Braderie de Lille 2024: what not to miss on the program this weekend

LILLE flea market. The most famous of flea markets takes place this Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15, 2024. 100 kilometers of bargains and entertainment await visitors.

[Updated September 13 2024 à 4:40 p.m.] It is the largest and most famous garage sale in Europe, and probably one of the most anticipated events in France. The Braderie de Lille allows fans of thrifting and antiques to find the rare gem or the good deal and it is a good thing, it takes place this weekend of Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September 2024, under the sun! 

Every year, nearly two million visitors of all nationalities wander the streets of the city, transformed into a veritable capital of antiques, before sitting down to a pot of mussels. All accompanied, of course, by fresh fries and, for enthusiasts, a good local beer. Discover below the unmissable events on the program.

The stalls of the Lille flea market. © VANSTEENKISTE STEPHANE/SIPA

To fully enjoy the event, above all, bring good shoes. You will have to walk for long minutes in crowded streets, so patience will be your best ally. Also, keep an eye on your children, with so many visitors, it is easy to get lost. As for strollers, avoid them as much as possible. During the flea market, the city belongs to pedestrians, the city center is closed to cars. Also, favor public transportation, especially since the metro runs non-stop during these two days.

• Of course, there is the gigantic flea market which makes the Grande Braderie de Lille one of the largest gatherings in France. Lille is transformed into a friendly place where you can bargain hunt at all hours of the day. The regulars of the event get up early to take advantage of the best deals.
• The antique dealersare very widely represented on the boulevards Louis XIV and de la Liberté and the specialists in antiquities of the United Kingdom are located between the rues of La Porte de Roubaix andde l'Opéra. Otherwise, go to rue Gambetta, rue de Châtillon or Quai du Wault among the merchants of Old Lille.
• Don't miss the spectacular pile of mussel shells in the Rihour passage, which grows bigger every day. Every year, nearly 500 tons of mussels and 30 tons of fries are consumed under the watchful eye of health inspectors. The restaurateurs, in collaboration with the municipal cleanliness services, feed the collection of shells until the end of the event on Sunday evening. The shells are then recycled into tile slabs by the company Etnisi. 
• The election of Mister and Miss Moule at Kolor bar with an 80s atmosphere on Saturday from 9 p.m. The organizers specify that this is not a fashion show. fashion, and that Mister and Miss Moule are elected not for their looks, but for their 80's or 90's outfits and the atmosphere they create in the bar.
• Children also have the right to their Children's flea market on Saturdays to sell toys, video games and books in the courtyard of the Gare Saint-Sauveur.
• The Comic Book Fair at the Palais des Beaux-Arts: booksellers and booksellers meet on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• New for the 2024 edition, le Broc' à vélos à Wazemmes, Place de la Nouvelle Aventure, on Saturday. 

This year 2024, the Braderie de Lille is delayed by two weeks until after the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Thousands of bargain hunters are therefore heading to The Lille Braderie this weekend from Saturday, September 14 at 8 a.m. to Sunday, September 15 at 6 p.m..

To get to the Lille flea market, forget about the car if you live in Hauts-de-France. The SNCF is offering an exceptional deal on its train tickets, and in particular on TER tickets. Departing from any station in the region, you can get to the Lille flea market with tickets costing €2, €5, €10, €15 or €20. These are knockdown prices that the railway company is offering to allow everyone to enjoy the Lille event without worrying about traffic and parking. An idea that is all the more practical since many people are expected at this big annual flea market, which has become famous throughout France. Tickets can be purchased on the SNCF website until the end of the weekend.

The Lille flea market is far from being a new thing. Indeed, this big party was born already several centuries. The date of the first Lille flea market is not known, but it can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Even then, valets could sell their masters' old objects and clothes at the Lille fair. But since then, the Lille flea market has become a real institution, attracting more and more visitors and exhibitors.

The origins of this popular event, one of the largest gatherings in France, date back to the 12th century. Until the 13th century, the Lille fair lasted 30 days, but it gradually lost importance in the 14th century during French domination. It was really from the 1970s that the Lille flea market acquired its reputation and gained notoriety, in particular due to the denunciation of the consumer society. The tradition of “moules frites”, “le” The dish from the Grande Braderie de Lille also dates from this period.