Puces Marines at Saint-Cast, antique dealers at Dinard, a boat clear-out at Férel: our pick of 10 Breton flea markets to hunt on Sunday July 5, mostly by the sea.
First Sunday of July, the first big hunting day of the Breton summer. This Sunday July 5, the coast leads the way. Sellers unpack ropes and lobster pots at Saint-Cast, boat gear at Férel, antiques facing the Côte d'Émeraude at Dinard. The hinterland keeps pace too, from Pontrieux to Châteaubourg.
Saturday July 4 stays quiet: save your energy for Sunday, when everything happens. Where to begin? Our pick goes to the Guildo Puces Marines, a flea market that is entirely about the maritime world, a format you rarely meet in Brittany. Here are ten places to hunt, ranked from the busiest to the most secret.
Saint-Pierre Grand Flea Market in Plouha, hunting and old trades (Côtes-d'Armor)
Sunday July 5, the village of Plouha hosts its Saint-Pierre Grand Flea Market, an annual early-summer event. The day pairs a large open-air sale with demonstrations of old trades and old tools. Sellers set up in the streets of the village, on the Goëlo coast.
You hunt for furniture, old objects and curiosities while meeting craftspeople and bygone skills. The blend of flea market and heritage gives the day the feel of a popular fête. Combine it with the Plouha cliff, the highest in Brittany, and the nearby Bonaparte beach. Link: Saint-Pierre Grand Flea Market.
Dinard Monthly Flea Market, antique dealers on the Côte d'Émeraude (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Sunday July 5, the first Sunday of the month, the Dinard monthly flea market gathers more than fifty professional dealers on the esplanade des Halles. You hunt in the heart of the Côte d'Émeraude resort, steps from its Belle Époque villas. Free entry, 9 am to 7 pm.
Antique furniture, crockery, toys, linen, jewellery and paintings make up a wide and fairly choice offer. The professional format draws lovers of fine pieces more than yard-sale bargain hunters. Combine it with the Clair de Lune promenade or a crossing to Saint-Malo.
Pontrieux Yard Sale, 100 to 200 stalls in the town of wash houses (Côtes-d'Armor)
Sunday July 5, the centre of Pontrieux fills with stalls, from place de la Liberté to place Yves Le Troquer. Run by the Déraillés du Trieux association, this annual yard sale welcomes 100 to 200 sellers, private and professional, from 7 am to 6 pm.
You wander through this small town of character crossed by the Trieux and famous for its wash houses. The sheer number of sellers means choice all day long. It is one of the biggest sales in the Côtes-d'Armor this Sunday. Combine it with a boat trip to see the wash houses from the water.
34th Châteaubourg Yard Sale, 250 pitches by the Vilaine (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Sunday July 5, Châteaubourg holds the 34th edition of its yard sale, set up at Broons-sur-Vilaine, a delegated commune on the banks of the Vilaine. With 250 pitches in a rural setting, it is a heavyweight of hunting in Ille-et-Vilaine.
Thirty-four years of existence say enough about its local roots. You find gentle-priced private-seller hunting, in a riverside fête atmosphere, twenty minutes east of Rennes. Combine it with a stop along the Vilaine or a detour to Vitré and its castle.
Guildo Puces Marines at Saint-Cast, the all-maritime flea market (Côtes-d'Armor)
Sunday July 5, the Puces Marines set up on the harbour of Notre-Dame du Guildo, on the edge of the Arguenon estuary. Run by the La Mouette du Guildo association and the festivities committee, this flea market is like no other.
Around thirty sellers offer maritime gear only: lobster pots, ropes, buoys, anchors, propellers and rigging. Where else would you find a sale like this? It is our pick of the weekend, for its unique theme and its estuary setting. Boaters and lovers of marine objects meet here. Combine it with the Saint-Cast headland and its beaches.
Férel Boat Clear-Out Yard Sale, second-hand sailing gear (Morbihan)
Sunday July 5, the Mab Maul association runs its boat clear-out yard sale at the Férel community hall, near La Roche-Bernard. The event marries a classic flea market with the sale of nautical gear: tenders, engines, sails, rigging, books and sea charts.
The funds raised go towards restoring the Mab-Maul, a boat listed as Heritage Interest. For anyone after second-hand sailing gear, the address is rare in the Morbihan. Others will find clothes, crockery and assorted items. Combine it with La Roche-Bernard, a small town of character above the Vilaine.
Mont-Dol Bric-à-Brac Yard Sale, hunting at the foot of the mound (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Sunday July 5, the centre of Mont-Dol hosts the second edition of its Bric-à-Brac yard sale. The village is crowned by its granite mound, which opens a wide view over the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Free entry, with a bar and catering on site.
Private sellers offer old furniture, crockery, books, toys and collectibles. The event is young, but the setting makes the difference: you hunt between the rock and the polders of the bay. Combine it with the climb to the top of Mont-Dol and a hop to Dol-de-Bretagne and its cathedral.
Bénodet Grandes Puces, the seaside season opener (Finistère)
Sunday July 5, place du Meneyer in Bénodet opens the season of its Grandes Puces. This yard sale and flea market brings together private sellers and professionals, twice a summer, in July then August. You hunt from 8 am to 6 pm, free entry.
The event takes place in this seaside resort at the mouth of the Odet, with catering on site. Private items and dealers' stalls mix for a varied choice. Combine it with the Trez beach, a crossing to Sainte-Marine or a boat trip up the Odet.
Secours Populaire Charity Yard Sale in Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor)
Sunday July 5, the Côtes-d'Armor branch of Secours Populaire holds its large charity yard sale at the salle Robien, place Octave Brilleaud in Saint-Brieuc. Around a hundred tables are booked by private sellers, alongside the charity's own stands.
New and second-hand items mingle, and the funds support the branch's solidarity work. You come to hunt for a good cause, at gentle prices. The indoor format keeps the day safe from a Breton shower. Combine it with old Saint-Brieuc, its cathedral and a walk down to the Légué harbour.
Saint-Gérand Yard Sale, hunting and entertainment at the communal farm (Morbihan)
Sunday July 5, the Saint-Gérand yard sale sets up at the communal farm, in inland Morbihan Brittany. Open to private sellers and professionals alike, it plays the village-fête card.
Looking to keep the whole family busy? On top of the stalls: games for children, a raffle and motorbike rides from 2 pm, with a bar and catering. It is the family plan for combining hunting and entertainment, near Pontivy and the Guerlédan lake. Combine it with a stop along the Nantes-Brest canal or a trip to the lake.
Also worth a look this Sunday in Brittany
- APEL yard sale in Binic-Étables-sur-Mer, Sunday July 5 on the Estran car park, avenue du Général de Gaulle, run by the Notre-Dame des Noës school association; seaside hunting, 3.50 € per metre, free entry and a bar (Côtes-d'Armor).
- 29th street sale in Parthenay-de-Bretagne, Sunday July 5 along the village's main street, a village flea market at the gates of Rennes, ideal for nearby hunting (Ille-et-Vilaine).
- FC TGV swap meet, Sunday July 5 at the Amédée Biguais stadium in Le Guilvinec, run by the local football club, a friendly yard sale with catering in the Pays Bigouden (Finistère).
For more regional weekend picks, head to our national agenda. Happy hunting on Breton roads this Sunday July 5.
