A medieval garlic fair in Tours, 450 sellers in La Celle-Guénand, a flea market under Valençay's château: eleven flea markets in Centre-Val de Loire, July 25-26.
This weekend of July 25-26, Centre-Val de Loire goes big in more ways than one. Over 300 sellers set up at the Chailles football ground. Roughly the same number gather by a lake in Thenay. Scale is clearly not a problem here.
Yet two events push against sheer numbers this week: they lean on craft and custom rather than headcount. Our pick goes to the Garlic and Basil Fair in Tours, a medieval custom still running strong, and the Old Trades Festival in La Celle-Guénand, where 450 sellers share the bill with craftspeople at work. Eleven events span the region's six departments this weekend, from the Cher to the Loiret. How many flea markets still tell a story instead of just listing objects for sale? In Centre-Val de Loire, eleven addresses answer that question.
Garlic and Basil Fair, a medieval custom right in the middle of Tours (Indre-et-Loire)
Sunday July 26, on Saint Anne's feast day, the Garlic and Basil Fair returns to Place du Grand Marché in Tours. The custom dates back to the Middle Ages and has carried on ever since, year after year. Close to 200 sellers — growers, shopkeepers and craftspeople — set up stalls through the streets of the Halles and Vieux-Tours districts.
Garlic takes centre stage, in a region with a long growing history. The format blends an open-air market with a neighbourhood festival, packed into a single day. Best for anyone after a short local-produce trip: expect to leave with a garlic braid and a basil pot rather than an antique cabinet.
Old Trades Festival, La Celle-Guénand: 450 sellers and forgotten crafts (Indre-et-Loire)
Sunday July 26, the La Celle-Guénand flea market and Old Trades Festival brings together up to 450 sellers and a craftsmen's village in the town centre. The local festivities committee runs a day that mixes a large-scale flea market with demonstrations of old trades and craftwork.
It ranks among the biggest events of its kind in Centre-Val de Loire, and ties in with the Tool and Old Trades Museum based in the same village. Best for watching a wood lathe turn or a blacksmith at work, between ordinary flea-market stalls.
Valençay flea market, hunting under the gaze of Talleyrand's château (Indre)
Sunday July 26, the Valençay flea market fills the town centre, overlooked by the château once owned by Talleyrand. Professional and private sellers offer old furniture, trinkets, crockery and curios, in one of the busiest summer dates in the Indre.
The format pairs classic hunting with a rare heritage backdrop: few regional flea markets can claim such historic neighbours. Best for extending a château visit with a wander through the stalls right after.
AS Chailles-Candé flea market, over 50 editions at the Stade du Cosson (Loir-et-Cher)
Sunday July 26, the AS Chailles-Candé flea market takes over the Stade du Cosson on Rue de la Vallée. More than 300 sellers, private and professional, set up for one of the oldest flea markets in the Loir-et-Cher, with over 50 editions behind it.
Free entry, pitches at €2.50 per linear metre. An XXL format run by a local sports club, where longevity counts as much as size. Best for hunters who like arriving early and covering plenty of ground without watching the clock.
Châtillon-Coligny flea market, a medieval town's streets taken over (Loiret)
Sunday July 26, the last Sunday of July, the Châtillon-Coligny flea market and car-boot sale turns the town's squares and three main streets into a second-hand market. Dealers and private sellers mix freely, in a town ranked among the Loiret's most attractive villages.
Cafés and restaurants in the town centre stay open through the day. A heritage-town format in the Gâtinais, where hunting comes paired with a stroll through old streets. Best for those who like combining a find with period architecture.
Montlouis-sur-Loire night market, craft stalls and live music by the river (Indre-et-Loire)
Saturday July 25, from 6 pm to 11 pm, the Montlouis-sur-Loire night market brings Place Abraham Courtemanche to life, in this wine-growing town on the Loire. Around twenty craftspeople and producers sell jewellery, accessories, candles, essential oils and local produce, with a live band playing.
Food stalls keep things going, turning the evening into an open-air dinner. A summer night-time format, a world away from the usual morning flea market. Best for a Saturday evening spent browsing between bites and a bit of music.
Étang du Roger flea market, Thenay: 300 sellers by the water (Loir-et-Cher)
Sunday July 26, the fourth Sunday of the month, Thenay's festivities committee runs the Étang du Roger flea market, from 6 am to 6 pm. More than 300 sellers, private and professional, line the edges of the lake.
Food on site, parking available. A format combining nature and scale, staying shaded even at the height of a summer afternoon. Best for early risers keen to beat the heat and be done before noon.
Les Puces de Tours, the Saturday-morning fixture at Place de la Victoire (Indre-et-Loire)
Saturday July 25, as every Wednesday and Saturday, Les Puces de Tours sets up its thirty-odd professional dealers on Place de la Victoire, from 8 am to noon. Old furniture, vinyl, books, crockery and collectibles have changed hands here for decades.
A short, recurring format right in the city centre. Best for a quick session before enjoying the rest of the morning in Tours: an hour is enough to cover the stalls.
Maison des Brocanteurs flea market, inside Châteaudun's Hôtel-Dieu courtyard (Eure-et-Loir)
Sunday July 26, the fourth Sunday of the month, the Maison des Brocanteurs outdoor flea market sets up in the Hôtel-Dieu courtyard, Square de la Madeleine. Professional dealers from the region, plus guest sellers from further afield, lay out their stalls.
Free entry, items from €10. A compact format in a heritage setting, far from the weekend's bigger events. Best for calm hunting, without the crowds of a 300-seller date.
Crevant wine fair and flea market, hunting at one euro a metre (Indre)
Sunday July 26, from 8 am to 6 pm, the Crevant flea market joins the village's traditional wine and produce fair. Winemakers from Reuilly, Valençay and Châteaumeillant, alongside growers from Bordeaux and Alsace, set up next to the flea-market dealers on the village square.
Flea-market pitches go for one euro per linear metre, among the lowest rates in the region. A double format, part tasting, part hunting, in a small Boischaut village. Best for coming home with a bottle as well as a trinket.
Bengy-sur-Craon flea market, 200 sellers for a 24-year-old summer date (Cher)
Sunday July 26, the Bengy-sur-Craon flea market and car-boot sale fills Route de Flavigny, from 6 am to 6 pm. Run by Bengy Animations, it marked its 24th edition in 2025 and draws around 200 private sellers.
Free pitches by reservation, free entry for visitors. A loyal village format, faithful to its annual July date in the Cher. Best for regulars who return each summer to walk the same rows of stalls.
Also worth a look this weekend in Centre-Val de Loire
For more regional picks this weekend, head to our national agenda. Happy hunting in Centre-Val de Loire, this July 25-26.
