Albert Réderie (September)

A réderie in the town of the Poilu

Albert, a town of about 10,000 inhabitants halfway between Amiens and Bapaume, bears a nickname inherited from World War I: "capital of the Poilu". The city was a strategic point of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It is in this historic setting that the autumn réderie is announced for Sunday 13 September 2026. The exact location remains to be confirmed, but the event follows a long tradition of Albert réderies bringing together private sellers and dealers.

The Picard réderie spirit

Specific to Picard dialect, the word "réderie" designates what is called elsewhere a flea market or vide-grenier. In Albert, exhibitors come mainly from the Somme, Nord and Pas-de-Calais, to offer a vast bric-a-brac: furniture, antique tableware, tools, books, toys, records, vintage clothing, trinkets and collectibles. The atmosphere is warm, conducive to haggling, and prices remain very accessible for a quiet late-summer day.

Albert, town of remembrance

Beyond the réderie, Albert offers rich heritage. The basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Brebières, crowned by its golden Virgin, dominates the town; the Somme 1916 Museum tells the story of the trenches in the underground galleries dug beneath the basilica; the Thiepval, Pozières, Beaumont-Hamel and Longueval memorials are just a few kilometres away. Foreign visitors, especially British and Australian, regularly visit this area.

A stop in the Coquelicot country

The Albert réderie fits into a dense regional calendar. Flea-market enthusiasts can continue their journey to other réderies in the Somme or neighbouring Artois. Albert is accessible via the RN29 from Amiens (30 km) or via the A1 motorway. Albert train station, on the Paris-Lille line, is served by regional trains.