Now you can plan your shopping trips to France with this comprehensive guide to the markets in Nord-Pas de Calais.
You know how it is - you're driving through a charming French town and see they're just packing up the market stalls. If only you'd known in advance you'd have got there earlier.
Well now you can thanks to our comprehensive market guide. We give you the lowdown on over 50 markets in the Nord-Pas de Calais region, all within an easy drive of the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Terminal. Most markets start at about 8-9 am and end at lunchtime - and with Eurotunnel Le Shuttle's 35 minute crossing, you get a head start.
A French market really is a feast for the senses. Stalls laden with the freshest of vegetables: sun-ripened melons, giant red tomatoes, plump pink-tinged bulbs of garlic, shiny purple aubergines, piquant piles of black and green olives and all sorts of interesting salads. Farmers' wives selling a unique assortment of home-produced goodies - rich golden butter, home-made preserves, bunches of fresh herbs and baskets of goose eggs. There are stalls devoted to local cheeses - like Coeur d'Arras and Maroilles, plus pâtés and cold meats, tempting pastries, bread and tartes du pays, all perfect for a picnic.
It's a good idea to bring a cool bag with you to keep your purchases fresh for the journey home. Many of the markets have much more to offer, too, from kitchen utensils and French provincial cookware to clothes, shoes and even carpets. While often the streets leading off the market place develop into intriguing flea markets where you can hunt happily for some unusual bargains.
In summer, little villages on the coast, like Wissant, see their markets grow to 4 or 5 times their usual size when they offer all sorts of holiday extras like beach games and nautical clothing, not to mention the freshest fish plucked that morning from the nearby sea. And if you don't make it with the early birds - there's always the consolation that you'll scoop up some bargain fruit and vegetables as the market closes.
So Happy Shopping!
Market days in Nord-pas de Calais
AIRE SUR LA LYS: Friday morning
AMBLETEUSE: Wednesday morning
ARDRES: Thursday morning
AUCHEL: Tuesday morning
ARRAS: Wednesday and Saturday morning - Grand Place
ARQUES: Tuesday morning - Grand Place
BAPAUME: Friday morning - Place Faidherbe
BEAURAINVILLE: Wednesday morning
BERCK SUR MER: Tuesday, Friday and Sunday morning - Place Claude Wilquin Wednesday and Saturday morning - Place de l'Eglise
BETHUNE: Monday and Friday morning - Place Lamartine Wednesday and Saturday morning - Mont-Liebaut
BOULOGNE SUR MER: Wednesday and Saturday morning - Place Dalton Sunday morning - Place Vignon et Quai Gambetta from May until October Fish market every morning Quai Gambetta
BRUAY LA BUISSIERE: Sunday morning - Place Bodelot et Rue Raoul Briquet
CALAIS: Wednesday and Saturday morning - Place d'Armes Thursday and Saturday - Place Crévecoeur Sunday morning - Beau-marais district
CAMIERS: Monday morning
CONDETTE: Sunday morning
DESVRES: Tuesday morning
ETAPLES SUR MER: Tuesday and Friday morning - Place du Général de Gaulle
FAUQUEMBERGUES: Thursday morning
FREVENT: Tuesday morning - Place du marché à bestiaux
FRUGES: Saturday morning
GUINES: Friday morning
HARDELOT: Sunday morning – from Easter to October every 2 weeks – July/August every Sunday
HESDIN: Thursday morning
HESDIGNEUL LES BETHUNE: 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month (Bio market from 4.00 to 6.00 pm)
HOUDAIN: Thursday and Saturday morning
HUCQUELIERS: Wednesday morning
LE PORTEL PLAGE: Tuesday and Friday morning
LE TOUQUET: June 1st to September 15th Monday, Thursday, Saturday morning - Place du marché couvert September 16th May 31st Thursday and Saturday morning - Place du marché couvert
LENS: Tuesday and Friday morning - Place Roger Salengro Saturday afternoon - Grande Résidence
LIEVIN: Wednesday morning
LILLERS: Saturday morning - Place Roger Salengro et Place de l'Eglise
LUMBRES: Friday morning - Grand Place
MARQUISE: Thursday morning
MERLIMONT: Monday and Friday in summer - Place de la gare
MONTREUIL SUR MER: Saturday morning
PAS EN ARTOIS: Tuesday morning – every 2 weeks
SAMER: Monday morning - Grand Place Foch
SAINTE-CECILE: Tuesday and Thursday morning - town centre - Esplanade de Sainte-Cécile - 15 June - 15 July
SAINT-OMER: Wednesday morning - Place Perpignan Saturday morning - Place Foch
SAINT-POL SUR TERNOISE: Monday morning
STELLA PLAGE: Wednesday and Sunday - 15 June au 15 September
THEROUANNE: Tuesday morning
WIMEREUX: Tuesday and Friday morning
WISSANT: Wednesday morning
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