This is a reference guide, a list of the Markets of Provence and the Côte d’Azur, and additional travel tips.
Below is a regional directory for daily markets by department (Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhône, Luberon, Vaucluse, and Var) within Provence. We will add details for Alpes de Haute Provence shortly. While it would be impossible to include every market in the region, we have tried to be as comprehensive as possible. However, the best market is the one you visit. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and aromas of Provence!
Market Days in Provence
Regardless of where you are based in the region, a local market will not be far away. Almost every city, town and village has a market day, and more prominent larger locations may even have two markets per week. Temptation at a market is everywhere in the piles of produce and just picked fruit, fresh goat cheese, and buckets of olives. However, practice a bit of buyer-beware as some vendors are resellers who wholesale and re-package their goods. Make sure to study the “Pays d’Origine” tag. These little signs tell you where the produce comes from and indicate quality, with #1 being the best. Try to buy local, in-season, and, where possible, directly from the producer.
Book a Holiday Rental in Provence
Hours: Most markets start around 8 am and end by 1 pm. Although, there are also several evening markets in the summer months. Check the exact times of the market you plan to visit, as there can be variations throughout the year and the region.
More Places to Buy: Besides traditional markets, watch for the signs “vente directe” or “vente des champs” or the like. This is your chance to buy directly from the farmer. While the hours and selection may be limited at these farm stalls, you buy just-picked produce at the height of the season.
Producers Markets
Producers markets are where the farmers take their produce and sell it in quantities to wholesalers. These markets are frequented by restaurants (buying in bulk) and resellers. The public is usually allowed to access these markets. However, you need to buy in bulk. This is a terrific way to buy the necessary ingredients for canning or making some jam.
Farmers Markets – marché paysan
These markets are relatively small and often frequented by locals. At a farmers market, you buy directly from the producer, not a wholesaler or reseller. The selection will be limited to what is in season and gathered from the farmer’s field. You will find fresh vegetables, fruit, goat cheese, honey, jams, meat (chicken, lamb, rabbit), and wine. You should not expect to find table napkins and espadrilles. In the summer, several evening farmer’s markets are around the region.
Truffle Markets
It is more common to see summer truffles in the markets than in the past. However, this summer tuber may be related to the “Black Diamond,” but the taste is certainly not as distinctive. There is also a significant price differential between the summer and winter varieties. In peak months, the black truffle will command about 10 times the price (per kilo) compared to summer truffles. Read more about truffles and the seasonal markets.
Markets by Day of the Week
MONDAYS
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes – closed on Mondays
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Cannes – closed on Mondays
Menton – daily
Monaco – daily
Nice – markets are closed
Bouches du Rhône:
Aix en Provence – there is a market every day of the week, either in Place Richleme or Place des Precheurs. In addition, there is a flower market in the plaza by the Hôtel de Ville.
Marseille – Fish Market on the Vieux Port. At this daily market, you will find a wide variety of fish from the local waters of the Mediterranean. This location is not exactly where the fishing boats dock, but not to worry, the fish is fresh from the sea.
Marché des Capucins, or the Noailles market, takes place Monday through Saturday morning in Marseille’s 1st arrondissement. This is a lively, multi-cultural city area where you will find local produce and exotic ingredients—other reasons to visit Marseille.
Boulbon
Fontvieille
St Etienne du Grès
Established in 2007, the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles covers the mountain range and its flanks. As a protected natural area, there are restrictions on construction and park usage. However, the artifacts from human settlements discovered in these hills date back to the Neolithic era, and the range is the result of millennia of continuous geological evolution.
Guide to the Villages of the Alpilles
Luberon:
Cadenet
Cavaillon
Lauris
Travel tip: On a cliff edge overlooking the Durance River and the Luberon plains, there is a remarkable garden in Lauris. Jardin Conservatoire de plante tinctoriales, operated by Couleur Garance, is located on what were the terraces of the 18th-century Chateau de Lauris.
Var:
Flayosc
Grimaud
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – daily – check for the exact location
Travel Tip: While few places in Provence are untouched, these 9 hilltop villages in the Pays de Fayence are not on the typical tourist agenda.
Vaucluse:
Bedoin
St Didier
TUESDAYS
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes – daily except Mondays
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Grasse – daily except Mondays
Monaco – daily
Saint Tropez
Nice – Market days in Nice are from Tuesday to Sunday. While there are several markets in Nice, the two (2) most famous and interesting are the Cours Saleya market in the Old Town of Nice from 9 am to 1 pm and the market in the Liberation district from 7 am to 1:30 pm.
The Cours Saleya market is on the most famous street of Vieux Nice, parallel to the sea and at the foot of Castle Hill. It was where painter Henri Matisse lived on this street—while at the market, look at the Nice Opera House, rebuilt at the end of the 19th century by François Aune, a pupil of Gustave Eiffel. A flea market replaces the fruit and vegetable market on Mondays. The markets are only one reason we love this city on the French Riviera—travel tips for visiting Nice.
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Aix-en-Provence
Eguilles
Eyguieres
Istres – one of the largest in the area
La Ciotat
Lambesc – Farmers Market
Lancon de Provence
Marignane
Marseille – Fish market and Marché des Capucins
Tarascon
Ventabren
Like other departments, the Bouches du Rhône combines large urban centres and unspoilt countryside. Visible traces of Roman history weave throughout the region, which is one of many reasons to visit Arles and its monuments. Beautiful Aix-en-Provence and seaside Marseille, France’s second-largest city after Paris, have top-quality cultural events, art exhibits, festivals, and vibrant culinary scenes.
The Rhône and Durance rivers are fluid boundaries of the Bouches du Rhône (mouth of the Rhône) while providing irrigation for the department’s agricultural lands. After an 800 km journey from its source, the Rhône Glacier in Valais, Switzerland, the Rhône River yawns lazily into the Mediterranean Sea. For many visitors, the Bouches du Rhône is their arrival point in Provence, whether they arrive by plane at the Aéroport Marseille Provence in Marignane or by train.
Visitor Guide to the Bouches du Rhône
Luberon:
Apt
Coustellet
Cucuron
Gordes
Lacoste
St Saturnin les Apt
After living in Provence for a few years and running holiday rental apartments in the heart of Apt, Jen and Chris Mallon continue their exploration of the region. They are wonderful hosts and always happy to help guests with ideas for sightseeing, avoiding the crowds, and some of their favourite spots for wine tasting. Below, the Mallons share a sample itinerary for a holiday week in Provence. Let yourself imagine arriving on a Friday evening and starting early the next day on a lovely excursion.
Var:
Bandol
Bormes les Mimosas
Cotignac
Frejus
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Lorgues
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – daily – check for the exact location
Villages of the Var and Provence Verdon
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles – Place Pie (open daily from 6h to 13h30, except on Mondays). Many food vendors are in this central market hall, and a public parking lot is attached. Avignon is a large city on the Rhône River. A TGV station and seemingly endless big box stores are on the outskirts of town. However, the old city centre with the magnificent Papal Palace is inside the walls and a must-see for any visitor. Discover why Avignon is a great place to visit while in Provence.
Beaumes de Venise
Caromb
Jonquières
Mormoiron
Vaison la Romaine
Villars
WEDNESDAYS
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:
Digne-les-Bains – Place Général de Gaulle
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes – daily except Mondays
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Bormes les Mimosas
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Cogolin
Grasse – Cours Honoré Creps
Nice – daily except Mondays at Cours Saleya, Place St François and St Roch
Monaco – daily
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Arles
Cassis
Marseille – 100% farm produce with many organic options on the Cours Julien
Martigues – La Couronne and Carro
Salon-de-Provence
St Remy de Provence
Travel Tip: Keith shares his local tips for navigating the St Remy de Provence market, from butcher to the cheese stand and beyond. The Wednesday morning market is considered one of the top markets for visitors. However, during the summer, the market can be crowded. So, go early and wander the market to see what looks good.
Luberon:
Bonnieux (a small market)
Var:
Aups – The village is between the Mediterranean and the Southern Alps. With a population of about 2200 permanent residents, it is known as the capital of the Haut Var. However, the population increases in the high season as Aups is considered a gateway to the Verdon Regional Natural Park, Lac St Croix and the stunning Gorges du Verdon. Market days on Wednesdays and Saturdays are a treat in Aups. The market stalls spread through a large plaza shaded by enormous plane trees. Vendors sell everything from regional cheeses, fresh bread and charcuterie to mattresses. During black truffle season, from November to February, there is a Thursday morning market in Aups.
Bormes les Mimosas
Frejus
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume
Salernes – small market
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – every day – check for the exact location
Tourtour
Valensole
Travel Tip: Sitting on a plateau high above the valley, Tourtour is often called “the village in the sky of Provence” (le village dans le ciel de Provence). On a clear day, visitors can see from Montagne Sainte-Victoire in the west to the town of Fréjus near the Mediterranean coast in the east.
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles
Le Thor
Malaucene
Sault
Velleron
Villes sur Auzon
Travel Tip: If you like French wine, there is a good chance that you have sampled some vintages from the Rhône Valley. Some vineyards in the southern Rhône are near the famous Mont Ventoux – Provence’s giant mountain. This article focuses on six (6) villages in the Côtes du Rhône wine region. These six (6) towns are only some of the 51 villages surrounding Mont Ventoux, each with a distinctive character. While these villages share the same geography and historical background, each town is unique and worth visiting.
THURSDAYS
Alpes Maritime and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes – daily except Mondays
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Grasse – daily except Mondays
Grimaud
Le Lavandou
Monaco – daily
Nice – daily except Mondays at Cours Saleya, Place St François and St Roch
Port Grimaud
Ramatuelle – Place de l’Ormeau
Sainte-Maxime
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Aix en Provence
Aubagne
Maillane
Maussane
Marseille – Several locations
Martigues – Jonquieres and L’Ile
Miramas
Noves
Senas
Luberon:
Goult
Robion
Roussillon
Saignon
Travel Tip: Goult is a hidden jewel in the Luberon region. It is a small village with around 1100 permanent residents. Enjoy the beautiful views of the Luberon Valley as you take scenic walks along narrow streets. Many homes seem untouched by time, but others have been carefully restored or renovated while maintaining the village’s charm.
Var:
Grimaud
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – every day – check for the exact location
Villecroze
Travel Tip: The caves of Villecroze are carved into the side of a sheer limestone cliff. A grotto formed by hundreds of thousands of years of water flowing over the porous rock. The continuous water created tufa rock-hard calcium carbonate deposits along the cliff face. Cycles of natural erosion and deposits formed caves of smooth stone and flowing stalactites.
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles
L’Isle sur la Sorgue
Orange
Vacqueyras
Villeneuve les Avignon
FRIDAYS
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:
L’Escale
Mallemoisson
Mées – Place de la République
Mézel
Peyruis – Boulevard des Poilus
Volonne
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes – the covered marché provençal is daily except on Mondays
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Grasse – daily except Mondays
Monaco – daily
Nice – daily except Mondays at Cours Saleya, Place St François and St Roch
Travel Tip: Antibes’ old town is pedestrian-friendly, with tempting boutiques and plazas filled with restaurant tables shaded by oversized umbrellas. There are winding alleyways with azaleas displaying their bright flowers against stone walls. Antibes is full of surprises, including a hidden chapel, a coffee roastery (local’s favourite), and stunning sea views. The old town is surrounded on two sides by restored rampart walls, and the combination of new and old makes this destination a must-see.
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Eygalières – On Friday mornings, the main street in Eygalières fills with market stalls selling everything from fresh seasonal produce to espadrilles. If you can, sit at one of the cafés and enjoy watching the crowd. Discover this charming village in the Alpilles.
Aix-en-Provence
Eguilles
Eyragues – A tiny, local market
Lambesc
Marseille – Several locations
Tarascon
Saintes Maries de la Mer
Luberon:
Bonnieux
Lourmarin
Pertuis
Var:
Cotignac
Frejus
Grimaud
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – daily – check for the exact location
Travel Tip: Toulon is one of those cities where each time you visit, you discover something new, some hidden gem: an art gallery, a vintage clothing store with some seriously great old handbags, an old-fashioned restaurant where everything is still made by the chef including the bread, craft beers and, our most recent find, craft gin. Discover several reasons to visit Toulon.
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles
Carpentras
Châteauneuf du Pape
Mallemort
Book a Holiday Rental in Provence
SATURDAYS
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:
Digne-les-Bains – Place Général de Gaulle
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Antibes
Beaulieu-sur-Mer – daily except Sundays
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Cogolin
Grasse – Places aux Aires et aux Herbes
Monaco – daily
Nice – daily except Mondays at Cours Saleya, Place St François and St Roch
Saint Tropez
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Visitor Guide to the Alpes Maritimes
Alpes de Haute Provence:
Digne les Bains
Manosque
Sisteron
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is nature’s patchwork quilt featuring mountains, gorges, rolling valleys, lavender fields and pockets of remote villages and busy towns. The Durance River plays an essential role in this department that, features high mountain peaks of the Alps and the lower alpine foothills with remote villages. While there are other rivers, most of the watershed from the mountains runs down the Durance towards the Mediterranean.
Touring Ideas for the Alpes de Haute Provence
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Arles – Market days in Arles are Wednesday and Saturday. Following a decree by King Henri III, these weekly markets have been in place since 1584. The Saturday market is the larger of the two markets and one of the biggest in Provence. The 450+ stands line Boulevard des Lices and Boulevard Georges-Clémenceau almost 2.5 kilometres in length, and offer anything you might want, including live poultry, eggs, olives, fresh rockfish, garden plants and herbs and summer dresses. Travel Tip: How to spend a day in Arles.
Aix en Provence
Aubagne
Marseille – Several locations
Martigues – La Couronne and Carro
St-Remy de Provence
Luberon:
Apt – be prepared to rub shoulders at this ‘Grande Marché’ that winds through the old town’s narrow streets. You will find everything at this market, from local products and fresh produce to North African cuisine. The city has a fascinating history. Also, discover Château de Mille just outside of Apt.
Cadenet
Oppède
Pertuis
Var:
Aups
Frejus
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – every day – check for the exact location
Tourtour
Valensole
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles
Bollène
Le Thor
Pernes les Fontaines
Vaison la Romaine
Travel Tip: Vaison-la-Romaine is divided into two parts by the Ouvèze River. On the right bank is the ancient Roman colony and modern town, and on the left bank, on top of a rocky spur, is the old medieval town topped by a castle. Vaison is a moderate-sized town in a gorgeous region, surrounded by Mont Ventoux and the hills of the Dentelles de Montmirail. Market days are Tuesdays and Saturdays.
SUNDAYS
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence:
Saint-Auban
Alpes Maritimes and Côte d’Azur:
Cannes – two markets daily except Mondays
Grasse – daily except Mondays
La Croix-Valmer
Monaco – daily
Nice – daily except Monday at Cours Saleya, Place St François and St Roch
Port Grimaud
Ramatuelle – Place de l’Ormeau
Bouches-du-Rhône:
Aix en Provence
Aubagne
Chateaurenard
La Ciotat
Marseille – Old Port, fish market
Martigues – Jonquieres and L’Ile
Salon de Provence
Luberon:
Ansouis
Mormoiron
Coustellet – This market is among our favourites on a Sunday with its many local producers. Here you find a little of everything,g including Provencal artisanal items, hats, clothing and baskets. In addition, several boutiques are open during the market hour,s including a butcher, fishmonger and wine and beer merchant.
Var:
Grimaud
Hyeres – daily except Mondays
Régusse
Salernes – large market
Sanary sur Mer – daily
Toulon – daily – check for the exact location
Travel Tip: Salernes is part of the Dracénie region in the centre of Haut-Var. It is known as the cité de la Céramique because of its terra rossa (red clay) soil, and it has been home to potters, ceramists, and artisans for many centuries. The town has two distinct areas, the old Provencal village centre with tightly packed village homes and the new commercial section.
Vaucluse:
Avignon – Les Halles
Jonquieres
Sorgues
L’Isle sur la Sorgue – this market has well deserved a reputation for its large size. If you arrive later in the morning, parking can be a challenge. Many people visit this town as much for the market as for the approximately 300 antique stores. The first Sunday in August is the annual floating market (marché flottant), where vendors dress in traditional clothing and sell produce from their boats. Markets are only one reason to visit this charming town.
More Market Information:
In 2016, Marjorie Williams published her second book, Markets of Provence. We had to say this: “Once the word gets out, Williams’ Markets of Provence will be as indispensable as the A-Z guides for the chaotic streets of London, England. This pocket-sized book readily fits into a purse or market bag.” Read the full article here. Organized by day of the week, Williams shares details on the markets, favourite vendors and tips on where to eat lunch.
Official Bouches-du-Rhône Tourism website.
Additional listings in the Var here.
Côte d’Azur select listings here.
If we have missed your favourite market, please help us to make this reference guide for the Markets of Provence and the Cote d’Azur even better by sending a quick note here.