Visiting local craft and produce markets is one of the most pleasurable experiences enjoyed by holidaymakers when they visit France. This certainly applies to Brittany and the Pays de la Loire regions, and whether you are looking for local Pottery, Speciality salt from the marshes around Guérande, Muscadet from the Pays Nantaise, or the most wonderful fresh shellfish, you will find it at any number of bustling markets in the area.
Local French Markets tend to operate during the mornings on a specific day each week in even the smallest towns and villages. During the Summer months the markets are swollen both by the number of stalls and by the number of tourists, so it’s worth getting there early to avoid the crowds! Prices aren’t generally cheap, but the quality is usually very high, produce is fresh, with a lot of it being pulled out of the ground (or the sea) shortly before being offered for sale.
Here are just some of the french markets that you can visit in the La Baule / Presqu’île de Guérande / La Roche Bernard / Missillac area. Please let us know if you know of other markets in this area…
Traditional French Markets
Asserac – small market on Tuesdays in July and August
Batz-sur-Mer – Place du Mûrier; small market on Mondays in low season; Big market Monday and Friday in July and August
Guérande – Place Saint-Aubin; All year; Small market Wednesday; Large market Saturday
Herbignac – All year on Wednesday
La Baule - Avenue du Marché – All year, every day (except Mondays between October and March)
Le Guézy – All year, Monday and Thursday
La Baule-les-Pins – Avenue Lajarrige; All year, Tuesday and Saturday; In season, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
La Roche-Bernard – All Year, but larger during Summer; Thursday mornings
La Turballe – In the market hall, Espace Garlahy; All year, Wednesday and Saturday; In July and August, every day shellfish and fish market
Le Croisic – In the market hall, Rue des Cordiers et Place Dinan; In Winter, Thursday and Saturday; In July and August, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Le Pouliguen – Place des Halles; All year on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday; In July and August, every day
Mesquer – Quimiac – Place du Marché at Quimic; In low season, small market Friday; Mid-June to mid-September, Tuesday and Friday;
Pénestin – All year on Sundays; In July and August, Wednesday and Sunday
Piriac-sur-Mer -Place Paul Vince; Low season on Tuesdays; April to mid-June, Tuesday and Saturday; Mid-June to mid-September, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
Pornichet – Place des Halles; All year on Wednesday and Saturday
Questembert – Monday mornings. Read an account from someone who has visited Questembert market.
Local French Produce Markets
Guérande – In Pradel, near “Terre de Sel”; In July and August, Sunday from 10am until 3pm
Le Croisic – Place du Pilori; Fridays in July and August
Mesquer – Quimic – In Kercabellec; Wednesdays in July and August from 9am to 1pm
Saint-Lyphard – In the village of Kerhinet. Thursdays from early July to mid-September
French Craft Markets
Guérande – Paper and old Books market – Place de la Psalatte; In July and August, Monday from 6pm until 10pm
La Baule – Art trade market – Avenue des Ibis; Sundays in July and August from 9am until 12 noon
La Turballe – Evening arts and crafts market – Quai Saint-Pierre; Wednesdays in July and August from 7pm
Le Croisic – Flea Market – Place Dinan; Tuesdays in July and August
Arts and Crafts market – around the old auction, Saturdays in July and August
Piriac-sur-Mer – Arts and Crafts market – Place de l’Eglise; Thursdays in July and August from 6:30pm until 10pm
Elizabeille – A little further afield in Brittany at Laurenan (just off N164 between Merdrignac and Loudeac in the Cotes d’Armor department). This is a great new attraction with local artisans, produce, craft demonstrations, plus activities for children all under one roof. Wednesday – Sunday 10:30 – 18:00.
Martin Jarvis is a professional web developer with a passion for all things "France" - including his lovely wife Nadine! With a french wife, a house on the border of Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, an aunt in Paris, his wifes family in Bordeaux, and a dear friend on the Cote d'Azur, Martin is well placed to comment on France from the point of view of an Englishman.
Hopefully, this interest in France and his experience as a developer and marketer of websites will help make this site invaluable to francophiles everywhere.
From George East:
I reckon we have visited upwards of a thousand open-air markets across France and have yet to find one which tops our ‘local’ at Morlaix. At the end of the great northern coast estuary and bay of that name, the town has a great ‘sunken’ market square which is surrounded by some of the finest columbage Middle Ages buildings in the region. So big and popular is the Saturday morning market that it spills beyond the ancient square and through the cobbled alleyways or venelles and as far as the giant viaduct which dominates the ancient town centre. British visitors are welcome but it was not always so. In the 16th century an English raiding party invaded and sacked the town. Understanding the English temperament exactly, the townspeople waited until the invaders had drunk themselves insensible, then put them all to the sword. As I said, the townspeople of Morlaix are much more welcoming nowadays…