Market days are a way of life in Provence and the Cote d'Azur. They originated in the 12th century, when farmers and craftsmen would come to nearest market 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 & sizes.
| Popular Markets & Days 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 & 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 Calender to find out the dates and times of markets and other events throughout the year.
Highlights
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 Provencal market (Marche Provencal)
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
Cours Saleya
Nice's main outdoor market in Cours Saleya, for fresh food & flowers, takes place every morning (except Monday) in the Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice. Here you will find the very best of local and organic seasonal produce, fresh seafood and plenty of locally produced olive oils and pistou's.
On Monday's, instead of the usual food, you will find an antiques market with all sorts of curiosities. You can certainly spend the morning rummaging here! In the summer months there is also an arts and crafts market here every evening from 6pm, great for touristy gifts and souvenirs.
The Provencal market is on Tuesday to Sunday from 07:00 to 13:00, antiques market, Monday from 07:00 to 13:00.
Fish Market
Bustling daily Fish Market in Nice's Old Town. Nice has a busy fish market every morning except Monday in Place Saint- François in the old town and is open every morning except Mondays. It starts at 6am and runs all morning - or until the fish run out. You might need to battle with the seagulls for the fish though as they are very persistent! Tuesday to Sunday from 06:00.
Art & Craft Market
For lovers of paintings, the Art & Craft Market is perfect. Every second Saturday of the month, the Place du Palais de Justice is filled with craft stalls selling home-made gifts. In addition to the many stalls, artists also set up their easels to paint in the square, creating art as you watch. It is easy to spend the day here watching them paint and can inspire you to make a few sketches of your own. Second Saturday of the month, all day.
Antique & Second-hand Book Market
In the heart of Nice Old town, this Antique & Second-hand Book Market is held on the first and third Saturday of every month in the Place du Palais de Justice. Browse through a wide selection of mainly French books and try to find those rare first editions! First & third Saturday of each month, all day.
Nearby Markets
Villeneuve-Loubet hosts a Provençal market with produce from the region, including fruit and vegetables, cheeses and meats, household goods, and clothes. It takes place on a Wednesday and Saturday morning, in the centre of the village, from 09:00 to 13:00.
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. From 18:00 to midnight during the summer months.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence has a number of local food and flower markets during the week which are always a hit. All of the markets are held in the Place du Jeu de Boules. On Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, Yvette opens her fruit and vegetable stall all day. On Saturday, Gibert Zulliani opens his plant and flower stall, filling the square with beautiful perfumes. There is also a Wednesday morning market of regional Mediterranean produce.
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 Provencal and Mediterranean markets in this small town too!
- Marché Couvert (les Halles) at quai de Monléon (every morning)
- Marché du Carei, promenade du Maréchal Leclerc, (every morning)
- Marché du Bastion, quai Napoléon II (Saturday morning)
- Brocante, place aux Herbes (Friday)
The market areas are covered with fresh flowers, exotic aromas and Menton specialities such as lemons, spices and 'barbbajuans' (a local dish of fried vegetables and rice) and socca (another local dish made from chickpea and fried up).
But if you fancy the real thing then you can always just hop across the border and enjoy the Italian markets:
- Vintimille, Fridays until 4.00pm
- San Remo, Tuesday and Saturday mornings
- Bordiguera, Thursday mornings
