France is known as the world leader in cuisine and has contributed some of the most renowned wines globally to the international market.
Not to mention that Champaign comes from Champaign, France, and that it may only be labeled as Champaign if it was produced in Champaign.
But this is not all that France is known for.
In fact, some of the best flea markets are in France.
Here you may find anything from antique books, paintings, and furniture, to something more contemporary, like a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Contents
- 10 Best Flea Markets in France
- 1. Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt (Paris St-Ouen flea market)
- 2. La Grande Braderie de Lille
- 3. Brocante De Maroilles
- 4. La Réderie D’Amiens
- 5. Foire Aux Puces De Crèvecœur-Le-Grand
- 6. Brocante De Durtal
- 7. Château De Chambord Flea Market
- 8. Nantes Flea Market: Brocante Place Viarme
- 9. Lyon Flea Market
- 10. Grande Foire À La Brocante De Pézenas
- The 10 Best Flea Markets in France – Summary Table
- France Safety Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions
10 Best Flea Markets in France
1. Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt (Paris St-Ouen flea market)
Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt is located in Paris, France.
This is an absolute sprawling flea market that is year-round and operates over the weekend and on a Monday.
The operating times over the weekend are 10 am to 6 pm and on a Monday from 11 am to 5 pm.
This is quite possibly one of the biggest flea markets in all of France with a staggering 2,500 vendors selling a plethora of rare, beautiful, and wonderful items.
In fact, this is the biggest flea market in the world.
Keep in mind that France has a very rich history and, as such, you may just find a few weird and wonderful items at this flea market.
Items start at around two euros and can go up to anywhere between one thousand euros and two thousand euros.
This flea market is actually comprised of several smaller markets that each sell and focus on their specialty.
There are 15 markets, to be exact.
You will find anything from vintage clothing, old records, antiques, books, and old artifacts, to jewelry, shoes, and everything in between.
2. La Grande Braderie de Lille
La Grande Braderie de Lille is located in Northern France.
The flea market takes place in a city called Lille, just about an hour outside of Paris.
It is one of the most anticipated yearly events in this city.
The market is hosted each year in September and dates back to medieval times, attracting upwards of two million visitors each year.
There are an astonishing 10,000 exhibitors, that stretch over an even more astonishing 62 miles, at this flea market.
Saturday, the first day of the market, usually has the best items up for sale.
If you are looking for a bargain and hoping to find some rare treasure, then Saturday morning would be the best time to arrive.
The market usually operates the first weekend in September.
You can expect to find quite a few international vendors at this market as they flock to the country during this time of the year to sell their antiques and even collect a few for themselves.
3. Brocante De Maroilles
Brocante De Maroilles is possibly one of the most important events in Northern Paris.
The town in which the annual flea market is held, Maroilles, is only an hour away from the Belgian border and nearly twenty miles away from the city of Lille.
This small village is mainly known for its eponymous smelly cheese.
The world-renowned Brocante de Maroilles is hosted in this small village every year in June, boasting over 600 stalls and vendors, while also attracting nearly 80,000 visitors each year.
Here you will find more than just antiques.
You may find old books, trinkets, homeware, cookware, vintage toys, crockery, and so much more.
Bargain hunters come from the far corners of Europe, each year, in search of treasure at this flea market.
This is considered to be more of a high-end flea market with only antique dealers and second-hand dealers being permitted to sell here.
The market is held on the third Sunday of June every year.
4. La Réderie D’Amiens
La Réderie D’Amiens is held two times per year, on the third Sunday in April as well as the first Sunday in October.
This market hosts nearly 500 vendors and over 2,000 casual traders.
Vendors and traders travel from all over France to come to the third-largest annual flea market in France to sell their wares and goods.
The flea market attracts about 100,000 visitors each year who come to the market in hopes of finding a treasure or bargaining amongst the plethora of items being sold.
The market is hosted across 51 streets in the city center and promises to be a spectacular show.
This market is massive and there is a plethora of great things that bargain hunters can find in this market.
From old antiques to vintage clothing, old records, books, and art, as well as homewares and goods, and much, much more.
5. Foire Aux Puces De Crèvecœur-Le-Grand
Foire Aux Puces De Crèvecœur-Le-Grand is another one of the biggest flea markets in the northern region of France.
This is another yearly market that attracts a multitude of people from, not only northern France but all over the country.
The market day is hosted on Ascension Day and boasts over 2,200 vendors and stalls while also attracting nearly 40,000 visitors from France and Europe.
There is so much to love about this open-air fair, from the history to the variety, and everything in between.
But, what really stands out about this fair is that over 70% of the vendors that come to sell their antique items at the fair are also actual, professional antique dealers.
The stalls and vendors are spread out over eight miles and visitors who come here in search of a bargain are sure to find exactly what they are looking for.
Most of the antique items on sale reflect the rich history of France and those who ruled this country in years gone by.
One thing you will notice from the moment you first set foot on the ground, is the quality of the antique items being sold on the market.
This market priced itself on attracting some high-end investors and buyers from all over Europe, due to the quality of the antique products being sold here.
6. Brocante De Durtal
Brocante De Durtal is hosted in western France.
The market is spread out along the walls of the castle and attracts upwards of 20,000 visitors each year.
The market hosts around 450 vendors who have made this flea market well known in the region, the country, and Europe at large, through the quality and freshness of its wares, products, and abundance of merchandise.
What makes this fair so special is that it is considered to be one of the last of its kind in content and size to be hosted in western France.
For this reason, the fair attracts a lot of international visitors who come in search of treasure.
Stepping into the fair is like stepping back in time.
You will find old coins and books, silverware, vintage clothes, crockery, jewelry, porcelain, ceramics, paintings, and even furniture at this fair.
You can attend this fair at the Durtal city center on the second full weekend of September from 5 am to 7 pm.
7. Château De Chambord Flea Market
Château De Chambord Flea Market is located in Château Chambord and takes place once a year, every year on the 1st of May.
If you are in the mood for flea market shopping with a view, then this is the flea market for you.
The Château Chambord offers a view that is both scenic and majestic.
If you love antiques, then you should certainly visit the streets of this city during May as you may find hidden treasures at one of the vendors during your search.
You will find this flea market spread out over nearly five kilometers of alleys and side streets in this small village with nearly 500 vendors and stalls and well over 50,000 visitors each year.
The primary focus of this flea market is the sale of antiques.
But, you will also find an array of other treasures here too.
For example, if you love reading, you may be able to pick up a golden oldie at this flea market.
You may find antique furniture here or even an heirloom painting.
There have been many rave reviews online about this market and it is well worth the visit.
If you live in France or plan to visit the country during the time of the flea market, you may want to pop in to see what bargains there are for you.
Keep in mind, that although this is a somewhat smaller type of flea market, it is, nonetheless, a very busy market.
So be prepared.
8. Nantes Flea Market: Brocante Place Viarme
Nantes Flea Market: Brocante Place Viarme is a weekly market that takes place in Viarme, in Nantes, every Saturday, from 8 am to 1 pm.
If you are looking for something more frequent than an annual flea market, this may be the market for you.
If you are in the area, why not pop in and see what is on offer and if you could possibly negotiate a better price on that beautiful antique item that has caught your eye.
The market features over 120 stalls that come to set up shop every week selling beautiful and rare pieces.
The flea market is beautifully situated on Brittany’s rugged coast, offering pristine views.
This market features products such as local Quimper ceramics, rare coins, antiques, old books, vintage items, and even porcelain items.
The weekly fair attracts nearly 160 antique dealers who come in hopes of enticing hungry bargain hunters.
This market features one of the widest selections of items up for purchase.
A true treasure trove of great finds indeed.
9. Lyon Flea Market
Lyon Flea Market is a weekly flea market that takes place in Rue du Canal, Villeurbanne.
The operating hours are Thursday from 7 am to 3 pm, Saturday, from 9 am to noon, and Sunday from 7 am to 3 pm.
This city has one of the most appealing flea market scenes in all of France.
This is considered to be the second-largest weekly flea market in all of France.
The flea market hosts over 400 vendors who sell an array of items and attract hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each week.
Here you will find anything from old paintings, books, and jewelry, to vintage clothing, shoes, and decor.
The main focus of this flea market is selling items that are considered to be retro or even vinyl and vintage.
If you are a bargain hunter, then you may find this a great place to go in search of that lost treasure.
Again, France has such a rich history and you never know what you might find of value at one of these flea markets.
10. Grande Foire À La Brocante De Pézenas
Grande Foire À La Brocante De Pézenas 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.
Every year, the flea market attracts over 150 vendors who stretch over a two-mile distance along the National 113 to come and sell their merchandise.
Here you will find a great selection of antiques, jewelry, dishes, linen, furniture, old coins, vintage clothing, cookware, homeware, paintings, and just about everything in between.
This may not be as big as the other flea markets, but it is no less grand in terms of what it has to offer those who come to visit it.
You are bound to find something special if you keep digging.
As previously mentioned, France has a rich history and you never know what you might stumble into when you go bargain hunting.
The 10 Best Flea Markets in France – Summary Table
Flea Markets | Address |
---|---|
1. Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt | 53 Rue Jules Vallès, 93400 Saint-Ouen, France |
2. La Grande Braderie de Lille | 2 bis Rue Frédéric Mottez, 59800 Lille, France |
3. Brocante De Maroilles | Centre Village 59550 Maroilles |
4. La Réderie D’Amiens | |
5. Foire Aux Puces De Crèvecœur-Le-Grand | 60360 Crèvecœur-le-grand, France |
6. Brocante De Durtal | Place des Terrasses, 49430 Durtal, France |
7. Château De Chambord Flea Market | |
8. Nantes Flea Market: Brocante Place Viarme | Pl. Viarme, 44000 Nantes, France |
9. Lyon Flea Market | Rue du Canal, Villeurbanne. |
10. Grande Foire À La Brocante De Pézenas |
France Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: France Safety Review
Safety Index:- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: HIGH
- SCAMS RISK: HIGH
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a warranty on items purchased at a flea market?
No. Always check before you pay.
What is the best time to visit a flea market?
Right before closing is the best time.
You will get all the best prices.
Are there rules for flea markets?
Many flea markets will have their own rules.
Check their website for specific rules and regulations.