A complete guide to market days in Aix-en-Provence
Updated: May 6, 2024
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If you're visiting Aix-en-Provence, you absolutely have to make a morning at the market part of your itinerary.
Cours Mirabeau and the Place des Precheurs
This post is going to outline all of the practical information that you may want to know before visiting the market.
Dates and times
The market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Hours are 8:30am to 1pm.
Location
The market is located mainly on the Cours Mirabeau, and then it also stretches up the Rue Thiers up to the Place des Precheurs. I've inserted a map below that highlights the market location.
I found the market was kind of split up into different sections based on what vendors were selling. The very bottom of the Cours Mirabeau, next to the roundabout, was all the vintage and antique things as well as fresh flowers. Once you started to walk up Cours Mirabeau, there was mostly clothing, jewelry, and bags. The Rue Thiers was an assortment, mostly jewelry and art. Once you got up to the Place des Precheurs, that's where all the food was. There was cooked food as well as fresh produce. There was also a few non-food stands in the Place des Precheurs.
Some food stands at the market
Prices
Everything was priced super reasonably at the market. I got lots of different Jewelry pieces for around 10 euros each. Clothing ranged anywhere from 5 euros to maybe 30 euros at most. All the clothes were cute and the quality was not too bad (many items were made in Europe). There were multiple times when I went to a store and saw an identical clothing piece from the market for double the price, so if you are looking for for clothes, my suggestion is check the market before buying from a store.
The food was all reasonably priced as well. Produce was a bit cheaper than the grocery store but the premade food was the steal in my opinion. I got a seafood pasta from a paella stand for only 10 euros! The pasta was a good portion size too.
Do I need cash?
The times that I attended the market, I paid for everything using cash. I was not really paying attention to notice if many of the vendors took card or not, but my recommendation would be to bring cash, because I think that vendors prefer this method.
Conclusion
Overall, I think going to any market in Europe is a great way to see the local culture and pick up some items at a reasonable price while supporting local business at the same time. During my time in France, I loved going to all the markets in the different towns that I visited, and I would say that Aix had one of the best, so it is definitely something you can't miss on your trip!
Hotels
Luxury:
Mid-range:
Budget: