The Aix Guide · N° 02
The markets of Aix-en-Provence, day by day
In Aix, the market is not a tourist attraction but a daily habit. Almost every morning a square in the centre fills with stalls. Here is how to find your way.
At a glance
- Times
- Mornings, from about 8.30 am until 12.30 or 1 pm depending on the market
- Every day
- Food market on Place Richelme
- Big market
- Places comtales (Prêcheurs, Verdun, Madeleine): Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
- Before you go
- Check for temporary moves on aixenprovence.fr (in French)
The weekly calendar
Town-centre markets follow a regular pattern published by the town hall. Trading starts around 8.30 am and ends at 12.30 pm, or around 1 pm for the larger markets (food, crafts, flea market, Prêcheurs flowers, textiles).
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: the big days
- Places comtales (Prêcheurs, Verdun, Madeleine): food and crafts market.
- Place Richelme: food market.
- Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville: flower market.
- Cours Mirabeau: textiles and second-hand goods.
- Place des Anciens-Combattants-d’Afrique-du-Nord and the lower Cours Mirabeau: flea market.
- Place Forbin and rue Thiers: crafts.
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- Places comtales: flower market.
- Place Richelme: food market.
- On Sundays, Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville hosts a book market on the first Sunday of the month, and Place de l’Université an artists’ market on the first and third Sundays.
Monday
- Place Richelme: food and fish market.
Place Richelme, the everyday market
A small, shady square in the centre, Place Richelme hosts a food market every day of the year except 1 January. The Tourist Office mentions local producers, olive oil, goat’s cheese, honey and herbs. It is the one to head for if you are in Aix on a Monday or a Wednesday.
The places comtales, the big market
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the market spreads across the three adjoining squares in front of the law courts: Place de Verdun, Place des Prêcheurs and Place de la Madeleine. On the other mornings the same squares fill with flowers. For the history of the area, read our guide to Place des Prêcheurs.
What to bring home
The calisson d’Aix
A smooth paste of almonds and candied fruit, including melon, set on wafer paper and topped with royal icing. Its origin, often linked to King René’s wedding in 1454, belongs to tradition rather than established history. Every first Sunday of September, a blessing of the calissons honours a vow made after the 17th-century plague. Contrary to a widespread belief, the calisson does not yet have a protected geographical indication (PGI): the application is still in progress.
Aix-en-Provence olive oil
“Aix-en-Provence” olive oil carries a protected designation of origin (PDO) covering 70 villages in the Bouches-du-Rhône and 3 in the Var.
Goat’s cheese and herbs
Among local cheeses, the brousse du Rove, a fresh goat’s cheese from the Bouches-du-Rhône, is protected by a PDO. Herbes de Provence can carry the Label Rouge quality mark: check the label.
Markets through the seasons
Every year, some markets move for a few weeks. In the run-up to Christmas, the flea market and textiles leave the Cours Mirabeau to make way for the Christmas market, whose chalets line the Cours from mid-November to the end of December (13 November to 31 December in 2026). On the Esplanade Cézanne, the santons fair, held since 1934, runs over the same period.
Other moves are occasional, for example during major trials at the law courts. The town’s market information page announces them in advance.