knacks. 

Practical information  
Location: Chambord, France, 41250 
Open:  
The first week in May and the second Sunday in October from 8 am to 6 pm. 

6. La Grande Braderie de Lille, Lille

Various books displayed on a road pavement

Various books displayed on a road pavement – Unsplash

The Lille Braderie is one of the largest gatherings in France and the largest flea market in Europe that takes place on the weekend of the first Sunday of September.

This event dates back to the 12th century, and today it attracts nearly three million visitors each year. The braderie has a 100km of aisles for 10,000 exhibitors and goes on for 33 hours non-stop. 

La Grande Braderie de Lille is the place to find that hidden gem, and harvest nice vintage & retro items in large quantities. The Jean-Baptiste Lebas Boulevard, along with the boulevard Louis XIV and the rues Debierre and du Réduit, is the exclusive reserve of professional antiques-sellers. 

Practical Information  
Location: Along the boulevards Louis XIV and the Boulevard de la Liberté 
Opening:  
The first weekend of September. 

7. Les Puces de Canal, Lyon 

Various items on display at a flea market

Various items on display at a flea market – Unsplash

Lyon Flea Market is a weekly flea market that takes place in rue du Canal, Villeurbanne. It is considered to be the second-largest weekly flea market in all of France and the first market in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.  

Founded in the last century, this flea market is part of a strong legacy of fairs and commercial spaces. It hosts over 400 vendors who sell an array of items and attracts hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each week. 

The main focus of this flea market is selling items that are considered to be retro or even vinyl and vintage as you can find anything from old paintings, books, and jewelry, to vintage clothing, shoes, and decor. 

If you’re touring France and are a sucker for antiques, check out the best antique markets in Paris.

Practical Information 
Location: 5 Rue Eugène Pottier, 69100 Villeurbanne, France 
Opening:  
Thursday and Saturday between 7 am and 1 pm. On Sunday between 7 am and 3 pm 

8. Brocante De Durtal, Western France

Clothes and bags displayed next to a building

Clothes and bags displayed next to a building – Unsplash

Brocante De Durtal also known as the Rendez-Vous International de la Curiosité et de la Brocante de Durtal is considered a true cave of Ali Baba by flea market enthusiasts. It is one of the last outdoor antique fairs of this scale and quality in western France, and one of the few remaining in the country. 

This market is spread out along the walls of the castle and gathers around 450 flea market exhibitors and 20,000 bargain hunters from as far as Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, the UK, the US, and even Japan. 

The Durtal flea market fair is famous for the freshness, abundance, and quality of its merchandise. Stepping into the fair you will find old coins and books, silverware, vintage clothes, crockery, jewelry, porcelain, ceramics, paintings, and even furniture. 

Practical information:  
Location: Place des Terrasses 49430 DURTAL 
Opening: 
Every last Sunday in September 

Going out for some treasure hunting in the flea markets of any city in France is a thrill in itself, and one of the many fun things to do on tour! Paris happens to be one of the most visited, and for good reason. Check out these walking tours in Paris and book with us for more adventure as we explore the city’s gems, flea markets and shopping included!

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