Experience

Surrounded by China

and bargains

For a stroll unlike any other, many locals and tourists visit the flea markets and car boot sales organised every weekend by associations and professionals in Loir-et-Cher. In the company of shoppers of all ages, there are bargains not to be missed!

The King and Queen of the flea market

On 1st May each year, Julien and Magali, both 35, visit the Domaine de Chambord for the traditional, annual flea market. “We’ve been coming here for years. The Chambord flea market on 1st May has become a tradition! We get up early to travel from Châteaudun, where we live, to get here for around 6:00am. We see the sun rising on the château, and we get the best bargains, before the crowds start arriving, about 9:00 or 10:00am. We’ve never been disappointed, there are hundreds of antique dealers from all over France. Lots of them are specialists: old shop signs, antique furniture, Limoges or Baccarat pottery… Some people come just to look, but I’m sure they’re impressed too. A little treat for us is some chips from the buffet tent after walking round, with a view of the château. We’ll never tire of the experience!”

A year-round activity

Gisèle, 67, has got her habits: “Flea markets, car boot sales, it’s a bit like our Sunday outing. We live near Blois, but we’ll travel all over the department, so as not to miss anything. And each weekend there is at least a car boot sale or a clothes swap, and often several at the same time in different villages… it fills our day nicely! My husband and I have a preference for flea markets that are a bit ‘generalist’, where there’s a little of everything. But I don’t say no to a book fair or a special children’s sale, where I can buy toys for the grandchildren. It also means we get a bit of variety.”