Angers sits beside the Maine river in the western part of the Loire Valley. It’s a delightful city,  relatively unknown, perfect for a short break and just the place to relax. Much of its charm (and the feeling of wellbeing it gives you) comes from its status as the greenest city of France. 

Taking a short Break in Angers

We arrived late afternoon after a trip through Normandy and checked in to the Oceania Hôtel d’Anjou. (See details below). Our room looked out onto the Jardin du Mail, the Hôtel de Ville then over the hills and far away. The fountains in the park were motionless and silent, shut down in the blistering July heatwave.

It was a 4-minute walk from the hotel over the burnt grass to Le Mail restaurant where soft lights glowed and cocktails were being shaken and stirred. The place was buzzing with locals savouring plates of fluffy light Mimosa eggs, duck paté with foie gras, kimchi sauce, pimento oil and honey followed by the likes of confit of duck, Iberian pork and plenty of fish dishes. As we ate on the terrace, the light slowly faded and all was well with the world. (See Le Mail restaurant details below.)

A Little History

If you’re allergic to history then skip this and go straight to What to Do and See in Angers. But this short history will, I hope, give some idea of the historic glory of Angers.

Plantagenet Power and Glory

It was those mighty Plantagenets who turned Angers into a powerhouse. In the 12^th century, Geoffroi of Anjou married Matilda in Le Mans. Matilda was the daughter of Henry I of England, granddaughter of William the Conqueror and heiress to the throne of England. It was quite a match for Goeffroi. At its height, the Plantagenet Empire stretched from England and Scotland down to Spain. To the east it bordered Flanders, Champagne, Burgundy, Savoy and the Toulouse region. The family held the English throne until 1485, when Richard III died in battle and the Tudors took over.

Angers was important, but it was nearby Le Mans which was the capital of the great and powerful Plantagenet Empire. Even today Le Mans has a large beautifully preserved medieval quarter. Here’s more about Plantagenet Le Mans.

What to see and do in Angers

My partner and I went to Angers with very different interests. Alastair McKenzie runs Mechtraveller, a website for the mechanically minded (battles, planes, tanks, military museums and the like), while I can spend hours in museums and cathedrals tracing the figures of the past and looking at art – ancient and modern.

Angers provided attractions for both of us. As always there were places we would not have chosen but found fascinating. For Alastair it was the Tapestry of the Apocalypse; I was bowled over by the Museum of Military Engineers.

But I will start with my top picks.

Top Attractions in Angers

Château d’Angers

You can’t miss the massive fortress with its 17 huge round towers that punctuate the surrounding black-and-white slate and limestone walls. This royal fortress overlooking the River Maine takes you back to the city’s Neolithic beginnings from 4000 to 2500 BC, then to the Romans, great admirers of the good life with their heated bathrooms, fireplaces and wastewater drains. In the 9^th century, the Counts of Anjou, threatened by the Normans, settled here, (and used the Roman’s heating system). More buildings were added in the ensuing centuries, impressive and comfortable for the nobles who lived here. The most recent addition is the modern building housing the extraordinary Tapestry of the Apocalypse.

Tour the Château d’Angers

Like so many medieval châteaux, walk through the drawbridge and you’re in a charming landscape of small formal gardens, a vineyard, and impressive buildings. You get an idea of life in the 15^th century in the central royal residence where the stone-walled rooms are small, heated by huge fireplaces. The chapel, built around 1410, is a sainte chapelle, containing a splinter of the True Cross. It’s larger than many, with Angevin vaulting and remarkable traces of frescoes on the walls. The Kings, Queens and Counts might have been religious, but the practicalities had to be considered: the private oratory is heated by its own fireplace.

Climb the steps to the ramparts and walk along the walls for a superb view of Angers and an understanding of why the Counts of Anjou felt safe in this impregnable castle.

Traces of the past are everywhere with some of the most poignant appearing in the graffiti of prisoners who were incarcerated here from the time of Louis XIV to Napoleon III. Their names, dates and messages might be carved on the walls, but what happened to these sad souls remains unknown.

The Tapestry of the Apocalypse

A specially constructed gallery houses the extraordinary Tapestry of the Apocalypse. It’s a world-class attraction but is relatively unknown to foreign visitors to France.

Woven in Paris between 1373 and 1382 for Louis I of Anjou, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse illustrates Revelations, the last chapter of the New Testament of St. John.

It’s dark as you walk in and it takes a moment or two for your eyes to adjust and your mind to take in the series of images of the end of the world. Mythical beasts, dragons, demons, angels and gallant knights, the horsemen of the Apocalypse and fortified towns tell a host of  stories. To the medieval mind these images and tales would have been terrifying but they would have understood the politics behind them. France was in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War with England and had also suffered huge mortality rates from the Black Death that entered France from Italy through the port of Marseille.

Take a guided tour or the audio guide to get some of the tales and clues, and for the truly dedicated I would advise a dip into the Book of Revelations beforehand.

The largest surviving set of medieval tapestries in the world at 103 metres long it was listed by UNESCO in the Memory of the World Register in May 2023.

Read the full story of the Tapestry of the Apocalypse here.

The Museum of Fine Arts/Musée des Beaux-Arts

The rich collection is housed in the mansion of one Olivier Barrault, Viscount of Mortain, mayor of Angers and treasurer of the Brittany region, built between 1486 and 1493. Today it has two sections: the History of Angers and Fine Arts.

The History of Angers

The history of Angers is an amazing hotch-potch of activities and stories, as so many city museums are. From the first traces of people in Angers in the Neolithic age to today, it covers all aspects of the city, some of which you’ll experience as you walk through this easy-to-navigate town.

In the museum I saw stand-out objects like the mosaic floor from a Roman villa; intricate jewellery; 9^th-century glass; beautiful cherry brandy and liqueur bottles…in fact something to interest everyone. Paintings and plans show the economic life of the city since the 12^th century: its great fairs, its commerce and trade. There’s a fascinating section dealing with the horticulture of Angers covering the birth of different fruits, and the gardens and orchards that go back centuries. Today Angers is the leading European centre for horticultural research.

The Fine Art Collection

The second section covers fine art from the 14th to the 21st Century. It’s a rich collection including those old Flemish master which I personally love, magnificent Greek ornaments and a whole lot more.

And there are some intriguing items.  My attention was caught by the Autel de la Patrie. This Altar of the Fatherland was carved out of oak in 1798 by Pierre-Louis David, a staunch Republican who fought against the Royalist supporters in the Vendée during the French Revolution. It was placed in the cathedral in Angers (officially renamed the Temple of Reason) celebrating the new cult of the Supreme Being. This civic festival was instituted by the French Revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre to replace Roman Catholicism and the rival atheist Cult of Reason. Even the most revolutionary must have a faith of some kind as a reason for life.

Galerie David d’Angers

From the windows of the Fine Arts Museum, you can see a church, its roof now replaced by a huge glass structure. Apart from the garden, it is the only part left of the once rich and powerful Abbaye Toussaint d’Angers. Today it houses the Galerie David d’Angers, one of the most important sculptors of the first half of the 19^th century. It’s dedicated to the statues of Pierre-Jean David d’Angers (1788-1856), the son of the Pierre-Louis David who carved the Altar of the Fatherland.

David was a prolific sculptor, producing monumental works of figures from Gutenberg to the Royalist Marquis de Bonchamps, who surprisingly pardoned the Republican prisoners (including David d’Angers’ father).

This excellent gallery has an upstairs viewing platform so for once you can look down on the sculptures rather than looking up at them.

Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d’Angers

Walk up from the river for an impressive view of the cathedral. Built between the 11^th and 13^th centuries in Angevin Gothic style, its vaulted ceilings soar above you; the medieval stained glass windows cast coloured patterns on the stone floor. If you can, go to a concert or listen every Monday and Thursday as the stops are tested on this sweet sounding organ, installed in 1617.

A false front has been installed in front of the main door; some Angers inhabitants love it; others hate it. Make up your own mind about it.

Walk the Old Town of La Cité

Cobbled streets with half-timbered house cluster in the medieval area around the Château, known as La Cité. Just wander through them, but don’t miss the extraordinary figures carved on Maison d’Adam on Place Saint-Croix. Cross the river on the Pont de Verdun to walk along Rue Beaurepaire past the home of apothecary Simon Poisson. Four allegorical figures were carved on the façade representing friendship, generosity, science and magnificence.

Museum of Jean-Lurçat and Contemporary Tapestry

Take the tram over the river to this extraordinary museum. It’s housed in the former 12th century St. John’s Hospital in the Great Hall for the Sick where the magnificent Gothic architecture provides the best setting for the dramatic tapestry, Le Chant du Monde (The Song of the World) tapestry by Jean Lurçat (1892-1966).

Jean Lurçat was born in the 19^th century, learning art along with the likes of  Matisse, Cézanne and Renoir. He began designing tapestries in 1917 and by the 1930s was an internationally acclaimed figure. In 1937 the sight of the Apocalypse Tapestry brought the superb art of tapestry making to his attention. Two years later he moved to the traditional city of tapestry, Aubusson, to help revive an art which had fallen out of favour and fashion.

The nuclear threat which he witnessed in World War II with the bombing of Hiroshima had a profound effect on him, inspiring the design for The Song of the World. This 80 metre-long, 10-panelled tapestry starts with the fear and horrors of nuclear warfare, then continues with renewal and hope at the end, echoing the story of the Tapestry of the Apocalypse. It was woven in Aubusson between 1957 and 1966 during the Cold War, but Jean Lurçat died before it was finished.

The museum’s contemporary tapestry section has around sixty works, telling the story of this particular art form from the 1950s to today.

The Le Chant du Mond tapestry is on loan to the Aubusson Museum until the end of 2026 when it will return to Angers. In the meantime you’ll see the Tolkien-inspired tapestries here.

Musée du Génie/Museum of Military Engineering

Alastair’s choice of the museum of Military Engineering was a surprise. It belongs to the army and is located outside the centre. It’s not particularly well signposted as a museum and there’s no public parking in the museum grounds; you take potluck in the side streets.

So first impressions are not ideal. But I left as a firm fan. For a start it has something I have not seen before – a timeline that stretches around the top of the walls as you make your way through the different sections, placing world events in context from BC to 2013.

In 800 Charlemagne was crowned; in the same year the Angkor kingdom was established. In 1485 Gutenberg invented the mechanical movable-type printing press; in 1492 Columbus crossed the Atlantic.  In 1927 Charles Lindbergh flew solo across the Atlantic and Albert Calmette discovered a vaccine against TB. We learn about world-changing events in a vacuum; this timeline gives you a different perspective. The randomness of the timeline events makes the world a smaller but more intriguing place.

It’s so intriguing that we almost missed some of the exhibits and people associated with the army…like Vauban (1633-1707) ‘the father of military engineering’. Visitors to France find it difficult to miss one of Vauban’s forts; they were built throughout the country. But did you know that Vauban’s insistence that sappers wear a cuirass and a pot-en-tête (military helmet) led to the decoration on the buttons that sappers have worn for 250 years? And look at the cuirass on display here and you see a ‘hole’. Before a soldier wore the armour for the first time, a musket bullet was fired into the breastplate from the front as a test.

The displays and uniformed figures are conventional, but explore the history behind them…like the reference to the engineers at Bir Hakeim where the First Free French Foreign Legion Division blocked General Rommel’s troops for16 days from May 26 to June 11, 1942. The purpose of the defence? To allow the British troops at Tobruk to escape. The Free French force, made up of French Marines, Foreign Legionnaires, and soldiers from French African colonies such as Senegal, Madagascar under Brigadier General Marie-Pierre Koenig, numbered around 3,700 men; the Axis force of Germans and Italians facing them numbered around 32,000 to 35,000.

After visiting the museum I did some research on Bir Hakeim where French military engineers had spent three months creating field fortifications and mining the ground, building 1,200 entrenchments, foxholes, gun emplacements and underground bunkers. It was an incredible defence with a daredevil end to it as the French troops escaped in armoured cars and ambulances. General Koenig was driven to safety by Susan Travers, an English ambulance driver and the only woman at Bir Hakeim. “It is a delightful feeling, going as fast as you can in the dark,” she later remembered. “My main concern was that the engine would stall.” 

The major battle that appears in the first part of the film De Gaulle (La Bataille de Gaulle). I urge you to see the film; it’s brilliant and depicts de Gaulle and the Free French in a totally new light. And it gives you a new respect for the military engineers. As Rommel said of the battle: “seldom in Africa was I given such a hard fought struggle.” 

There’s more in the museum: the Diplodocus, or track-laying crane; the Bailey bridge; mine clearing and more. This small museum is well worth a visit and I hope that, like me, it will encourage you to delve deeper into the world of the military engineer.

Where to Stay in Anjou

We stayed in the 4-star hotel and spa Oceania Hôtel d’Anjou. Spacious, comfortable bedrooms are decorated in dark chocolate and blue colours; bathrooms with white marble walls are well equipped; there’s a small spa and a handsome Art Deco bar where breakfast is served. The hotel is located above the main city, within easy walking or tram distance of all the major attractions. It has an underground garage, but if you’re planning on using it, get precise directions as to where it is. It’s difficult to locate!

Most of the main hotel groups have properties in Angers. It’s a big convention city with plenty of accommodation in all price ranges. Here’s my guide to budget hotel chains in France.

Where to Eat in Angers

Our favourite was Le Mail (see above for a description). The cooking is excellent and very good value.

Try a Guinguette

We had a very good lunch at the delightful guinguette (riverside café/bar/restaurant) Le Port de l’Ile. Drive for around 10 minutes from central Angers, park in the public car park, then board the ferry to cross the small river. The energetic can work up an appetite by pulling the cable that propels the ferry. Sit on the terrace, consuming the likes of a planche of charcuterie and cheeses or rillettes then burgers with some of the best chips around. The restaurant has a full menu at lunch; in the evenings there’s a choice of tapas and planches. It’s a remarkably peaceful, friendly local place.

Here’s a list of guinguettes of all kinds along the river in Angers.

Practical Information

Getting Around Angers

By Tram
The Angers tramway has 3 main lines (A, B and C).
Line A crosses Angers from northeast to southwest, linking the Monplaisir and La Roseraie districts.
Lines B & C links the main economic, university and main attractions.

By Bus
The Irigo network, which manages public transport in Angers, operates a comprehensive service linking not only the city, but also the surrounding communes. With nearly 30 regular routes, you can easily access tourist sites, business parks or simply get around the city. For night owls, the network offers night buses, perfect for returning home after a night on the town.

Tickets
Angers Tourist Office sells 24-hour tickets and 10-journey tickets valid on the entire Irigo bus and tram network.

More information on Getting around Angers

By Bicycle
Angers Loire Métropole offers a network of cycle paths.

Angers City Pass
If you’re spending any time in Angers, the best value for attractions is the Angers City Pass. Choose from 24 hours (3 sites 19/21 euros low season/high season), 48 hours (4 sites 26/29), 72 hours (6 sites 35/42). It also gives you a 2e ticket for 24hour bus and tram journeys instead of 4.60. Buy it at the Tourist Office.

Angers Tourist Office
7 Pl. du Président Kennedy
49100 Angers
Tel: +33 (0)2 41 23 50 00
Website

Getting to Angers

We travelled to Angers taking Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Caen. From there it was a 250km/155mile, 2 hours 25 min drive on a toll autoroute to Angers.
Ferries to France from the UK

By TGV Train
TGV train services are very frequent, departing from or stopping off at Angers Saint-Laud SNCF station.
Here are the main destinations and train journey times:

35 minutes from Nantes
52 minutes from Tours (Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station)
less than 90 minutes from Paris-Montparnasse
2h20 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (direct TGV)
4h from Lyon
3h30 from Lille
4h from Bordeaux
4h10 from Brussels (Thalys / TGV)

By Car
If you’re travelling by car, Angers can be reached via the A11, A85 and A87 autoroutes (tolls). Here are the journey times by car from the major towns around Angers:

Nantes-Angers: 90 kms/1 hour
Tours-Angers: 130 kms/1 hour 15 mins1h15
Rennes-Angers: 128 kms/1h45
Paris-Angers: 296kms/3 hours
Bordeaux-Angers: 396 kms/4 hours

By Air
To get to Angers by plane from London, you should fly into Nantes – Atlantique Airport (NTE),  the closest major airport with regular direct flights. From Nantes-Atlantique to Angers takes around 1 hour by taxi (98kms/61 miles). To go by train you have to catch a bus from the airport to Gare Sud, then a regular train. Or by coach take a BlaBlaBusCoach or Flixbus taking around 1 hour 50 mins.

From London
Ryanair and easyJet offer direct flights from London airports (like Gatwick and Stansted) to Nantes. Flight Time: Around 1 hour and 25 minutes.

From Paris
Air France is the best major airline from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Nantes with a good range of fares and times. Flight Time: 1 hr 10 mins.

By Bicycle!

Yes, you can get to Angers by bicycle on the famous Loire à Vélo cycle trail which goes from Nevers to Saint Nazaire. It takes in Angers, between Saumur and Nantes.

Here’s my article on the whole trip from source to sea; where to stay, eat and more. Loire Valley Cycle Route.

More about the Region’s Cities and Attractions

Le Mans Guide – A Tale of Two Cities
24 Hours of Le Mans – The Race and The Museum

Tour the Secret Loir Valley

Regions of France

The post Guide to Glorious Angers in the Loire Valley appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The Tapestry of the Apocalypse, housed in the formidable Château d’Angers in Angers, tells the extraordinary and powerful story of the Second Coming of Christ, his victory over evil, and the end of the world. It is without doubt one of the most impressive tapestries in the world, matching the famous Bayeux Tapestry in Normandy.

View the Tapestry

Walk into the large, semi circular room and wait a minute to let your eyes adjust to take in the two rows of images that stretch into the distance.
The story is divided into six ‘chapters’ which follow the last chapter of the New Testament of St. John about the Apocalypse. Each of these chapters depicts a figure seated on a dais reading the ‘Revelations’ that you see in the scenes which follow.
The tapestry is firmly anchored in the 14^th century when it was woven with references to the life of the time, and to the English – the dreaded enemy of France during the 100 Years War which took place intermittantly between 1337 and 1453.

We might today need some help with the scenes and their significance (check out the audio guide) but to the 14^th century mind, the allusions were obvious. Look at the scene where the dragon (France) acknowledges the supremacy of the monster (England) and offers a sceptre with the French fleur-de-lys, the symbol of France, at the top. The scene comes from Revelations 12:1-2:

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with 10 horns and seven heads, with 10 diadems upon its horns and a blasphemous name upon its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it, the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.” 

Good versus evil; France versus England.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Look at the panels showing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and you’re witnessing contemporary 14^th-century France. The Black Horse refers to the famine that devastated communities suffering from the scorched-earth tactics the English army used as they made their way through France. The Pale Horse represents death, the mass casualties of the war and the black death that was ravaging France and the rest of Europe.

The Weaving of the Tapestry

The tapestry was woven in Paris between 1377 and 1382 for Louis I of Anjou. It was designed by Hennequin de Bruges (also known as Jean Bondol) who took the images from an illuminated manuscript belonging to the French King Charles V, the Duke of Anjou’s brother. Two master weavers, Nicolas Bataille and Robert Poincon, oversaw the production which involved around 35 French and Belgian weavers and took over seven years.

The Tapestry Survives

The Tapestry originally measured 133 meters (436 feet) long and six meters (20 feet) high and was displayed in Angers cathedral on special days. In the 1790s, the French Revolutionaries took the tapestry and proceeded to cut it up, using it for floor mats, protection for orange trees and filling holes in buildings.

It’s a miracle that ithis spectacular Tapestry of the Apocalypse has survived. It was all due to one Louis-François Joubert, custodian of the Cathedral of Angers’ treasures who painstakingly searched out the separate panels and had them restored between 1843 and 1870. 16 were never recovered and were probably destroyed. But today it still measures 103 metres long and 4.5 metres high.

UNESCO

In May 2023 the Tapestry was included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World register, joining other French inclusions like the films of the Lumière brothers and the Bayeux Tapestry. It constitutes the world’s largest and oldest surviving set of medieval tapestries, a woven depiction of the illuminated Anglo Norman manuscripts.

Practical Information

Château d’Angers
2 Promenade du Bout du Monde
49100 Angers
Website
Access to the ticket office is via the drawbridge of Château d’Angers

Open
May 2 to Sept 4: Daily 10am-6:30pm
Sept 5 to Apr 30: Daily 10am-5:30pm
December 24 & 31 closes at 4.30pm
Last entry 45 mins before closing time

Admission
Adult €14.00; Concessions €11; Free for under 18 years; Free with the Angers City Pass
The entry ticket gives access to the entire tour route (ramparts, courtyards, gardens, royal residence, chapel, Apocalypse gallery, interpretation trail), as well as to temporary exhibitions.

The Tapestry is in the glorious city of Angers. It’s a delightful place, perfect for a short break. Here’s my article on my stay in Angers, which was full of delightful surprises.

More Information

French Tapestry from Bayeux to Today
The Bayeux Tapestry Story

The post The Tapestry of the Apocalypse in the Château d’Angers appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The Tour de France is the world’s greatest cycling race. The 113^th race takes place from Saturday July 4, 2026. It starts in Barcelona in Spain and ends on Sunday July 26, 2026 in Paris.

The Tour de France attracts over 12 million spectators a year lining the roads. 3.5 million TV viewers in 190 countries tune in on a typical day’s coverage. I love watching it, as much for its high drama as for the glorious views of the French countryside both from the road and from helicopters and drones high above the race.

Founded in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, the editor of L’Auto newspaper, it’s the third biggest sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the FiFa World Cup.

The Tour de France Drama

The Tour de France is gruelling, exciting and dramatic. Discover the main stages, riders, facts, distances and some fun facts in this guide to the Tour de France 2026 – the 113th race.

The Tour de France 2026 Stages

The Tour de France starts in Barcelona on Saturday July 4 with a team trial. The next day is a 168.5 km hilly route from Tarragone to Barcelona. On Monday July 6 the race moves into France. It’s the third time the race has started in Spain.

The 2026 Tour de France is made up of 21 stages, covering 3,333 km (approximately 2,071 miles). In France, the race will visit 7 regions and 29 departments.

There are 21 stages: 7 flat stages, 4 hilly stages, 8 mountain stages including 5 summit finishes at Gavarnie-Gèdre, at Plateau de Solaison, Orcières-Merlette and Alpe d’Huez (twice), 1 team time trial and 1 individual time trial. 

Out of a total of 37 stage towns and sites, 10 will appear for the first time: Tarragona (start of stage 2); Granollers (start of stage 3); Les Angles (finish of stage 3); Gavarnie-Gèdre (finish of stage 6); Hagetmau (start of stage 7); Malemort (start of stage 9); Ussel (finish of stage 9) ; Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours (start of stage 12); Plateau de Solaison (finish of stage 15), and Thoiry (start of stage 21).

The Tour de France 2026 Route

Teams for the Tour de France 2026

184 riders representing 23 teams will line up for the start on Saturday 4 July in Barcelona. There are eight riders in each of the 23 teams.

Tour de France 2026 Official Teams and Riders

Here are the teams. The nationality of the team and the riders is in parentheses after every name.

Alpecin-Premier Tech (Belgium): Mathieu van der Poel (NED); Jasper Philipsen (BEL); Jonas Rickaert (BEL); Tim Marsman (NED); Sylvan Dillier (SUI); Ramses Debruyne (BEL); Bert Van Lerberghe (BEL); Emiel Verstrynge (BEL)

Bahrain Victorious (Bahrain): Phil Bauhaus (GER);  Lenny Martinez (FRA);  Damiano Caruso (ITA); Kamil Gradek (POL); Matej Mohoric (SLO); Robert Stannard (AUS); Antonio Tiberi (ITA); Vlad Van Mechelen (BEL)

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spain): Fernando Gaviria (COL); Abel Balderstone (SPA); Sebastian Berwick (AUS); Alex Molenaar (NED); Joel Nicolau (SPA); Stefano Oldani (ITA); Jakub Otruba (CZE); Jose Felix Parra (SPA)

Cofidis (France):  Ion Izagirre (SPA); Alex Aranburu (SPA); Hugo Page (FRA); Benjamin Thomas (FRA);  Piel Allegaert (BEL); Jenthe Biermans (BEL); Milan Fretin (BEL); Alex Kirsch (LUX)

Decathlon CMA GGCM (France):  Paul Seixas (FRA); Tiesj Benoot (BEL); Cees Bol (NED); Daan Hoole (NED); Olav Kooij (NED);  Aurelien Paret-Peintre (FRA); Nicolas Prodhomme (FRA); Matthew Riccitello (USA)

EF Education – Easypost (USA): Richard Carapaz (ECU); Georg Steinhauser (GER); Michael Valgren (DEN); Max Walker (GBR); Sean Quinn (USA); Ben Healy (IRE); Kasper Asgreen (DEN); Alex Baudin (FRA);

Groupama–FDJ (France): Romain Gregoire (FRA); Clément Berthet (FRA); Clément  Russo (FRA); Clémet met Braz Afonso (FRA); Ewen Costiou (FRA); Lorenzo Germani (ITA); Guillaume Martin Guyonnet (FRA); Quentin Pacher (FRA)

Lidl-Trek (Germany): Juan Ayuso (SPA) Quinn Simmons (USA); Toms Skujins (LAT); Mattias Skjelmose (DEN);  Derek James Gee (CAN); Mads Pedersen (DEN); Carlos Verona (CZE); Mathias Vacek (CZE)

Lotto-Intermarche (Belgium):  Arnaud De Lie (BEL); Huub Artz (NED); Jenno Berckmoes (BEL); Lars Craps (BEL); Liam Slock (BEL); Lennert Van Eetvelt (BEL); Baptiste Veistroffer (FRA); Georg Zimmermann (GER)

Movistar (Spain): Pablo Castrillo (SP); Cian Uijtebroeks (BEL); Pablo Castrillo (SPA); Jefferson Cepeda (ECU); Raul Garcia (SPA); Michel Hessmann (GER); Nelson Oliveira (POR); Javier Romo (SPA); Einer Rubio (COL)

Netcompany Ineos Cycle Team (Great Britain):  Egan Bernal (COL); Thymen Arensman (NED); Tobias Foss (NOR); Filippo Ganna (ITA); Dorian Godon (FRA); Michal Kwiatkowski (POL);  Joshua Tarling (GBR); Kevin Vauquelin (FRA)

NSN Cycling Team (Switzerland): Biniam Germay (ERI); Lewis Askey (GBR); George Bennett (NZL); Marco Frigo (ITA); Matis Louvel (FRA); Krists Neilands (LAT); Jake Stewart (GBR); Tom Van Asbroeck (BEL)

Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Tram (Switzerland): Tom Pidcock (GBR); Xabier Azparren Irurzun (SPA); Christopher Harper (AUS); Quenten Hermans (BEL); Damiel Craig Howson (AUS); Xandro Meurisse (BEL); Brent Van Moer (BEL); Fred Wright (GBR)

Red Bull – BRORA – Hansgrohe (Germany): Remco Evenepoel (BEL); Mattia Cattaneo (ITA); Nico Denz (GER); Jai Hindley (AUS); Florian Lipowitz (GER); Jan Tratnik (SLO); Tim Van Dijke (NED); Maxim Van Gils (BEL)

Soudal Quickstep (Belgium): Tim Merlier (BEL); Pascal Eenkhoorn (NED); Bert Van Lerberghe (BEL); Valentin Paret Peintre (FRA); Jasper Stuyven (BEL); Dylan Van Baarle (NED); Ilan Van Wilder (BEL); Louis Verbaeke (BEL)

Team Jaco Alula (Australia): Ben O’Connor (AUS); Luke Durbridge (AUS); Pascal Ackermann (GER); Felix Engelhardt (GER); Michael Matthews (AUS); Kelland O’Brien (AUS); Luke Plapp (AUS); Mauro Schmid (SUI)

Team Picnic PostNL (NED): Warren Barguil (FRA); Frits Biesterbos (NED); Pavel Bittner (CZE); John Degenkolb (GER); Robbe Dhondt (BEL); Niklas Markl (GER); Julius Van Den Berg (NED); Frank Van Den Broek (NED)

TotalEnergies (FRA): Jordan Jegat (FRA); Nicolas Breuillard (FRA); Joris Delbove (FRA); Thibault Guernalec (FRA); Mathis Leberre (FRA); Alexandre Delettre (FRA); Anthony Turgis (FRA); Matteo Vercher (FRA);

Tudor Pro Cycling Team (Switzerland): Julian Alaphilippe (FRA); Arvid De Kleijn (NED); Marco Haller (AUT); Marc Hirschi (SUI); Rick Pluimers (NED); Michael Storer (AUS); Matteo Trentin (ITA); Yannis Voisard (SUI)

UAE Team Emirates (UAE): Tadej Pogačar (SLO); Nils Politt (GER); Tim Wellens (BEL);  Adam Yates (GBR); Isaac Del Toro (MEX); Felix Grossschartner (AUT); Brandon McNulty (USA); Florian Vermeersch (BEL)

Teams by Country

The Belgians have the most riders at 31, followed by France at 30

British Teams

There are 7 British riders in Tour de France 2026: Tom Pidcock and Fred Wright (Pinarello-Q36.5); Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates); Josh Tarling (Netcompany Ineos); Lewis Askey and Jake Stewart (NSN Cycling), and Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost).

North American Teams

There are 7 USA and Canadian riders in Tour de France 2026: USA: Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates (UAE), Matteo Jorgenson and Sepp Kuss (Visma/Lease a Bike, USA); Sean Quinn (EF Education – Easypost (USA); Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek (Germany)  and Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA GGCM (France).
Canada: Derek James Gee (Lidl-Trek (Germany) 

Australian Teams

There are 11 Australian riders in Tour de France 2026: Sebastian Berwick (Team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Luke Durbridge, Michael Matthews, Kelland O’Brien, Luke Plapp and  Ben O’Connor (Team Jayco AlUla), Chris Harper and Damien Howson (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), Jai Hindley (Red Bull – BRORA – Hansgrohe (Germany), Robert Stannard (Bahrain Victorious, Bahrain), Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team)

Winners and Losers in the Tour de France

Previous winners

2025 Tadej Pogačar
2024 Tadej Pogačar
2023 Jonas Vingegaard 
2022 Jonas Vingegaard 
2021 Tadej Pogačar
2020 Tadej Pogačar
2019 Egan Bernal
2018 Geraint Thomas
2017 Chris Froome
2016 Chris Froome
2015 Chris Froome
2014 Vincenzo Nibali
2013 Chris Froome
2012 Bradley Wiggins
2011 Cadel Evans
2010 Andy Schleck

Five riders have managed to win the Tour five times:
Jacques Anquetil (France) 1957, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964
Eddy Merckx (Belgium) 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974
Bernard Hinault (France) 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985
Miguel Induráin (Spain) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995
Chris Froome (GB) 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017

Three riders have won three times:
Philippe Thys (Belgium) 1913, 1914, 1920
Louison Bobet (France), 1953, 1054, 1955
Greg Lemond (USA) 1986, 1989, 1990

The record number of wins ever was seven by Lance Armstrong of the United States (1999-2005). But after being found guilty of doping by the USADA in 2012, he was stripped of all of these titles.

Other disqualifications after the winner has been caught out:
In 1904 the winner, Maurice Garin, was stripped of his title after it was discovered that he had caught a train for part of the event
In 2006 Floyd Landis of the United States was found to have raised testosterone levels
In 2010 Alberto Contador was stripped of the win after investigations into his drug use.

And what about…

How do riders in the Tour de France pee? This seems to be a popular question which makes sense. A cyclist can just stop to pee, if possible making sure they are fairly far to the front.
The usual convention is when the leader (rider in the yellow jersey) decides where a pee spot will be, preferably in a remote part of the race. The TV cameras do not film them and riders are not allowed to take advantage of this to improve their position. Sounds very fair to me!

What the jerseys mean and prize money

A total of over 2.3 million Euros will be awarded overall, including €500,000 to the overall winner of each individual classification.

The Yellow Jersey (maillot jaune) is the overall winner of the race up to that point, awarded after each stage.
The Green Jersey is for the best sprinter. Points are awarded at the finish of each stage, and for an intermediate sprint in all normal stages.

Here’s the official website for the Tour de France 2025
Cycling News has excellent up-to-date information on the Tour de France 2025 (and is good on cycling generally). Procycling news is another good source.

Here’s the Le Tour Facebook link
Instagram link
Twitter link

Major events in July 2026 in France

More geographic information about France

More about the regions of France
More about the departments of France
More about the mountains of France

The post Guide to the Tour de France 2026 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Caen attracts two kinds of visitors: those who are there specifically for the D-Day Landing Beaches and all things World War II…and those who land here after the Channel crossing and leave immediately to drive furiously to whatever destination they’re making for. But a third kind is rapidly growing: those who take a short break in the splendid city of Caen.

Having written extensively on D-Day both here (see my list/links at the end bottom of the article) and been the co-author of the Bradt D-Day Landing Guide, I well understand the former.

But those who just see Caen as a jumping off port are missing out on this delightful, lively city where visitors who defy the usual practice and make it a destination stop are well rewarded.

A Little History of Caen

William and Mathilda

2027 will be an important year for Normandy – and Europe. It sees the international celebration of the birth of William the Conqueror and his life.

Caen is the perfect place to begin the story of this extraordinary man and his place in history. Two of the major buildings in Caen are associated with William the Conqueror (c. 1028-1087) and his wife Mathilda of Flanders (c. 1031-1083), so please excuse this very short history.

William was known as William the Bastard, being the illegitimate son of unmarried Duke Robert I of Normandy and his mistress Herleva. William’s chosen wife was the aristocratic Mathilda – granddaughter of King Robert II of France. Her reply to his declaration was pretty firm – she would not marry a bastard. The story then wanders into Mills and Boon territory. William either rode to Bruges, forced himself into her bedroom and beat her. Or he dragged her from her horse and presumably declared his undying resolve in the mud.

Apparently fascinated by such a manly response, Mathilda consented. Historians, naturally, dispute this version, but let’s not get in the way of a good story.

William and Mathilda were married in 1051 or 1052, probably in Rouen Cathedral, despite Pope Leo IX banning the union on the grounds of consanguinity – the couple were third cousins once removed. Four or five children later, Pope Nicholas II granted a dispensation after the couple agreed to found two churches as penance, the Abbaye aux Hommes and the Abbaye aux Dames. It was a typical convenient solution to a thorny problem of politics.

Top Sights in Caen

Château de Caen

Begun by William the Conqueror in 1060 and later fortified by his son Henry Beauclerk in 1123, it retains enough of the old buildings to show its size and importance. Walk over the moat into the citadel and you see how difficult the castle would be to attack. Having survived centuries of strife, ironically the greatest damage done when Caen was bombed in 1944 by the Allies. Since then restoration work has brought the castle back to its former, medieval life.

Walk up to the ramparts to reveal the city below, and in the distance the Abbaye aux Hommes.

I’d advise you to start at the Exchequer, a handsome stone building from the late 11^th century. Inside it’s empty but wait for the immersive show. The doors close behind you; the vast room darkens as the lights dim and the great salon is filled with the sounds and sights of A Journey through the 1000-year history of Caen based on the 2025 commemorative year. The history of the ancient city is revealed, taking you back into the lives of long distant ancestors, through the industrial era, on to World War II and up to today.

There’s plenty to see in the extensive grounds: the Musée de Normandie takes you at a gallop through the story of the region; the Fine Arts Museum takes you on a whistle stop tour of art through the ages and you can visit the strange tower of Queen Mathilda.

If you can allow at least half a day.

Abbaye aux Hommes

The magnificent building stands to the west of Caen. Glorious flowering gardens and a long gravel path lead you to the front of this impressive site. To one side stands the Church of Saint-Etienne, one of Normandy’s greatest Romanesque buildings and a sight to behold with its wonderful mix of Romanesque seen in the three tiers in different styles and its ornate towers.

The vast interior is plain, with an 18^th-century organ standing proud at the west end. At the east end you’ll find the tomb of William the Conqueror, though after the church was sacked by the Hugenots in the 16^th century, his remains were scattered. All that remains of him is a femur, buried beneath the stone.

The main building in the complex, designed in the 18^th century, is a wonderful example of the neo-classical style. Today it’s the town hall, but it also has a good space for temporary exhibitions. Pause for a moment in the peaceful, quiet cloisters which remove the stresses of everyday life. The monks gathered daily in the Chapter Hall to listen to one (just one) of the 73 chapters of the life of St Benedict.

Abbaye aux Dames

Founded in 1062 by Queen Matilda and consecrated in June 1066, it stands about 1 mile away from the Abbaye aux Hommes at the east end of Caen. The building is a smaller but more delightful version of the Abbaye aux Hommes; the grand façade more welcoming, the cloister smaller and more intimate.

Start at the Eglise de la Trinité, mostly built in the 11^th century in Romanesque style. Queen Matilda is buried here which I find rather sad. William and Matilda were a devoted couple and if romance played a part in history, they would have been buried together. The building is a smaller but more delightful version of the Abbaye aux Hommes; the grand façade looking more welcoming, the cloister smaller and more intimate. It was occupied by Benedictine nuns until the French Revolution then followed the usual path of such buildings. It first became a barracks, then housed beggars and the homeless, became a hospital in 1823, then a hospice in 1908, and today houses the Regional Normandy Council.

A guided tour shows you the whole building, including the crypt. It’s surrounded by a large park with lovely views over Caen.

Walk the City

Caen is an easy city to walk around and the tourist office (in the Hotel d’Esceville), conveniently located south of the castle, is the place to book a guide who starts from here.

Walk down rue St Pierre, now mainly a shopping street with bland modern buildings…except for two 16th-century half-timbered buildings at 52 and 54, that are impossible to miss.

If you’re feeling energetic and have time, take a left down rue Paul-Doumer to the Place de la Republique, laid out as a public garden. Then walk past the 17^th-Century Notre Dame de la Gloriette to Place Malherbe and into Place St Sauveur.

Stop for a coffee in Place Saint Sauveur and sit and look at the 18^th-century houses that line the sides. Shop at the market on Friday mornings for local Normandy cheeses, breads, meats and more. It’s all presided over by a statue of Louis XIV depicted as a Roman emperor rather than the Sun King. When I was there he was encased in a wooden box, decorated with some dubious Bacchanalian figures. You could see the regal figure but you could also see the back wooden wall as well. Hopefully it was temporary and he has now been restored to his real glory.

Then you are at the Abbaye aux Hommes.

Jardin des Plantes et Jardin Botanique

The collection was started in 1689 from the private garden of Jean-Baptiste Callard de la Ducquerle, a doctor and botanist. Today there’s an impressive main building and acres of plant-filled gardens. You can grab something to eat here as well. While it’s popular with locals for its advice, lessons and information on plants generally, it’s also a delightful place for visitors to wander through providing a welcome oasis in hot weather. Check opening times and ticket prices here.

Where to Stay in Caen

We stayed at The People Caen, which is an upmarket hostel. Being of a slightly older age than your normal hostel person, we were a little nervous. But it’s a fabulous place for people of any age and filled with families with the odd grandparent in tow.

Bedrooms are comfortable, light and airy though not large; bathrooms are good. There’s a rooftop bar with great views, good pizzas to order in the evening and the odd market inside selling all sorts of colourful, sometimes over-the-top kind of fashion that only suits somebody under 21.

Added to this, there’s public parking next door (though beware of using foreign credit cards; we spent a couple of hours with the very helpful receptionist trying to pay before succeeding). Once your car is safely stowed away, tram T2 starts its route here at Presqu’Île. There’s also a free shuttle bus taking you around Caen. The shuttle from here goes through the centre of town ending up at the Palais des Sports.

There are plenty of hotels in Caen, from budget accommodation to luxury.

Where to Eat in Caen

Vaugueux is the district to make for. It’s an area of small streets just east of the Château with a long pedestrianised street of excellent restaurants and bars. We walked there from the hostel, about a 20-minute pleasant stroll. Our destination? Horace.

Horace is a delightful restaurant located in one of the old houses that fill the district. We ate on the outside terrace which is a people-watching magnet. Traditional menus uses local ingredients and are excellent value. €24 and €28 menus take in crispy Camembert with apple and Normandy sausage for starters, mains such as confit of duck and salmon, and pasta for vegetarians. Desserts might include warm chocolate cake with passion-fruit sorbet and almond cake with lemon and vervain. The €42 menu includes the likes of oysters, sea bream ceviche and duck foie gras for starters, scallops, sirloin steak and more.

Horace
15 rue du Vaugueux 
14000 Caen
Tel: +33 (0) 2 31 93 50 7
Open Thursday to Monday 12noon-1.30pm & 7-9.30pm

Le Carlotta
Located on the Bassin Saint Pierre quay, Le Carlotta is a delightful Art Deco brasserie, complete with all the glorious over-the-top decorated glass, mirrors and plush red seating you expect to see in a traditional brasserie. Take advantage of the seaside location and order seafood – from oysters to a groaning fruits de mer plateau (€49 or €70). Those after turf rather than surf might go for duck confit parmentier, or a generous steak. It’s not the cheapest restaurant in Caen but it’s gracious, well positioned and serves excellent meals.

Le Carlotta
16 quai Vendeuvre
14000 Caen
Tel: +33 (0)2 31 86 68 99
Open Monday to Friday noon-2.30pm & 7-11pm

How to Get to Caen

Like most people coming from Britain, we went on Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth, one of the best ferry companies. The Guillaume de Normandie, the second of their Hybrid-LNG ships, takes ferry crossings up another level. If you go overnight book a comfortable cabin with a good bathroom. And eat if you can in the Bella Riva restaurant rather than the casual café to keep the cruise feeling. There are allergy free and pet friendly cabins as well. Public spaces are roomy and it’s remarkably quiet compared to the diesel engine ferries.  

By Sea

Top Tip:
We travelled by day, landing at Caen around 10pm. We got through French passport control fairly fast and it’s best to take the right-hand lane exiting the ferry which gives you two control points. But with the new 2026 restrictions it might take longer to get out of the French port. With our late arrival we booked at the Hotel du Phare. It’s a 3-star hotel, with a charming staff. We arrived too late to have a drink in the bar, but the manager brought us glasses and biscuits as we opened the bottle of Calvados we had bought on the ferry. Rooms are perfect for a quick overnight stay; there’s a good breakfast and you can park right outside the hotel. If you take a front view room you can see the port and the ferry, a 2-minute drive away.

Hotel du Phare
10 Place du Général de Gaulle
Ouistreham 14150
Tel: +33 (0)2 31 97 13 13
Website
Rooms from  £103 per night

Caen and World War II

Caen was the great objective of the D-Day Landings in June 1944. But it took far longer for the Allies to take than originally planned. On June 7, on their way from the Normandy landing beaches, the British and Canadian Divisions ran into the formidable German 12^th SS Panzer Division, the infamous Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth). Fighting in the villages around Caen took an extremely heavy toll, the story remembered in the many impressive memorials.

You’ll find beautifully maintained Commonwealth War Graves Commissions graveyards where the ages of those killed will make you weep. There are plenty of impressive memorials like the one dedicated to the Typhoon pilots, a dramatic black marble monument shaped as two arrows meeting, commemorating the 151 Typhoon pilots killed in Normandy between May and August 1944. It’s south of Caen at Noyage-Bocage. To the west, visit the emotive Abbaye d’Ardenne, where the Canadian Massacre memorial in a small peaceful garden remembers the 15 Canadian prisoners of war murdered on June 7.

If you want to see these, and a whole lot more, then (excuse the blatant advert), please buy a copy of the book I wrote with Alastair McKenzie, D-Day Landings, A Travel Guide to Normandy’s Beaches and Battlegrounds. It‘s published by Bradt Travel Guides and you can get it in bookshops or through Bradt Travel Guides website, or Amazon.  

Mémorial de Caen 

If you only have time for one museum to visit outside the centre, make it the Mémorial de Caen. It covers both world wars in detail, but is particularly strong on World War II. Superb themes, artefacts, videos and more will really bring history to life. But be warned, some of the story is very uncomfortable. The museum moves from One War to Another, through France in the dark years of the 30s, from European to World War, through Genocide, and propaganda to the end of the war…and what impact it had. There’s an excellent section on the D-Day Landings which I recommend you see before setting off around the sites around Caen. It ends with a 19-minute film.

The museum then continues to the Cold War and beyond. Well worth seeing is the separate underground bunker of General Richter, who directed the 716th German Infantry Division, and ran the German Normandy defence of the coast from here.

Le Mémorial de Caen
Esplanade Général Eisenhower
CS 55026
14050 Caen Cedex 4
Tel : +33 (0) 2 31 06 06 45
Website
Opening times vary during the year so check the website. But mainly the museum is open daily 9am-6pm.
Tickets: Adult €20.80; child and seniors €18.50; Family €53. Other rates valuable.
Combined tickets with other attractions also available.

More about Normandy

Normandy Impressionist Festival 2026
Normandy and Impressionism – A general overall look at the great Impressionist art movement and what to see in Normandy
Guide to the Impressionist Painters
Normandy Travel Guide – What to see and Do in Normandy
Getting to Normandy

World War II in Normandy

D-Day Landing Beaches from Utah to Sword

Caen Tourism Website

The post Guide to Caen in Normandy appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

You’ll come across flea markets and brocante fairs all over France. The French have all sorts of different brocante fairs: vide-greniers, dépôts-vente and braderies. Their brocante is our bric-a-brac,and going to a flea market or brocante sale is part of a summer holiday. The only slight drawback? You’ll have to be pretty quick to pick up the kind of fabulous bargain you might have found in the past.

The French have discovered the attractions of those old tins, quaint farm implements and Art Nouveau china. Everything is here, including items you didn’t even know existed. Browse stalls from antiques and Art Deco to tin signs and breakfast bowls, from china to old books, jewellery to glassware.

Flea markets and brocante fairs are great fun and you can pick up the odd bargain. If you see something you fall in love with and it’s a bit more than you budgeted, well go for it anyway. You may never see such an item again…anywhere.

Flea markets and brocante fairs are all-year round affairs, but come high summer they’re joined by vide-greniers (literally emptying the attics) when whole villages become one glorious rummage sale.

Paris Flea markets (Marchés aux Puces)

These Paris flea markets are world famous, and very crowded in high season (and pretty busy all year round). They take place at weekends, and the major ones are on the Boulevard Périphérique ring road. 

Saint Ouen

The big daddy of them all is Saint Ouen, better known as the Clignancourt Flea Market or Puces de Clignancourt. Founded in the 19^th century, it’s an enormous site. 14 distinct markets offer, well…everything from paintings and tapestries to antique musical instruments, from old photographs to vintage garments.
Be prepared for crowds; this is the 5^th large tourist attraction in France, visited by 5 million bargain hunters annually.
It’s open Sat, Sun 9am-6pm; Mon 11am-5pm.
Metro: Porte de Clignancourt (ligne 4) / Garibaldi (ligne 13)

Puces de Vanves

Puces de Vanves is less famous and smaller, occupying two streets. It’s easier to navigate but if you want the best and the bargains get there early, around 7.30am. There are plenty of places to pick up a coffee and croissant. Around 350 stalls set up in Avenue Marc Sangnier and Ave Georges Lafenestre, Paris 14.
It’s open Sat and Sun 7am-2pm.
Metro: Ligne 13 to Porte de Vanves

Puces de Montreuil

Puces de Montreuil is more of a flea market where 500 stalls are piled high with a mixture of objects and quality. It’s not as popular with tourists as the other flea markets, so you might be able to find a bargain. Alongside antiques are second-hand clothes, and designer copies, hardware and the odd gems like posters and prints.
It’s open Saturday to Monday 7am-7.30pm.
Metro: Ligne 9 to Porte de Montreuil

Vide-greniers

Many small towns and villages hold vide-greniers in the summer. Some are good; some not so good. But they’re always fun. They’re usually a mix of locals emptying their attics or barns, and professional brocante dealers. It’s easy to tell which is which – the dealers have large vans, renovated furniture, better items and the best spots. Families often have children selling their toys and parents getting rid of well…pretty much everything.

I’ve found many bargains (or what I think are bargains) in my local vide-greniers at Paulhaguet in the Auvergne: bistrot glasses, a whole slew of lovely mismatched plates and crockery, and old kitchen equipment that given a quick clean and polish now takes pride of place in my house.

A week or two before, you’ll come across hand-made signs on the roads around the villages announcing their vide-greniers, which often come with very local festivals, and the odd rustic dance and fireworks. Or go to the local tourist office which will have information on the sales in your area.

There’s also an excellent French vide-greniers website giving most of the sales by department so they are easy to find. It also gives local Christmas markets and special brocante fairs.

Dépot-ventes

The French flock to dépot-ventes, shops or warehouses where you can buy second-hand goods. They exist all over France; just look for the signs outside buildings. Many of them are commercial ventures, individually owned, but there are a couple of organizations that fall into the depot-ventes category with outlets throughout the country.

Emmaus

We came across an Emmaus store in Le Puy-en-Velay in the Auvergne but there are Emmaus outlets all over France.

The international Emmaus Movement was founded by L’Abbé Pierre (1912-2007), a French catholic priest who was a member of the Resistance in World War II then became a politician. Emmaus helps the poor, the homeless and refugees. The shops collect donations and then sort, sometimes repair/renovate the items and sell them on.

The shops are run by volunteers and can be pretty chaotic. They can yield the odd treasure, but can also be depressingly full of junk. You just have to take a chance. Having said that, I’ve bought collections of cutlery for a couple of euros, a collectable small Pernod jug, and a chair that may be full of woodworm but which is very beautiful.

You’ll need to check with the local tourist office for locations of the Emmaus shops. The website advises you in French about your local store, but it’s not an easy site to navigate.

Troc.com

This is another organization with depots all over France. Again, you take pot luck. You have to sort through an awful lot of stuff and they take new items from bankrupt shops or stock as well.

My latest haul included a wooden cradle with basket, a set of butchers’ hooks which double as coat hooks and a wooden spice rack. I rejected a rather battered wooden statue of Serge Gainsbourg in his early years looking pretty disheveled and have regretted it ever since.

Check the nearest troc.com at the local tourist office or search online for your nearest. Their website is more geared up to buying/selling on line and not very helpful.

Annual Brocante Fairs

Annual brocante fairs have become famous in France. The best known is the 34-hour market in Lille, but there are brocante fairs in Amiens and the rest of France as well. Check them out, with their dates, in the Best Brocante and Flea Market Fairs.

Looking for antiques in Normandy

Le Perche in lower Normandy is a lovely area and less well known to visitors. But if you’re an antiques lover you must visit the area. It’s full of brocante shops so there’s a good choice. However you will have competition; it’s a favorite area for Parisians who are always on the lookout for chic items for their chic apartments.

A useful source for antiques in Normandy and Pays de la Loire is this private facebook group which has lots of information on where to buy, what people are stocking etc. It was started by Cider Barn Brocante in Le Housseau-Brétignolles in Mayenne. Read the story about the founder and her move to France and a new life here.

Bellême has good antique shops and also holds an antiques and brocante fair each weekend. Check the shops at the tourist office.
Mortagne-au-Perche and Nogent-le-Rotrou have a good selection of antique shops.

Take the D923 south west of Nogent-le-Rotrou for 6.5 kms/4.8 miles and you’ll come to La Brocante de Brigitte. It’s one of the roadside barns full of tempting items in the area.

If you’re doing a serious antique shopping expedition to Normandy, take the car! Check out how to get to Normandy here.
More about Normandy
As you travel around France you’ll come across many more flea markets and brocante fairs, not to mention local vide-greniers.

Happy rummaging!

More Shopping in France

Here’s information on discount and outlet shopping, as well as annual sales in France
Provence Food Markets are some of the best in the world

More things to do in France in the summer

Events in France in July
Events in France in August

The post Guide to Flea Markets and Brocante Fairs in France appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The best Christmas markets in north France are just a short ferry ride across the English Channel, then there’s a great choice in the region from Lille down to Le Touquet. You can just do a short day trip to the nearest, but if it’s possible it’s much more fun to stay over. Take your car, visit any of the best Christmas markets in north France, eat a good meal and stay overnight. Then come home packed with goodies.  
Please Note: Hotel prices are from the low season, but that suits a Christmas Market trip!

Here you’ll find details on the markets, dates, how to get there and that all-important detail…where to stay.

Amiens in Picardy

Amiens has France’s largest Gothic cathedral. At Christmas it is transformed by its spectacular son-et-lumière show. It makes the perfect backdrop to the annual market.

Amiens’ Christmas market is big with over 130 chalets selling food, drink and gifts from all over France, but also from further afield and places like Canada and India. There are special Christmas-themed rides for children (don’t miss the train), and a Big Wheel for the older ones. It takes place in the center of the city in Place Gambetta and the surrounding streets.

Amiens Market Dates: Nov 21-Dec 30, 2025 from 10:30am (except Monday morning) to 7:30pm (9pm Fridays and Saturdays).

More about Amiens

How to get to Amiens from the UK

Where to Stay in Amiens

Hôtel Le Prieuré et La Résidence is a chic 3-star hotel in two different buildings. The main 3-star hotel is in a former residence of a canon of the cathedral. It’s right in the old centre of town, has a range of 12 beautifully decorated rooms from the saintly and traditional to the fu

0.nky and modern.
Rates: Double/twin room from €77. Breakfast €12.50.

The 5-star Hôtel Marotte is at the top end of the range, and well worth the money. Set in a Flemish-style former house, this boutique hotel is now an Art Deco lover’s dream. It’s right in the action, has a wine and Champagne bar and tea room, and a spa. There’s a separate modern extension with spectacular huge suites.  
Rates: Double/Twin from €295.

Arras

If you can, come when St Nicholas abseils down the belfry on 6 December. There are bands playing on Fridays.

Arras Christmas Market information

Arras Market Dates: Nov 28-Dec 30, 2025

More about Arras

How to get to Arras from the UK

Where to Stay in Arras

Check into what was once a 17^th-century Jesuit monastery. Gone is the austerity; in its place the Hôtel de l’Univers offers 38 large, prettily decorated rooms just a few minutes away from the main action. It has a restaurant, and is family friendly.
Rates:  Doubles inc breakfast from €102.

Béthune

Béthune is another one of those places that you normally pass by. But stop there and you’ll say ‘Wow; why haven’t I been here before?’ Most of the centre was destroyed in World War I. But standing in the square and looking at the 14^th-century belfry, still extraordinarily intact after surviving the destruction, you wouldn’t know. The pretty houses around the square are a wonderful mix of baroque, Art Deco and…’what period is that one’ style?

So a visit to the Christmas market is doubly worthwhile. Over 50 chalets sell all the goodies you could want; there’s a carousel, big Big Wheel, sparkly Christmas tree, childrens section, special train and large covered ice rink.

Béthune Market Dates: Nov 28-Dec 28, 2025

More about Béthune and its market

How to get to Béthune from the UK

Where to Stay in Béthune

Le Vieux Beffroi is simply decorated and good value. And it is just steps away from the main square. It has a restaurant and bar.
Rates: Double/Twin room from €67. Breakfast €9.90.

Boulogne-sur-Mer

The Christmas market might only be one weekend in December, but it’s such a great market and such a great city that I thoroughly recommend you go here for your Christmas shopping.

The market is held in the delightful vielle ville  (old town) which many visitors miss. Rue de Lille in full of chalets selling local delicacies (don’t miss the herrings!) and lovely gifts. There’s plenty of street theatre going on as well with elves cavorting (in the nicest possible way), and knights on wooden hobby horses entertaining you and the family. At the end of the rue de Lille stands the great, rather bombastic cathedral. The priest who had it built wanted something like St Peter’s in Rome; there’s nothing wrong with ambition.

Boulogne-sur-Mer Market Dates: Dec 12-14, 2025

More about Boulogne-sur-Mer

How to get to Boulogne-sur-Mer from the UK

Where to Stay in Boulogne-sur-Mer

To be near the market in the old town (and the château, museum, gardens, restaurants etc.,) and for a really interesting and pretty place to stay, try the upmarket L’Enclos de l’Evêché. The bed and breakfast has 3 bedrooms, all delightfully decorated in different styles. There’s a bar and a good breakfast.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €100 inc breakfast.

For a really great experience, check into the 4-star, 35-roomed La Matelote. It’s on the seafront and right opposite Nausicaá – the excellent Centre National de la Mer. Rooms are comfortable though some can be on the small side. For the best, book a room with a terrace looking out to sea. There’s a Michelin-starred restaurant with excellent set menus (very good indeed), and a spa with swimming pool. It’s family owned and it shows with the friendly welcome.
Rates: Double/Twin room from €134.

Calais

Calais enjoys Christmas and does it very well. The Christmas Village takes over the large Place d’Armes and from 25 November, there’s also a forest of Christmas trees and a Nativity Creche to see.

There’s a Christmas letterbox open from the start of December (and Santa will answer!). There are all the usual jolly stalls, plus a 1900s 2-tier carousel and a skating rink you can whizz around. There are plenty of carol concerts, late openings in the shops and special offers.

If you’re in Calais don’t miss the great Calais Dragon as he huffs and puffs his way around town. He can take up to 50 passengers and lives on the Calais seafront so you often see him as you come in by ferry.

Calais Christmas Market Dates: Nov 29, 2025-Jan 5, 2026

More in my Guide to Calais

More about Calais and the Christmas Market

How to get to Calais from the UK

Where to Stay in Calais

The 3-star Hôtel Meurice is one of Calais’ two rather splendid old-fashioned hotels. It’s next to the very good Fine Arts Museum, and has been welcoming guests (many of them British) since 1771. Its large rooms are pleasantly decorated; there’s a good restaurant and a bar which is distinctly British and club-like. It’s a 10-minute walk from the train station.
Rates: Double/Twin room from €79. Breakfast from €8.

Hôtel Métropole is another of those old-fashioned hotels that offer no surprises but comfort and good value. 40 rooms are well-sized; there’s a bar and the breakfast really satisfies. It’s a 5-6 minute walk from the train station and central Calais.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €79.

For a good, modern option go for the Ibis Styles Calais Centre. It’s in central rue Royale, has good, simply decorated rooms and a jolly breakfast area. It’s about 6 minutes from the train station and in the same street as one of my favourite Calais restaurants, Histoire Ancienne (at number 20). Children 15 and under stay free with an adult.
Rates: Double/Twin from €88, breakfast included.

Dunkirk

Dunkirk (Dunkerque) is a small town well worth visiting, quite apart from the World War II Operation Dynamo sites. Their Christmas market opens in Place de la République, Place Jean Bart, and Place Charles Valentin. 50 chalets with good gifts; a big wheel, a Christmas forest complete with elves of course, a free ice rink and a whole lot of extra events. Santa Claus arrives in style to be welcomed to his castle (the town hall) at 5.45pm on 6 December (TBC).

Dunkirk Christmas Market Dates: 2025 Dates to be confirmed. Nov 27-Dec 27,2024

More about Dunkirk

How to get to Dunkirk from the UK

Where to Stay in Dunkirk

Try the good value, simple All Suites Apart Hôtel by the water. There are useful kitchenettes and good sized rooms.  
Rates: Double/Twin from €72. Breakfast €12.50.

Licques

You may not have heard of Licques. But this small town just 21 kms south of Calais rates pretty highly in French folklore at Christmas. For one weekend in mid December the town offers a great regional Christmas food market. So far, so good. What makes Licques stand out is the Fête de la Dinde. The turkey festival sees a gaggle of well-fed birds running through the town herded on Sunday morning by the Confrerie de Licques, the local bigwigs. It’s a competition for the best bird, and boy is it competitive. You’re offered a glass of the local liqueur, Licquoise, and you can then choose which bird you’re going to buy for the Christmas meal. The weekend ends with a dinner dance.

Licques Market and Turkey Parade Dates: Probably Dec 10 to 12, 2024 (Turkey parade on Dec 12).

More about Licques from the nearby Tourist Office

How to get to Licques

Where to Stay in Licques

Base yourself in Calais

La Longère d’Ecottes is a pretty bed and breakfast in Licques. It’s a pretty house with a terrace and garden. But it is closed in winter, opening in April 2026.
Rates: Double/Twin room €90 including breakfast.

Lille

Lille is one of my favourite cities and I’m not alone. Its Christmas market in Place Rihour has around 90 wooden chalets selling gifts from around the world. There’s a big Big Wheel and a huge Christmas tree while festive lights twinkle all over Lille.

Lille Christmas Market Dates: Nov 19-Dec 30, 2025.

How to get to Lille from the UK

Where to Stay in Lille

The 3-star Hôtel de la Treille in the heart of old Lille was built in 1988 but is decorated in classic style. So you get modern comfort with old-fashioned elegance. It’s friendly and welcoming.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €125, breakfast €10 to €14 according to type of package.

Please note: The hotel operates a 2-night only booking basis at busy times of the year.

The Brueghel is a constant favourite. The hotel in a 19^th-century Flemish-style building is tucked away down a side street. Rooms are simply but well decorated with antiques throughout, and it’s just 200 metres from the Grand Place.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €134. Breakfast from €12. Breakfast is included in more expensive rooms.

Le Touquet Paris-Plage

Fashionable, stylish with a great history connected to Britain, Le Touquet Paris-Plage (to give it its formal name; most people just refer to Le Touquet), is a favourite seaside resort. Its a good place for presents and food. It takes place in the lovely covered market so you won’t have to worry about the weather.
There’s lots going on in Le Touquet, starting on the weekend of 25, 26 November with lights being turned on, a jazz band, fireworks and more. Father Christmas drives through the streets on certain days when you can give him your letters. Events, many at the weekends, continue to 1 January with a New Year swim. Here’s the programme.

Le Touquet Christmas Market Dates: Nov 28, 2025-Jan 4, 2026

More about the Christmas market in Le Touquet

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage renamed its airport in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. More on that here.

How to get to Le Touquet from the UK

Where to Stay in Le Touquet

The splendid L’Hôtel Barrière Le Westminster takes you back to a bygone, elegant age. It’s been recently refurbished and is very splendid indeed. Behind its Art Deco façade, you’ll find a Spa Nuxe, Michelin-starred restaurant, Art Deco brasserie and indoor pool.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €253.

Stay just outside the centre in the splendidly traditional golf hotel Le Manoir. It’s set in the leafy, forest-like part of Le Touquet, is very comfortable and near the excellent golf course. If you’re a golfer they have special packages.
Rates: Double/Twin rooms from €119.

Saint-Omer

Saint-Omer is a delightful town, known for its excellent food market. So this is a good place to visit at Christmas when the main square, Place Foch, gets covered in red carpet for the carousels, a big wheel and stalls selling mulled wine for parents. It’s a small market but particularly good for young children with special stalls like the one offering fishing for ducks. Find the artisan stalls on the smaller square, Place Victor Hugo.

Saint-Omer Christmas Market: Nov 28, 2025-Jan 1, 2026

Saint-Omer Tourist Office

How to Get to Saint-Omer

Where to Stay in Saint-Omer

L’Industrie has just 6 rooms, located above a well-known and popular restaurant in the centre of Saint-Omer.

Rates: Double/Twin Rooms from €80; Breakfast €13.50.

Ibis Saint-Omer is a good hotel with a popular restaurant; it’s part of the Mercure chain.

Rates: Double/Twin from €95.

So which are your best Christmas markets in north France? Please do send me your comments, so I can add your favorites.

Check out my article on the Best Christmas Markets throughout France from the North to Avignon.

Hauts-de-France region has wonderful food, so wonderful in fact that it was awarded the 2023 European Gastronomy Award.

Best Restaurants in north France (not always the most expensive!)

Here’s the story of food in Hauts-de-France.

And if it helps…here’s a bit more information

How the French celebrate Christmas

Festive Christmas Food in France

Events in France in November 2025

Events in France in December 2025

Food Festivals in France

French Public Holidays

More about getting to France from the UK

Most of the towns have cheap hotels. Check the budget hotel chain options.

The post Best Christmas Markets in North France in 2025 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Visiting the glorious Christmas markets in France is one of the great joys of the holidays, for both the French and for foreign visitors. These wonderful Christmas marchés de Noël fill cities, towns and villages throughout France from the end of November through December with some going on for a few days in January 2026.

Here’s my pick of some of the best Christmas markets in France. They run from Caen in Normandy to Avignon in the south. And in the east, the oldest Christmas market of all, in Strasbourg. If you know of a Christmas market you think I should include, please do tell me.

I have included times when I have them. Check with the local tourist office for more information. Christmas markets are closed on December 25 (except for Colmar and Toulouse); many finish early on Dec 24 and Dec 31. Some continue into the first few days of January 2026.

Here you’ll find the best Christmas markets in North France . The north France article also covers accommodation which I check regularly. So I hope you’ll find it useful. One of my favourites is in Amiens where France’s oldest Gothic cathedral provides the perfect backdrop.

North France

Normandy

Caen

Caen is a wonderful city to visit but it’s too often used only as a ferry entry port for holiday makers going south and visitors miss its glories. The Christmas market adds a great reason to visit Caen in the winter. Over 60 wooden chalets fill Place de la République and Boulevard Maréchal Leclerc, with the lit up château on the nearby hill providing the right backdrop. Traditional French items from nativity figurines to pain d’épices (gingerbread), and a grotto with Father Christmas. Eat good snacks, and take a glass of mulled wine (or Calvados – you’re in the heart of the area!)

On Saturday 6 December around 5.30 pm when it’s dark, the theatre company Les Quidams takes to the streets. The actors become ivory horses, prancing and dancing through the city centre with Santa Claus.

Caen Christmas Market Dates: Nov 29-Dec 28, 2025.
Closed Dec 25 and closes on Dec 24 and 31 at 4pm.
Caen Market Information

Rouen

The ancient city of Rouen and capital of Normandy always pulls out the stops. 82 wooden chalets sell all the great French goodies in the Place de la Cathédrale with the magnificent backdrop of the cathedral as an illuminated backdrop.

Skating rinks and Santa’s Grotto feature at Rouen Givré (Frosty Rouen). There’s plenty of street entertainment taking over the city’s historic streets (including of course the place where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake).

Rouen Christmas Market: Nov 21, 2025-Jan 5, 2026
Open Mon 2-8pm; Tues-Thurs 11am-8pm; Fri 11am-9pm; Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-8pm.

Rouen Tourist Office

Champagne

Reims

Christmas is the time for bubbly and Christmas so it’s appropriate that Reims, capital of Champagne, holds one of the biggest fairs in the region and it’s one of the best Christmas markets in France. It takes place at les promenades Jean Louis Schneiter, in front of the station and on the esplanades port de Mars. But you’ll also find a lot of smaller markets throughout the city offering gourmet experiences, children’s entertainment more. 150 chalets offer good quality gifts, glass, ceramics, food and wine.

Reims Christmas Market: Nov 26-December 28, 2025
Mon 2-8pm, Tues-Thurs 10.30am-8pm; Fri, Sat 10.30am-9pm; Sun 10.30am-8pm. Monday Dec 20 & 27 10.30am-8pm.

If you’re here visit one of the great Champagne houses in Reims.

And try to make the great Champagne and Christmas weekend in Epernay. I had a wonderful time at Les Habits de Lumière as the second city of Champagne lets its hair down in spectacular fashion. This year it’s Dec 12th to 14th.

Paris

You’ll find Christmas markets all over Paris. There are between 15 and 20 of them!

Paris Christmas Markets

Notre-Dame Cathedral Market

Nov 28-Dec 25, 2025
The Christmas market beside Notre-Dame promises an exciting mix of stalls selling arts and crafts and some very good gourmet delights. The great medieval cathedral of Paris re-opens on Dec 8, 2024 so time your visit later to see how far the restoration has got.
6 Parvis Notre-Dame
Pl. Jean-Paul II
Paris 1
Metro:  Hôtel de Ville

La Magie de Noël (Jardin de Tuileries)

Visit the Tuileries Christmas market just by the Louvre, where 100 or so stalls offer all the right treats. There’s a huge Big Wheel, plus carnival rides, an ice skating rink, and a Champagne bar if you’re fed up with mulled wine. It glitters and sparkles with all the magic of the season.
Nov 15, 2025-Jan 4, 2026

Jardin de Tuileries
Place de la Concorde
Paris 1
Metro: Tuileries or Concorde

East France

Alsace

Alsace first introduced Christmas markets into France from Germany so it’s a particularly rich region for the festive season.

Colmar

Colmar has 6 different markets in the old city. It’s mainly pedestrianised so you can stroll around them easily. 60 wooden huts in the Place des Domenicans sell decorations and gifts. In the Place Jeanne d’Arc you can stock up on local food and drink from cured meats to wines and eau-de-vie spirits. 50 more surround the Schwendi fountain by the canal. The indoor market in the medieval Koïfhus sells local artisans’ works. After you’ve bought to your heart’s content here, drop into the Decapole Hall for more in a museum setting.

A children’s market takes over Petite Venise where you can let the children loose on the merry-go-round before they post a letter to Father Christmas. Don’t miss the evenings when children sing carols from boats moored on the canal. There are skating rinks and many of the nearby shopsare open on Sundays during the Market.

Colmar really pushes the boat out with carol concerts and choirs all around the city as well as special events. The city describes itself as an ‘open-air theatre’ and for once, it’s true.

Colmar Christmas Market: Nov 25, 2025-Jan 4, 2026
Mon-Thurs 11am-7pm; Fri-Sun 10am-8pm. Dec 24: 10am-5pm; Dec 25, 26: 11am-7pm.

Metz

Metz is another of those fabulously popular and top Christmas market in France, rivalling Strasbourg. 5 different markets stretch out with over 120 chalets , from Place de la République with its huge lit up tree to the gourmet train in Place de la Comédie. Christmas tasting specialities are in Place Saint-Jacques; a big wheel in Place d’Armes that looks over the cathedral, and local arts and crafts in Place Saint Louis.

Metz Christmas Market Nov 24-Dec 30, 2024  
Place Saint Louis/Saint-Jacques/d’Armes/la Republique
Sun to Thurs 11am-9pm; Fri, Sat 11am-10pm.

Place de la Comédie Sun to Thurs 5pm-11pm, Fri, Sat 11am-11pm. 

Mulhouse

Make your way to the Place de la Réunion in the old city centre overlooked by the lovely city hall. Here you find around 90 wooden chalets, all decorated in a special fabric designed each year. It’s an appropriate thing to do; the Museum of Printed Textiles has the largest collection of textile images in the world. The textile industry, which enriched the city from the 18th century, began in 1746.

Again the city has special markets and events like the opening of the Advent calendar on December 1, concerts of Christmas music and bric-a-brac days.

Mulhouse Christmas Market: Nov 21 to Dec 27, 2025
Sun-Thurs 11am-8pm; Fri 11am-9pm; Sat 10am-9pm. Dec 24, 27 10am-6pm; Dec 26 noon-8pm.

Strasbourg

It all began, so the story goes, in Strasbourg in 1570. Today, the biggest city in Alsace welcomes around 2 million visitors to its Christkindelsmärik.

300 stands spread out from Place Broglie and Cathedral Square to other parts of the city. The highest Christmas tree in Europe occupies Place Kleber with a further two trees erected in Place des Hall, lighting up daily at 5pm. Over 300 stalls fill the streets with all sorts of goodies.

This is one of the great European Christmas markets and the city responds with a spectacular light display. Walk through the illuminated entrances on either end of the Grand rue. The rue des Tonneliers is appropriately decorated with 22 twinkling barrels. You can skate outside the cathedral and follow the Nativity Trail from the Bishop’s place in Rue Brulée, in windows of shops along Rue des Juifs, and the Place du Chateau. 

Strasbourg Christmas Market: Nov 26 to Dec 24, 2025

Franche-Comté

Montbéliard

Les lumières de Noël transform this delightful town into a glittering Christmas event. 180 stalls cluster around Saint Paul and the surrounding streets, selling high quality artisan good and gifts. There are exhibitions, concerts and street spectacles. For something different the good fairy Aunt Airie accompanies Father Christmas.

Montbéliard Christmas Market: Nov 22-Dec 24, 2025
Mon 2-8pm; Tues-Sat 10.30am-8pm; Fri 10.30am-9pm; Sat 1-am-9pm; Sun 10am-9pm except Dec 24 when it closes at 6pm.

South of France

Avignon

The Cour Jean Jaurès has 20 wooden chalets selling food and drink from the region and beyond. Stock up on chocolates, truffles, sausages, olives and more either here and in the Place de l’Horloge.

Or take home designer items like olive wood spoons and boards, jewellery and textiles, particularly Provençal fabrics. You won’t have to go far to find santons, little painted terracotta nativity figures. The best artisan ones are expensive, but will last a lifetime.

The town hall has an astonishing nativity scene. You’ll find jazz, concerts, exhibitions and more at the various museums and attractions throughout the city.

Midnight Masses and Nativity celebrations take place on Dec 24th and 25th.

Avignon Christmas Market: Nov 28-Dec 28, 2025
Daily 10am-7pm

Toulouse

Held in December in the centre of this lovely pink city, the market has a bit of everything from gourmet region food specialties (of course) to local artisans’ stalls. Over 100 stalls are in the spacious Place du Capitol square.

Toulouse Christmas Market: Nov 27-Dec 28, 2025
Sun-Thurs 10.30am-8.30pm; Fri, Sat 10.30am-10pm; Dec 24 10.30am-7pm; 25 2-8.30pm; 26 10.30am-7pm

French Atlantic Coast

Bordeaux

If you’re on the French Atlantic coast, the Bordeaux Christmas market is a definite must. Over 150 stalls sell great gifts, food and of course mulled wine. It mostly takes place in the Allées de Tournay but there’s also the Darwin Christmas Market which features socially and environmentally conscious artisans environmentally-conscious artisans there. This year try the new organic chocolate stand where they make and sell chocolate. The boat has its floating Christmas market; there are great light shows, a Christmas circus, concerts by candlelight and more.

Bordeaux Christmas Market: Nov 28-Dec 28, 2025
Daily 11am-9pm

Guide to Glorious Bordeaux
And while you’re there, don’t miss the Cité du Vin

If you’re in the Loire Valley or Paris, visit one of the châteaux that dress themselves up so beautifully over the Christmas holidays. A Christmas Châteaux.

And if it helps…here’s a bit more information

The best Christmas Markets in north France

How the French celebrate Christmas

Festive Christmas Food in France

Events in France in November 2025

Events in France in December 2025

Food Festivals in France

French Public Holidays

More Practical Information

More about Getting to France from the UK

Most of the towns have cheap hotels. Check the budget hotel chain options.

The post Best Christmas Markets in France 2025 appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The Cité du Vin stands beside the Garonne River in the Bacalan district. The tall building has been described in so many different ways. To some it looks like a sailing vessel; to others a lookout post, or a lighthouse. Or how about the coiled growth of a vine, or wine poured into a decanter?

Whatever you may think of the building, there’s no doubt about its importance. Not only is it an inspiring place to learn more about wine and enjoy tastings, it’s been given one of those designations that the French so delight in (and let’s face it, they do so well). It’s part of the official Make it Iconic. Choose France campaign, along with the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame-de-Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel.

Cité du Vin was started in 2008 and opened in 2016. Its completion marked the beginning of a huge expansion of the Bacalan area, the former commercial port. It’s now a vibrant and exciting part of Bordeaux.  

The Permanent Exhibition

Once you’re past the ground floor, with its shop, wine shop, conference space, The Latitude Brasserie and café, terrace, gardens, tickets and restrooms, you go up to the exhibition. It’s beautifully designed with spaces that meld into each other, separated by tall wooden columns that might suggest a cathedral, or a little more prosaically, a wooden wine bottle.

The Story Begins

Huge screens fill the initial Vineyards of the World space with spectacular images. Landscapes vary from Tahiti to the slopes of Mount Fuji. I learnt so much on the way: in the Moselle Valley vines are planted on very steep slopes to get the most of the sun; in Santorini they train canes of vines into wreaths to protect the grapes from the harsh sandy winds of the island. The vines of Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes in Argentina, capture the water that runs down from the glaciers; Finland is the most northerly country producing wines.

The Winemaker

This section is for those interested in the process. Even I, a little doubtful about this, lingered over the terroirs that produce different flavours, and the year in the life of a winemaker, which according to the poetic captions…’means living to the rhythm of the plant’s growth…trembling before the vagaries of the weather. Will June rain destroy the flowers? Will it bring disease?…It also means pruning, pulling away the canes, pruning again, attaching, debudding…’ and so on.
You come out feeling nothing but admiration for the winemakers.

Through the Ages

The Gallery of Civilisations is where I lost myself and spent most of my time. Wine has been part of our life since 6,000 B.C. but the story really begins with the ancient Greeks. The gallery covers thousands of years in a few galleries and does it with style and humour.

As Homer wrote in 8 B.C:

‘There is no moment more delightful in life than that when guests, sitting around a well-laden table, lend their ears to a minstrel while the cup-bearer, drawing wine from an amphora, fills every cup!’

And there you have it.

You’re taken through the taverns of Pompeii (particularly debauched), into the world of the ‘heavenly wines of the Pharoahs’ who took wine into the afterlife, to the first wines mixed with sea water (courtesy of the Greeks), medieval wines ‘as clear as an eye’ and on to Pasteur whose research into the fermentation of wine and its effects made him the progenitor of modern oenology.

Stories are told in this series of delightful small rooms with pictures and quotes. As Galileo wrote: ‘Wine is the sunlight held together by water’.

The Art of Living

Here you get to do all sorts of fun things, like sniffing different smells and trying to identify them. And listening to what the great and the good, and sometimes the pompous and the mad, have said about wine with more videos and clips from films that feature wine.

‘A real connoisseur does not drink a wine but tastes its secrets.’ Salvador Dali (1904-1989).

I particularly like the quote by Nikoloz Doborjinidze, founder of Georgia’s Space Research Agency in 2019: ‘Our ancestors brought wine to Earth so we can now do the same to Mars’.

You look at maps, and it becomes clear why vineyards in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere in the world are mainly located along waterways. It’s partly because water tempers the harshest weather but it’s mainly down to transport. Until railways took over in the 19^th century, rivers and canals offered the best, often the only, way to get your wine to market.

Guide to Bordeaux Wines

And of course there is a large, fascinating section about the wines of Bordeaux. The section takes you out of the city into the great surrounding wine-growing regions of Médoc, Graves and Sauternes, Blaye and Bourg, Saint-Emilion Pomerol and Fronsac, and Entre-Deux-Mers…names to conjure with.

Via Sensoria

The prospect of an immersive wine tour where ‘sensory experiences and tastings meet in the heart of unique dreamlike spaces…’ filled me with dread. In typical French hyperbole, Via Sensoria promises stimulating the senses, a physical and emotional transition. And to get to the pre-booked experience, I had to give up seeing more of the permanent exhibition which I was hugely enjoying.

So I was delighted when the Via Sensoria turned out to be fascinating…and different. Our small group was taken into the space by the sommelier. We sat down, gentle lights came on and images filled the space we had been ushered into. It’s done so well that even my sceptical shoulders relaxed and I felt cautious optimism.

The sommelier takes you through four seasonal pavilions. Each one has a different setting and mood; each is decorated with glass panels depicting the season you are in. At each season, there’s a brief description from the sommelier as you do the tasting.  

Spring gives you ducklings, fresh buds, rising sap, the sun rising and… a lovely yellow Sauvignon Blanc with a whisper of fresh grass. This wine is from the Loire where the lack of water leads to the roots going deep down. There’s a touch of grapefruit in the taste.

Summer brings a wine which is served in black glasses so you have to use your nose not your eyes. It’s a Clairet from Bordeaux, half way between a deep rosé and light red. It’s light and fresh with hints of strawberry and blackcurrant.

Autumn takes you to Georgia where wine is stored in big terracotta barrels. The pavilion evokes the wind blowing, the trees stripped of their leaves, and the harvest. The wine, made from the Saperavi grape variety is rich; and we also taste a cassis syrup of blackcurrant berries.

Everywhere there are appropriate quotes about wine.

In autumn, one from the Lebanese/Canadian author, Nami Moukheiber.

A little autumn wind has come to whisper
languid rustlings in the ear of summer
He came blowing through the trees first
September is here, he can do as he pleases.

Winter and we enter the fourth and final space with winter images of Northern lights, kids in warm clothes. And we were served a honeyed Hungarian Tokay that took us straight to warm firesides and a rich dark chocolate drink after a day in the snowy landscape.

It is the shortest day
Counting down
until the twilight
That comes a little too early…
It’s the hemisphere tilting
And shredding its skin…

As you can see, I was thoroughly seduced and taken over by the experience and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Food and drink at the Cité du Vin

Brasserie Latitude20, a wine and snack bar is on the ground floor is ideal for lunch, drink or dinner.  It has a top wine list reasonably priced.
Lunch Mon-Fri: Starters €10-€18; mains €23-€28; desserts €10-€12. Menus €24-€29
Wine Bar: Sun-Wed: 3pm to 7pm Thurs-Sat: 3pm-10pm
Boards of different charcuterie, or smoked salmon: €9-€28
2-course lunch €22,50, 3 courses €27.50
Open: The Snack bar: daily from 10am to 5pm
The Brasserie: dailyfrom 12pm to 3pm
The Wine bar: Sunday to Wednesday from 3pm to 7pm and Thursday to Saturday from 3pm to 10pm.
Tel: +33 (0) 5 64 31 0550

Le 7 looks out from the 7th floor and offers cooking as spectacular as the view. This is a restaurant for serious dining.
A la carte: Starters €18-€25; mains from €26 to €34; desserts from €10 to €16.
Mon-Fri lunch menu starter and main €32; 5 course dinner menu €70; childrens menu 3 courses €16 (free on Wednesday except school holidays).
Open: D from 10am to 11am for breakfast (by reservation)
Lunch Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm; Sun 12pm-4pm
Sweet snacks: Mon, Tues, Sun 3pm,-4pm; Wed-Sat 3pm-7pm
Dinner Wed-Sat from 7pm-9.30pm (last orders 9.30pm)
Tel: +33 (0)5 64 31 05 40

The Belvédère. On the 8^th floor of the Cité du Vin, the Belvédère offers a 360 degree view of Bordeaux along with tasting one, or several, of the many wines stocked here. Buy a ticket here.

More Information

Cité du Vin
134 Quai de Bacalan,
33300 Bordeaux
Website
Opening hours and Ticket prices

How to get there

By Tram line B: The nearest tram stop, La Cité du Vin, is a 2-minute walk

By Bus: Bus 7, 25, 27 to La Cité du Vin

By Car: There is paid parking nearby.

The Bordeaux Tourist Office can help with all your queries, from hotel bookings to guided tours.
12 cours du XXX juillet
33080 Bordeaux
+33(0) 5 56 00 66 00
Website
Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm; Sunday and public holidays 10am-5pm

Guide to Glorious Bordeaux

Getting to Bordeaux

From Paris by train: The TGV is direct and takes 3 hours from Paris.
From the UK: By plane: BA, Easyjet and AirFrance fly from London and regional cities to Bordeaux.

Take the tram from the airport to city centre

Getting around Bordeaux

The city centre is very walkable with pedestrian areas everywhere. The tram system runs throughout Bordeaux, using a unique ground power system so you’re not distracted by overhead wires. It runs from 5am to midnight or 1 a.m. depending on the day. There are regular buses.
Bordeaux Tourism website

More about the Bordeaux Region

The French Atlantic Coast
The Glorious Vendée Department

AND...
Great Rivers of France
Food Festivals of France

The post Cité du Vin in Bordeaux appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Bordeaux is a glorious city. The gracious and elegant capital of the Aquitaine region is rich with classical buildings, formal squares, unusual and stunning attractions, and tucked-away quartiers where you can wander the streets and find individual shops and boulangeries, cafés and bars. The city stands proudly on the grand Garonne river on the French Atlantic coast.

Victor Hugo was an admirer: ‘Take Versailles, add Antwerp and you have Bordeaux…Add to that, my friend, the magnificent Gironde, bustling with ships, the delightful backdrop of green hills, a fine sky and warm sun, and you will fall in love with Bordeaux, even if you only drink water.’

I recently spent three days in Bordeaux and despite a punishing schedule missed out quite a few of the city’s attractions. Next time I’ll take a week.

Start with this guide to Bordeaux to make the most of your time here.

Bordeaux – A City Devoted to Wine and the Cité du Vin

Bordeaux sits at the heart of one of the world’s great wine-producing regions. Anyone with even a passing interest in the noble grape should schedule a visit to the Cité du Vin.

“It’s going to be my Guggenheim” declared Alain Juppé, mayor of Bordeaux in 2006 when the project was born. It’s a pretty extraordinary piece of architecture: its undulating shape and its distinctive curves have been described as evoking a sailing ship…wine poured from a decanter…or swirling around a wine glass.

Make of the outside what you will; inside you’ll find a fascinating series of exhibitions telling you the story of mankind’s great drink. I’d advise at least half a day for a visit, and if you can, eat here at Le 7, restaurant that looks out over the Garonne and Bordeaux.  

Article about the Cité du Vin

Don’t Miss: The Bordeaux Wine Festival normally takes place in June. But next year it coincides with the Tall Ships Race. The race starts in Bordeaux and runs from July 7-11, 2027, the same dates as the Bordeaux Wine Festival.

Les Bassins de Lumière

Step inside Les Bassins de Lumière in the same quartier as the Cité du Vin (and conveniently near), for extraordinary annual changing exhibitions. This is the world’s largest digital art centre, offering an experience which will entrance, sometimes frighten, and always impress you.

Housed in the former World War II German submarine base in the Bacalan quartier, the sound-proofed insulated spaces, some up to eight metres high, are filled with 360° images that slowly change. I stood mesmerised in the first gallery, then walked over footbridges into more galleries with different dream-like images that are hypnotic in their effects.

There are six spaces in total, each offering a different experience. Take in the art shows, then a huge mooring bay built over the water. As you look, the gates appear to open and submarines seem to enter the base, moving towards you at a menacing speed. There’s an area where you can sit in tiered stages to watch the show from different heights, and a museum space with the history of the building. And of course, a very good shop at the end.

I was there for the 2025 exhibition (which runs to Jan 6, 2026). Egyptian Pharaohs from the Old Kingdom of Khéops to the New Kingdom of Ramsès II (c. 2589 BC to 1213 BC) taught me more about this ancient history than any book I have read. We were brought more up to date with The Orientalists exhibition which focuses on the French Orientalist painters: Ingres, Delacroix and Jean-Léon Gérôme. We were there during the week; on Sundays the place must have been full of families watching The Little Prince come to life with Saint-Exupery’s images blown up to fantastic proportions.
Les Bassins de Lumière website

Tip: If you’re here in the Bacalan district, try shopping at Les Halles de Bacalan for regional and local foods and products. It’s a great place to put together a picnic, or eat a casual lunch at one of the stalls. Open daily except Mondays.

Walk the City’s Old Quartiers

Bordeaux is a great city for walking, particularly through its small compact historic areas. If you have time, pick one and spend a minimum of a couple of hours exploring. If time is limited, take a guided tour. Bruno Coiffard, a Bordeaux guide, took us around different areas, taking great pleasure in pointing out the superiority of Bordeaux over Paris.  Bruno Coiffard (+33 6 08 28 65 26). At the end of our two tours we agreed with him (sorry Paris!).

Tip: If you’re feeling peckish as you walk around, pop into one of the Cassonade Cannelés & Spécialités cafés for a coffee and a speciality of the city, a cassonade – a delicious caramelized cake that comes in a distinctive shape.

Port de la Lune (Port of the Moon)

This romantically named quayside doesn’t denote a district as such, but is the heart of old Bordeaux. It’s a crescent-shaped bend in the river, originally the source of Bordeaux’s wealth. In the Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul district, the Port of the Moon was the heart of the global trading center between Africa, Europe and the Americas.

From the noisy, crowded and dangerous quays, ships carried the precious commodities of coffee, cocoa, cotton, sugar and indigo from to the rest of Europe. By the 18^th century, with its dominance as a wine-exporter, Bordeaux was the second busiest port in the world after London.

The port has long disappeared but in its place stands the Place de la Bourse and in front of it the Miroir d’Eau, between the Place and the river. The largest water mirror in the world spouts water from the fountains during the day and magically reflects the illuminated, semi circular buildings at night.

If you want to see a superb example of French neoclassical architecture, this is it. The warm stone buildings facing the river in the Place de la Bourse have a wonderful symmetry, fanning out from the centre in two arcs that follow the banks of the river. The Place (Stock Exchange Square) took from 1730 to 1775 to build, replacing the medieval crowded muddle of Bordeaux which was breaking out of the old city walls. The north building was the original stock exchange (now the Chamber of Commerce); the Hôtel des Fermes to the south was built for the local customs authority. It now houses the Musée Nationale des Douanes, reopened in Spring 2025. It’s well worth a visit. We might think that customs and excise is a pretty dull subject, but avoiding taxes has always been an ingenious pastime. A wooden stool opens up to become a salt store. It was designed so the lady of the house could firmly sit on it, hiding the heavily taxed commodity under her voluminous skirts. And such handsome hats.

Find out more about the Musée Nationale des Douanes on Mechtraveller.

Les Chartrons

The Chartrons district that housed the wine merchants of the 17^th and 18^th centuries lies south of the Bacalan. Stone buildings line the streets, the front rooms housing the living quarters of the Lynches, the Bartons, the Johnstons and other English and Irish families who dominated the lucrative trade. At the back lay their large wine warehouses.

It was a bustling, noisy district, housing barrel makers, the glass bottle factory of an Irishman, Pierre Mitchell, which belched out smoke day and night, label printers and heavy carts that transported the barrels to the harbour. According to the excellent Bruno, this was where capitalism was born.

Today it’s a delightful area of antique shops, art galleries, and small boutiques, interrupted by cafés whose pavement tables and chairs are always full. Walk along Rue Notre Dame for its churches, then turn north into the Place du Marché des Chartrons which hosts events and exhibitions. Look out for pretty houses covered in ivy or flowering bushes, that occupy the streets and hidden alleys.

We came across the small but delightful Musée du Vin et du Négoce, housed in one of Bordeaux’s oldest buildings, an Irish merchant’s house of 1720. The crowded museum takes you through vaulted cellars that, with maps, images, models, artefacts, oak barrels and wine bottles, tell the story of the city’s lucrative wine trade in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, plus the role of the négociant (merchant trader).   

America’s First Consulate

Along the river you’ll come across the old American Consulate, the first such consular post in US history, established in 1778. It’s easy to spot – a plaque commemorates Joseph Fenwick, appointed in 1790. With the French Revolution just starting in the late 18th century, Bordeaux was deemed to be a far safer and more stable city than Paris.  

Fenwick’s family had Maryland and South Carolina connections – vital for the US and its trade of Carolina gold rice, sea island cotton and raw indigo dye, shipped from the port of Charleston to Europe.

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is the centre of Bordeaux, certainly for the Bordelaise, stretching between the Allées de Touray, Cours de l’Intendance and Cours Georges Clemenceau.

This is the area for shopping in the glass Galerie des Grands Hommes, and admiring the grand 18^th and 19^th century buildings.

The Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux

In the heart of the Golden Triangle, this imposing building is a real statement of power. The ‘Temple of the Arts and Light’ was commissioned by Marshal Richelieu (grand-nephew of the famous Cardinal), and designed by the architect Victor Louis, and inaugurated on April 7, 1780. Its distinctive exterior feature is the Corinthian columns running along the façade. Other such buildings have 8 columns; the Bordeaux theatre has 12. Topping the columns 12 statues look out over the city – the nine Muses plus the Roman goddesses Juno, Venus, and Minerva.

A century later the architect Charles Garnier visited Bordeaux. He was so impressed by the very grand staircase, that he copied the design for his 19th-century grand Paris Opera. You can visit the building and see the staircase. Better still is to get to a performance of the Bordeaux opera or ballet. The acoustics are superb; and for history buffs, the theatre remains one of the oldest wooden framed opera houses still active, having survived fire and rebuilding.

Francisco Goya in Bordeaux

Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes left Spain for Bordeaux in 1824, 78 years old, completely deaf and at odds with the Spanish monarchy. He died in 1828; his funeral was held in the city and he was first buried in Cimetière de la Chartreuse.

A bronze plaque marks his house at 57 Cours de l’Intendance where he lived for the last years of his life. The Spanish connection continues: the building now houses the Institut Cervantes which promotes Spanish language and culture.  

In 1888 Goya’s body was exhumed and repatriated to Spain. And here begins the mystery and the stories that Bruno tells with relish. “Goya skeleton without a head,” wrote the Spanish consul in Bordeaux to his Spanish colleague. “Please instruct me.”

Goya’s headless body was taken to the San Antonio de la Florida chapel in Madrid where it now resides under the frescoes in the dome which Goya painted in 1798.  

The skull was most possibly acquired by a phrenologist who believed that the secrets of a person’s character lay in the skull. Bruno recounts that it turned up in a local bar and became an object of pilgrimage by the painter’s admirers.

Bordeaux vs Paris

There is (again according to Bruno), a healthy rivalry between these two grand cities of France. Baron Haussmann was a prefect in Bordeaux from 1851 to 1853 and it was here that he first stamped his style. He employed town planners to create grand boulevards leading to spacious squares, transforming the centre. He left Bordeaux to transform Paris.  And once the architectural similarities are pointed out, you see the evidence everywhere.

Place des Quinconces

The Place des Quinconces is one of the largest squares in France, today the location for big fairs (the brocante fair in late April/early May is one of the best in France. At one end stands the Monument aux Girondins, a giant column commemorating the victims of the Terror during the French Revolution. It’s topped with a statue of Liberty Breaking her Chains.

Also unmissable is the extraordinary fountain, with its bronze horses pulling chariots and allegorical figures that represent liberty, justice and the Dordogne and Garonne.

The Garonne River

Bordeaux is the major port on the mighty Garonne River and marks the point where the river flows into the Gironde estuary and from there into the Bay of Biscay. The city sits between the two major wine-producing areas of Entre-deux-Mers to the east and Médoc to the west.

For centuries it marked the division between the rich on the left bank and the poor opposite. Today, as the city expands, the right bank is developing fast and has become the trendy alternative place to live, work and play.

Crossing the River to the Right Bank

We took the Bat ferry , which runs along the Garonne from the Pont de Pierre to Lormont with stops at Stalingrad, Quinconces, Hangars Médoc, and Cité du Vin. It’s as good as a mini cruise (very mini; it just takes 25 to 35 minutes to travel between its endpoints along the 25-kilometer route). It costs the same as tickets used on buses and trams. 1 trip: €1.70; 2 trips: €3.00; 10 trips: €13.70.
Check the website for detailed information.

Darwin ecosystem

Darwin ecosystem, housed in a former barracks, takes up much of the right bank. It’s a large area with restaurants, bars and cafés, a skatepark and a handful of very cool shops. Veja cleans, repairs and recycles its old shoes; go to Shop Sauvages for clothes which you have to be seen in (if aspiring to be casually chic); librairie La Géolibri sells books, posters and more, and Bric à Brac Emmaüs is the place for recycled items.

There are events and street performances all year round, so keep an eye on the Darwin website for up-to-date information.

And of course there are plenty of places to eat, many of them offering organic ingredients.  We had lunch at la Belle Saison, sitting outside and looking over to the left bank. Good value, excellent service and delicious food.

Tip: Try to avoid Mondays when many shops are closed.

Bordeaux UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2007 Bordeaux, The Port of the Moon, was given the world’s highest award for the unity of its exceptional urban heritage. Created in the 18th-century age of the Enlightenment, Bordeaux has more than 350 listed Historical Monuments. Most striking is the sheer size of the UNESCO perimeter: 1,810 hectares in total, amounting to almost half of the city’s surface area. In total Bordeaux has more protected buildings than any city after Paris.

UNESCO also recognised the history role Bordeaux has played as a city enjoying an exchange of cultural values for over 2,000 years…particularly highlighting the commercial links with Britain and the Low Lands (Holland and Belgium) from the 12th century.

Bordeaux and Britain

In 1152 Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Plantagenet bringing Bordeaux under English rule. For Bordeaux it was significant, heralding the start of the dominant trade of Bordeaux wine to England, helped by the special privileges that Henry offered. With 25% of the total Bordeaux output going to England, ‘claret’ (as Bordeaux red wine was called) became a staple and has remained a favorite ever since.

For more about the Plantagenets and the English connection, visit…Le Mans! It comes as a surprise (and it certainly did to me) but Le Mans has one of the largest medieval preserved quarters in France.

Where We Stayed in Bordeaux

We stayed at Villas Foch, a 5-star privately owned boutique hotel with just 12 rooms and eight suites. Housed in two adjoining 19^th-century classical stone buildings, it’s been beautifully restored and has quirky modern touches, like the spectacular chandelier that hangs in one of the grand staircases.

There’s a cosy Le Ferdinand bar, a spa and pool and a great breakfast room. Bedrooms are light and airy with impeccable bathrooms. A portrait of Foch in each room follows you around, which I found rather companionable. Villas Foch is just a few minutes from the Place des Quinconces, so it’s pretty central but feels tucked away. Rooms from €550.

Restaurants in Bordeaux

Bordeaux is one of France’s great culinary cities, up there with Paris and Lyon. You’ll find restaurants for every budget and style, but here’s a small selection of ones I have enjoyed.

Le 1925 Brasserie

Come to Le 1925 Brasserie as much for the brasserie style as the cooking which is classically based: pig’s trotter, snails, oysters and some of the best heritage tomatoes I’ve come across for starters. Mains range from prawn risotto to duck breast, beef tartare or pork confit shoulder, all served with extra favourites like French fries, home-made mash, green salad. And desserts? Chocolate mousse, sorbets or…where else can you find this these days? Crêpes Suzette flambé Grand Marnier which is prepared dramatically at your table. And the wine list is superb, selected by the owner who invariably will appear to chat to his customers.
Starters from €10 to €28; mains €25 to €35; desserts €10 to €15 (for that flaming fabulous crêpes Suzette)

Le 1925 Brasserie
4 Place des Quinconces
Tel: +33 (0)5 56 52 84 56
Website

Le 7

At the top of the Cité du Vin on the 7^th floor, the restaurant offers spectacular views over the port and beyond along with top regional cooking. Creamy burrata with sautéed artichoke, piquilio pepper sauce and basil oil was followed by slow-cooked chicken supreme then an After Eight dessert (go there to discover this one). And of course, a great wine list of 500 wines from 50 countries, with a selection of 32 wines by the glass.

Starters from €21 to €25; mains from €31 to €37; desserts from €10 to €16.
Mon-Fri lunch menu starter and main €32; 5 course dinner menu €70; childrens menu 3 courses €16 (free on Wednesday except school holidays).

Le 7
Cité du Vin
Esplanade de Pontac
Tel: +33 (0)5 64 31 05 40
Website

Le Chapon Fin

The word ‘historic’ is often over-used. But Le Chapon Fin is a restaurant that can rightly claim the description.
Le Chapon Fin opened in 1825 when much of central Bordeaux was being rebuilt in the classical style by Haussmann. In 1900 Le Chapon Fin was renovated. Perhaps renovation isn’t not the right word; an adventurous owner and equally adventurous architect brought the outside in with a rocky scene at the and a lot of plants.

The restaurant became the place to go. The Spanish King Alphonse XIII kept a private cellar here; diners included the Sultan of Morocco, the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) and artists like Sarah Bernhardt and Toulouse Lautrec as well as George Clemenceau and a host of politicians.   
Today its reputation, particularly for its wines, is in the capable hands of owner Sylvie Cazes who comes from a family of wine makers. She was very much involved in the Cité du Vin, and jointly owns the famous Château Lynch-Bages and Château Chauvin vineyards, and the company Bordeaux Saveurs which tailor makes visits to vineyards.
This is not a restaurant to go to on a casual basis; the cooking, based on the south west, includes dishes like field and garden tomatoes with various different oils, followed by chicken breast, crispy breadcrumbs and roasted broccoli. Or be more ambitious and taste a bit of history with Alphonse XIII pigeon with tobacco leaf, corn and vanilla.
Menu Marché: from 35€ to 45 €. Or make it a special occasion with the historic menu whose dishes are inspired by significant dates from 1825 to 2024.  €78 to €98 .

Le Chapon Fin
5 rue Montesquieu
Tel: +33 05 56 79 10 10
Website

Getting to Bordeaux

From Paris by train: The TGV is direct and takes 2 hours from Paris.
From the UK: By plane: BA, Easyjet and AirFrance fly from London and regional cities to Bordeaux.

Take the tram from the airport to city centre

Getting around Bordeaux

The city centre is very walkable with pedestrian areas throughout. The tram system runs throughout Bordeaux, using a unique ground power system so you’re not distracted by overhead wires. It runs from 5am to midnight or 1 a.m. depending on the day. There are regular buses.
Bordeaux Tourism website

Bordeaux Tourist Office

The Bordeaux Tourist Office can help with all your queries, from hotel bookings to guided tours.
12 cours du XXX juillet
33080 Bordeaux
+33 (0)5 56 00 66 00
Website
Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm; Sunday and public holidays 10am-5pm

More about the Bordeaux Region

The French Atlantic Coast
The Glorious Vendée Department

AND...
Great Rivers of France

Food Festivals of France

The post Guide to Glorious Bordeaux appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

The best brocante and flea markets in France offer some real bargains (and a great day out as well). They’re very popular with the French so there’s hefty competition for those bargains. Visiting one of the most popular and well-known markets requires some canny forward planning. Savvy visitors book hotels in advance, arrive with an empty car and leave triumphantly overladen.

Best Brocante and Flea Market Fairs in North France

North France is a particularly good hunting ground for brocante and flea market fairs which is good news if you’re in the UK and can get over the Channel easily. Many of the towns have two fairs a year – in Spring and Autumn. Here’s how to get to France by ferry.

Apr 19, 2026: La Grande Réderie d’Amiens, Picardy, Hauts-de-France. This is north France’s second largest fair with around 2,000 exhibitors and over 80,000 visitors coming to snatch up bargains. It started in 1909 and is always held on the second last Sunday in April and the first Sunday in October. It takes over 51 streets in the town and starts around 2am when the real bargain hunters turn up. 
If you’re driving there,  leave your car at the Parking du Coliseum in the centre of Parking du Port d’Aval around a 5-minute walk from the market.

Jun 21, 2026: Brocante de Maroilles. Maroilles, Nord, Hauts-de-France is known more for its smelly cheese than its brocante and flea market, but do try to come to this one. Over 600 stalls attract nearly 80,000 visitors who come for good antiques and bric-a-brac. There’s also a Salon Artisanale for local crafts over the weekend, and a lot of street entertainment.

July 14, 2026: Montreuil-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France. Charming  Montreuil-sur-Mer adds to the celebrations on Bastille Day with its annual brocante fair. It’s a small affair compared to its big brothers, but there’s still plenty to buy here from the approximately 500 stall holders who fill the streets, and with fewer crowds it’s less manic. Then there’s plenty to see at around 10.30pm, as fireworks shoot off into the sky from the Citadel.

Sep 5-76 2026: La Grand Braderie de Lille, Lille, Nord, Hauts-de-France. This is north France’s largest fair with over 10,000 exhibitors displaying pretty well everything you could imagine and a whole lot more. It opens at 8am on Saturday and goes on all night then finishes at 6pm on Sunday. There’s a great tradition in Lille: during the fair people eat moules frites then pile up the shells outside the restaurant. It’s a local, unofficial competition to see which restaurant has the largest pile. 
If you’re staying at a hotel inside the central area, take note: you cannot move your car between 7pm on Friday and 6am on Monday.
Official parking arrangements

Best Brocante and Flea Market Fairs in the rest of France

Central France

Chatou, Yveline, Île-de-France
Mar 13-22, 2026: Foire de Chatou.  Originating from a centuries-old Ham Fair, it then became the Foire à la Brocante et aux Jambons (Flea Market and Hams Fair) in 1840. It still features food (and pork and ham) as well as oysters and wine but its main purpose is antiques, offered by over 700 dealers to 35,000 visitors. It’s one of the biggest, and most popular, antique fairs in France. It’s on the Ile des Impressionnistes, north east of Paris
Entrance €10 (free for under 15 years).

Houilles, Yveline, Île-de-France
Oct 4, 2026: La Braderie de Houilles is a major event, hosting around 2000 exhibitors and 300,000 visitors over 6 miles of stalls. Brocante items and a lot of ordinary household items from old kitchen appliances to toys.
Free entry; 7am-6pm.

Durtal,  Maine-et-Loire, Anjou
Sep 27, 2026: Brocante de Durtal is held around the château. The large outdoor fair has around 450 sellers offering everything old and antique to 20,000 or so enthusiasts. 
Free entry; 7am-7pm.

West France

Nantes, Loire Atlantique, Pays de la Loire
End of September/Early October 2026: Antique shops line rue Jean-Jaurès and there’s a great brocante market every Saturday in Nantes, but the annual October market is something else. The Grande Brocante de la Place Viarme in Nantes attracts over 160 dealers selling everything, but being Nantes on the Atlantic coast, look out for nautical items and Quimper ceramics among the furniture, textiles, glasses and more.
Place Viarme; 9am-7pm
The date is not yet fixed for the annual big event.

Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Apr 24-May 10, 2026: Foire à la Brocantes de Quinconces  is the oldest flea market and antiques fair in the region. Over 200 exhibitors and 180,000 visitors flock to the centre of the gorgeous city of Bordeaux for the fair which offers everything from top to bottom, plus 8 places to eat. 
Free entry; 10am-7pm. Tramway B and C to Quinconces stop.
Guide to Glorious Bordeaux

South of France

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Vaucluse, PACA
Apr 2-6, 2026: La Foire internationale Antiquités & Brocante is probably the best known (and the best organised) in France, welcoming bargain hunters from all over the world. The 3rd largest market in Europe has 200 exhibitors exhibiting in Gautier Park, on the quays of the Sorgue river. There are experts on hand to authenticate (or not) what you might be about to spend hundred, possibly thousands, or more likely 20 or 30 euros on. The stalls augment the 300 permanent antiques and second-hand shops set up in the town. Check out the Village des Antiquaires de la Gare, a former watermill now housing over 100 permanent dealers.

Pézenas, Herault, Occitanie
May 3, 2026: The two fairs called the Grand Déballage (Great Unpacking) take place on the first Sunday of May and the second Sunday of October each year in the town with around 100 antique and brocante shops. The fairs attract over 200 dealers who arrive with everything from pictures to glassware, old linen to African art. 
Free; 8am-6pm.

Jul 19, 2026: Les Puces Ligneronnaises in Saint-Christophe-du-Ligneron takes place each third Sunday in July. The largest flea market in the Vendée sees around 250 exhibitors selling all kinds of antiques and bric-a-brac. The event Arts & Saveurs takes over the second Sunday in August, combining crafts with food products.

Toulouse – Not to be missed

Every First Weekend of the Month: From Friday to Sunday, La Brocante des Allées flea market sets up in Toulouse, in Allée Forain-Francois Verdier. Browse from around 100 professional stallholders, antique and second-hand dealers for an inspiring mix. A knowledgeable reader alerted me to this one. But if you’re in Toulouse, well worth a quick look.

More about Bargain Buying in France

Other rather grander antique and brocante fairs take place all over France throughout the year. Many of them are in the main exhibition centres of the towns and cities. One of the best is in Rouen which takes place in January and October each year. 1

Jan 16-18, 2026: Puces Rouennaises takes place in the Parc des Exposition in Rouen; entrance is €6.80 and it lasts 3 days.

Such markets around France usually have experts on hand to check authenticity. They aren’t quite as much fun as the open-air markets with their bustle and camaraderie, but they do attract genuine collectors as well as antique dealers with their own shops.

Shopping for Antiques…and Bargains

Flea Markets and Bargain Shopping in France
Discount, Outlet Shopping and Sales in France
Check out the Top Markets in Provence

Geography of France

Regions of France
The Departments of France

The post Best Brocante and Flea Market Fairs in France appeared first on Mary Anne's France.