Grande Braderie

Lille is the city in the south of France. This city is most interesting in summer time and this special event will cheer you up and  you will find something you like there for sure. The best way to go to Grande Braderie is by metro. This event is unique and dates back in medieval times. This is the biggest flea market in Europe and probably the busiest place in Europe during these two days while market is opened. It is usually held in the weekend on Saturday and Sunday somewhere in September. You can always grab a look on Lille’s city website and find out when it is. If you are in search for a special item you can come on Saturday morning and start looking but keep in mind that selling starts around 2 in the afternoon. Every resident of Lille can have his a place in the street or on the squares and sell whatever they want. If you are looking for antiques, head to the boulevard Jean Baptiste Lebas. The decorations and furniture is all around the Deule Canal, on la Facade de l’Esplanade. You can skip the big boulevards because there are mostly sellers of new things. Don’t forget to bargain, it is so common on this weekend and everyone will give you a lower price after few sentences and a little bit of laugh with the locals. If you speak French, it will be your advantage for bargaining. The serious sellers also come from all around France nowadays and they usually arrive even 2 weeks earlier so to get there earlier it is not a bad thing.
The Braderie takes its place at the beginning of September and Saturday is the main day. Sunday is usually for a small leftovers shopping and if you need to buy something big better buy it on Saturday. September is always warm and sunny in Lille so you could need a hat since you will be walking around the whole weekend. When you finish shopping you can always get some moules frites and local beer and enjoy the sun on the crowded streets or in the parks of Lille. There is even a competition among waiters in restaurants around Lille to see how much chips and mussels they can sell on these days.
This event is probably the most visited event in South France and it is always fun to be around. You can easily meet someone you know since people from all around Europe are coming.