Market days are a way of life in Provence and the Côte d'Azur. They originated in the 12th century, when farmers and craftsmen would come to nearest town to sell their wares, or engage in bartering agreements.
Not much has changed since those days - the market is still the place to come for locally grown produce of all shapes and sizes.
| Popular markets in Nice | |
|---|---|
| Monday | Villeneuve-Loubet, Cours Saleya Antiques Market |
| Tuesday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Puces de Nice, St Paul de Vence |
| Wednesday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Puces de Nice, St Paul de Vence |
| Thursday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Puces de Nice, St Paul de Vence |
| Friday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Puces de Nice |
| Saturday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Art and Crafts, Antique Book Market, Puces de Nice, St Paul de Vence |
| Sunday | Cours Saleya Provencal Market, Fish Market, Puces de Nice, St Paul de Vence |
Check our Events Calendar to find out the dates and times of markets and other events throughout the year.
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Types of Market
You can expect to find two common types of market in the Nice region, the farmers market and the Provencal market.
The farmers market
This is where you'll find the fruit and vegetable of the local region on sale, plus meat from the butcher, bread and cakes from the baker, cheeses, herbs and spices. Anything to do with food really! This is the kind of market that all the larger villages offer. Prices tend to be higher than you would find in the supermarket, but the taste and the quality of market-bought goods simply does not compare. The climate in Provence lends itself so beautifully to farming that much of the produce in the market is organically grown and likely to have been picked the day before.
The Provençal market (Marché Provençal)
These markets tend to be much larger, with all the fresh produce described above, with the addition of clothing, fabrics (napkins and tablecloths are most popular), ceramics and other local crafts, costume jewellery, leather goods, the list goes on...
Flea markets
Flea markets are also popular - they are known as Marche aux Puces or La Brocante (secondhand goods). They tend to occur once a month at selected locations, usually on a Sunday.
Where & when
| Nice Markets | |
|---|---|
| Cours Saleya |
Nice's main outdoor market for fresh food and flowers, you will find the very best of local and organic seasonal produce, fresh seafood and plenty of locally produced olive oils and pistou's. Every Monday you will find an antiques market with all sorts of curiosities. In the summer months there is also an arts and crafts market here every evening from 18:00, great for touristy gifts and souvenirs. Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 07:00 - 13:00. Antiques market: Monday, 07:00 - 13:00. Location: Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice. |
| Fish Market |
Bustling daily Fish Market. Open: Every morning except Monday, 06:00 and runs all morning - or until the fish run out. Location: Place Saint- François in Nice's Old Town. |
| Arts & Crafts Market |
For lovers of paintings, the Arts & Crafts Market is perfect. Open: Every second Saturday of the month, all day. Location: Place du Palais de Justice. |
| Antique & Second-hand Book Market |
Antique & Second-hand Book Market. Open: First and third Saturday of every month, all day. Location: In the Place du Palais de Justice. |
| Markets near to Nice | |
|---|---|
| Marché Provençal |
Villeneuve-Loubet hosts a Provençal market with produce from the region, including fruit and vegetables, cheeses and meats, household goods, and clothes. Open: Wednesday and Saturday, 09:00 - 13:00. Location: Village Centre. Saint-Paul-de-Vence has a number of local food and flower markets during the week which are always a hit. Yvette (fruit and vegetable stall): Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, all day. Location: Place du Jeu de Boules. Gibert Zulliani (plant and flower stall): Open: Saturday. Location: Place du Jeu de Boules. There is also a Wednesday morning market of regional Mediterranean produce. |
| Night Market |
Villeneuve-Loubet also hosts a night market during the summer months with stalls selling souvenirs, handmade objects, beach articles and much more from the seaside. Open: 18:00 - midnight. Location: Place du Jeu de Boules. |
| Menton Italian Market |
Being so close to Italy, the nearby town of Menton holds three Italian markets that sell a wide selection of Italian goods and local specialities. There are plenty of other Provençal and Mediterranean markets in this small town too.
The market areas are covered with fresh flowers and Menton specialities such as lemons, spices and 'barbbajuans' (a local dish of fried vegetables and rice) and socca (another local dish made from fried chickpeas). |
| Markets in nearby Italy |
If you fancy the real thing you can always hop across the border and enjoy the Italian markets:
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