9 Best Markets in Lille

Grande Braderie de Lille is an iconic flea market held on a single weekend every year where you'll find an immense collection of vintage items and antiques. Typically, the market is held on the first weekend in September, so plan your holiday accordingly if you want to visit.

Within this market, you'll find incredible second-hand and retro items available in a warm and friendly atmosphere. You may even find British antiques and others that come from places outside of France. You'll find it all east of the city centre by the Lille Grand Palais metro station.

Halles de Wazemmes is a lovely food market that offers fresh, ready-to-eat local food in a laid-back atmosphere with tables set up within the covered marketplace. Plenty of different food items are on offer here, but the focus is on already-prepared food created by local chefs.

This marketplace is covered, so some weather conditions won't get in the way like they would at an outdoor market. Additionally, there are plenty of chairs and tables around that let you enjoy your food without having to go anywhere else. Try it all out for yourself on the west side of Wazemmes near the city centre.

Marché Place Vanhoenacker is a lovely afternoon market where you'll find both local and organic food on offer sold directly by the producers. Fruit and vegetables comprise most of the selection here, but you'll also find plenty of baked goods and pastries along with fresh meat and fish.

This market only opens once a week on Wednesday afternoons, so make sure you plan your holiday adventure accordingly if you don't want to miss out on the gourmet food offerings. You'll find it all in western Moulins near the city centre.

Marché Sébastopol is a fun marketplace that occurs twice a week where you'll find food and regional products from both local vendors and those from outside the city. Greengrocers are common here, but you'll also find farm producers, butchers and traditional handicraft workers.

While many of the items are sourced locally, you'll also find stalls specialising in world cuisines, letting you get a taste of something more exotic compared to what's normally available in town. You can explore everything it has to offer conveniently within the city centre.

Marché de la Vieille Bourse is a popular booksellers' market where you'll find a variety of second-hand books, with some having significant age and value to them. Among the items on offer here, you'll find more than just books. Local vendors offer comics, postcards, newspapers and trinkets, too.

The entire market is held on a heritage site, so you can enjoy historical splendour during your shopping experience. This only serves to reinforce the historic atmosphere of the market in general and all its age-old books. Experience it for yourself in northwestern Euralille.

Old Lille Market (Marché du Vieux-Lille) is a modest market that opens 3 times a week to offer textile products alongside both local and Asian foods. The Asian offerings here are often a major draw for locals and travellers alike and include unique items you may not easily find elsewhere in Lille.

Many of the products here are organic whether you're looking at the food or the textiles, so you can shop with peace of mind and confidence in the quality. Try it all out for yourself north of the city centre right in the heart of Vieux-Lille.

Marché Saint Sauveur is a traditional food market that offers some of the best from the local area sold by the producers themselves. Among the stalls here, you'll find plenty of fresh produce and growers who are happy to talk to you all about their process and quality items.

In addition to the produce, you'll find butchers and fishmongers offering some of the best meat and seafood in town, perfect for your own cooking creations. Additionally, you'll find stalls offering items like sauces, honey and jams. It's all located on the south side of Euralille.

Marché au Faubourg de Béthune is a local food market that's relatively affordable compared to others, making its offerings perfect for travellers on a budget. The fruit and veg selection here is still remarkably fresh, and you'll be able to get some meat and fish as well.

One of the first things you'll notice about this market is the smell, and that largely comes from the florists operating here, letting you buy flowers in addition to food. The overall friendly atmosphere is only complemented by the aroma. It's located southwest of the city centre in the area of the same name.

Marché de Vauban-Esquermes is a lovely market where you'll find a variety of food items available in a setting that makes it easy to get in and out. Fitting this market into your schedule is simple, as most people only spend a few minutes here grabbing what they need since all the stalls are convenient and easily accessible.

When you visit this market, you'll find plenty of fresh produce on offer in addition to meat and seafood from local butchers and fishmongers. Cheeses are also quite popular here, so keep an eye out for unique kinds. It's all available on the west side of town in the Esquermes neighbourhood.