Professional Flea Market ABALA — Saint-Nazaire

The ABALA Professional Flea Market at the Submarine Base

Every April, the ABALA44 association organizes its professional flea market within the walls of the Saint-Nazaire Submarine Base, boulevard de l'Égalité. This extraordinary heritage site, a vestige of World War II, hosts around forty professional exhibitors—dealers, antique dealers, and curiosity merchants—who come to offer their finest finds in a unique architectural setting in Europe.

The Submarine Base, an Exceptional Heritage Site

The Saint-Nazaire Submarine Base is one of the most impressive historical monuments in the Loire region. Built under the Occupation by the Todt organization between 1941 and 1942, this reinforced concrete structure, 300 meters long and 130 meters wide, housed the Kriegsmarine submarines. Its roof, 8 to 9 meters thick, made it indestructible to Allied bombings. Today, converted into a cultural venue, the Base hosts exhibitions, concerts, artistic events, and happenings like the ABALA flea market.

ABALA44, Professionals of the Flea Market in Loire-Atlantique

ABALA44 brings together professional dealers and antique dealers from Loire-Atlantique. This association works to promote the profession, defend the interests of its members, and organize quality events. The professional flea market in Saint-Nazaire is one of its main showcases, allowing professionals to exhibit in a remarkable setting and enthusiasts to find pieces selected by experts.

A Quality Selection for Discerning Enthusiasts

With 40 professional exhibitors, the ABALA flea market offers a selective and high-quality range. Antique furniture, earthenware and porcelain, silverware and goldsmithing, paintings and prints, old books, jewelry, watchmaking, decorative objects, and curiosities: the stalls are run by professionals who know the value of their items and can advise buyers. A bar and catering service are available on-site, allowing visitors to enjoy their visit in complete peace.

Saint-Nazaire, a Port and Industrial City

Saint-Nazaire is the major port city of Loire-Atlantique, world-renowned for its shipyards and industrial history. The city combines remarkable heritage—including the Submarine Base—with a dynamic cultural life. The holding of the ABALA flea market in this exceptional site perfectly illustrates Saint-Nazaire's ability to reinvent its war-era spaces to serve culture and the local economy.