Cours Julien Book Market

The booksellers' meeting place in the heart of Cours Julien

Every second Saturday of the month, the Cours Julien hosts the Book Market, one of the most endearing cultural events in the 6th arrondissement of Marseille. From 8:30 am to 6 pm, about fifteen professional booksellers and second-hand booksellers display their stalls under the pergolas of this emblematic square, offering passers-by and bibliophiles a rich and varied panorama of second-hand literature.

Organized by ADLOM (Association de Défense du Livre Objet à Marseille), this monthly market brings together book professionals who offer a carefully selected choice: novels, art editions, original and signed editions, detective novels, comic books, vintage paperbacks, illustrated works, old books, as well as vinyl records and cinema posters. Each stand is an invitation to discovery, where one can find a rare first edition as well as a low-priced beach read.

Cours Julien, the epicenter of Marseille's alternative culture

The Cours Julien is not an insignificant setting for a book market. Formerly a wholesale fruit and vegetable market until 1972, this terraced square has become over the decades the bohemian district of Marseille, recognized internationally for its street art. The surrounding walls are covered with monumental frescoes by local and international artists, renewed with the seasons and festivals.

Lined with cafés, restaurants, galleries and designer boutiques, Cours Julien buzzes with a permanent creative energy. The book market naturally fits into this cultural identity: between two second-hand book stalls, visitors can admire the street art, sit at a café terrace to browse their finds, or continue their stroll through the adjacent alleys where record stores, second-hand clothing shops and artists' studios are nestled.

A tradition of second-hand booksellers rooted in Marseille's history

Marseille has a long tradition of trading old books, inherited from its port history and Mediterranean exchanges. ADLOM perpetuates this tradition by organizing several regular markets in the Phocaean city: in addition to Cours Julien every second Saturday, the association runs a market at Cours Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves every first Saturday and a market on the Canebière on the last Sunday of the month (except July-August, December and January). These complementary events make Marseille one of the most dynamic cities in France for second-hand books.

The Cours Julien Book Market is an open-air event, which gives it a special charm but means it is cancelled in case of rain. On sunny days - frequent in the Mediterranean climate - the atmosphere is that of an open-air literary village, where professionals and amateurs passionately discuss written works.

Practical information for visitors

The Book Market is held every second Saturday of the month, from 8:30 am to 6 pm, on the Cours Julien in the 6th arrondissement of Marseille. Entry is free. The market is directly accessible from the Notre-Dame-du-Mont – Cours Julien metro station (line M1). For visitors with cars, the underground Cours Julien parking is located nearby. It is advisable to arrive as soon as it opens at 8:30 am to take advantage of the best selection from the second-hand booksellers.