Arpajon Bean Fair

The Arpajon Bean Fair, a centuries-old tradition since the 17th century

The Arpajon Bean Fair is one of the oldest fairs in France, with origins dating back to the 17th century. Founded by royal letters patent, it was originally an agricultural market specialising in the sale of white beans grown on the Orge and Hurepoix plains. Arpajon was at the heart of a major market gardening region supplying Paris with fresh vegetables along the royal road southward. The 19th-century covered market hall, still standing in the town centre, bears witness to this centuries-old trading tradition.

The Arpajon bean, a legendary variety

The Arpajon white bean is an old large-grain variety, long cultivated on the Arpajonnais and Hurepoix plains. Prized for its taste, thin skin and cooking stability, this vegetable built the region's reputation well beyond Essonne. Thousands of kilos of beans are sold each year in bulk, in bags or cooked on site by producers.

The giant flea market and braderie

Associated with the agricultural fair for decades, the Arpajon flea market is one of the largest second-hand markets in Essonne and Île-de-France. For three days, the main streets of the town centre are entirely occupied by hundreds of stalls. A mix of professional dealers and private sellers offer antique furniture, tableware, books, vintage clothing, toys, vinyl records, postcards and jewellery.

A historic setting at the confluence of the Orge and Juine

Arpajon's town centre, with its remarkable listed 19th-century market hall, its collegiate church of Saint-Clément dating to the 10th century, and its medieval lanes, provides a rare architectural backdrop for a fair of this scale. The town stands at the confluence of the Orge and Juine rivers, which have shaped the Hurepoix landscape and supported thriving agriculture.