Bourse aux Armes et Militaria de Gémenos

The Bourse aux Armes et Militaria de Gémenos: a collectors' meeting in an exceptional heritage setting

Each year, the Parc départemental de Saint-Pons in Gémenos hosts the Bourse aux Armes et Militaria, a specialized event that brings together collectors of antique weapons and military history enthusiasts in a remarkable setting. Organized by the local section of the UNC (Union Nationale des Combattants), this exhibition brings together around forty exhibitors from across the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region and beyond, offering a wide range of military collectibles.

The Parc de Saint-Pons and the Cistercian Abbey, a heritage jewel

The Parc départemental de Saint-Pons covers 1,796 hectares acquired by the Département des Bouches-du-Rhône between 1972 and 2022. At the heart of this exceptional forest estate stands the Abbey of Saint-Pons, a Cistercian monastery founded in 1205, classified as a Historic Monument since 1926. A daughter of the Abbey of Le Thoronet, this abbey for nuns was founded by Dame Garcende with the agreement of the Bishop of Marseille, on land belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Victor. The Romanesque architectural ensemble, enhanced with a Gothic touch, is a precious testament to Cistercian heritage in Provence. The Saint-Pons valley, watered by the Fauge river which never runs dry, is home to lush vegetation of pines, beeches, hornbeams, century-old lime trees, holly, maples, holm oaks, and yews, offering a natural setting of great beauty for this event.

Gémenos, a Provençal village at the foot of the Sainte-Baume

Gémenos is a commune of about 6,000 inhabitants nestled at the foot of the Sainte-Baume massif, in the heart of the Aix-en-Provence–Marseille–Toulon triangle. Mentioned as early as 934 under the name of Geminas, the commune is one of the 29 communes integrated into the Regional Natural Park of the Sainte-Baume. Its heritage includes the 15th-century Saint-Martin church, the Saint-Jean-de-Garguier pilgrimage chapel with its 200 ex-votos, and the Château des Albertas, now the Town Hall. The commune is easily accessible via the A50 motorway (Aubagne exit) and the RD 2.

Antique weapons, decorations, and old uniforms

The Bourse aux Armes et Militaria de Gémenos offers visitors and collectors a wide selection of military items:

• Antique and collectible weapons: regulated firearms, bayonets, swords, sabers, daggers, and bladed weapons from all eras
• Decorations and medals: French and foreign national orders, commemorative medals, Croix de Guerre, civil and military decorations
• Old uniforms: period military outfits, headwear, helmets, caps, field equipment
• Insignia and badges: regimental, divisional, paratrooper, navy, and air force insignia
• Documents and historical souvenirs: military service records, photographs, war correspondence, posters, staff maps
• Specialized books and publications: works on military history, technical journals, combatant memoirs

The UNC, guardian of combatant memory

The Union Nationale des Combattants, founded in 1918, is one of the oldest associations of veterans in France. The Gémenos local section organizes this exhibition with a dual objective: to provide a meeting and exchange place for collectors of weapons and militaria, and to contribute to the duty of remembrance by presenting material evidence of French military history to the public. The exhibitors, all passionate and knowledgeable, willingly share their expertise on the items presented, making this event a moment of historical education as well as collection.

Provence, a land of militaria collectors

Provence is a region with a rich and ancient military past, from Roman wars to 20th-century conflicts, including the Crusades and the 1944 landings. This dense history makes the Bouches-du-Rhône a particularly fertile territory for discovering authentic military pieces. The Bourse aux Armes et Militaria de Gémenos is part of this Provençal tradition of collector fairs, attracting enthusiasts from all over southeastern France to this unique setting of the Cistercian abbey of Saint-Pons.