Car boot sale of Martigues

Bargain hunting in Martigues on May 1st: the Provençal Venice in celebration

Every May 1st, the city of Martigues hosts its annual car boot sale, a popular event that transforms the city's streets into a vast market for second-hand items. Individuals and families take over the heart of this town in the Bouches-du-Rhône to offer bargain hunters and strollers a wide range of second-hand items at low prices, in a festive and relaxed atmosphere.

Martigues, three villages united by canals

Martigues is a city with a unique identity. On April 21, 1581, three rival villages — Jonquières, Ferrières, and l'Île — merged to give birth to a unique city, connected by its canals and bridges. The l'Île district, bordered by the two arms of the Caronte canal, the Baussengue to the north and the Galiffet to the south, forms the historic heart of the city. It is here that the famous Saint-Sébastien canal winds, its curve lined with houses with multicolored facades forming the scene of the Miroir aux Oiseaux, listed since October 28, 1942.

The Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church, a jewel of Provençal baroque

Built between 1670 and 1680, the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church testifies to the prosperity of Martigues in the 17th century and the attachment of the inhabitants of l'Île who participated in its financing. Classified as a Historic Monument since 1947, it features a two-tiered facade adorned with a double colonnade with Corinthian capitals framing a richly carved wooden portal. The interior houses a single nave of seven bays, a walnut pulpit made by local craftsman Étienne Darbon in 1679, and a remarkable Moitessier organ from 1850 with 26 stops and some 1,500 pipes, classified since 1908.

Finds for all tastes

The Martigues car boot sale offers the typical diversity of Provençal second-hand markets:

• Tableware, earthenware, and decorative objects
• Clothing and accessories for the whole family
• Toys and board games
• Books, vinyl records, and collectibles
• Small furniture and tools
• Trinkets and curiosities

Remarkable cultural and artistic heritage

The painter Félix Ziem, who discovered Martigues in 1840, was the first in a long line of artists captivated by the city's light and reflections. The Ziem museum today houses paintings from the Marseille school from 1850 to 1925, as well as contemporary works. The Chapelle de l'Annonciade, a 17th-century baroque building classified as a Historic Monument in 1910, features trompe-l'œil decorations and exceptional painted ceilings. The Fort de Bouc, built in the early 17th century at the mouth of the Caronte canal, guards the passage between the Gulf of Fos and the Étang de Berre.

Between the Mediterranean and the Étang de Berre

Martigues benefits from an exceptional geographical location, between the Mediterranean Côte Bleue and the vast Étang de Berre. This unique position between sea and lagoon offers car boot sale visitors the opportunity to extend their day with a walk along the quays, a stroll on the coastal paths, or a tasting of poutargue, the local specialty made from dried and salted mullet roe. Martigues markets also offer fresh fish, local vegetables, and Provençal products all year round.