Le Barcarès Antique Dealers' Fair

A unique antique fair aboard a cruise ship

The Le Barcarès Antique Dealers' Fair is one of the most original events of the Catalan spring. It takes place in an absolutely unique location in France: aboard the Lydia cruise ship, this legendary ship voluntarily beached on the beach of Le Barcarès in 1967 to serve as a casino-restaurant and which has become the emblem of the resort. For four days, this extraordinary maritime setting welcomes antique dealers from all over France, offering hundreds of carefully selected objects.

The Lydia, a Catalan legend

The Lydia is a 90-meter cruise ship built in Scotland in 1931 and originally christened Moonta. After a long career on the southern seas, it was voluntarily beached on the sand of Le Barcarès in June 1967 under the direction of architect Georges Candilis, as part of the tourist development of the Languedoc coast. Since then, it has become one of the most fascinating symbols of the French coastline, a unique architectural curiosity that attracts thousands of visitors every year. The choice of this extraordinary ship as the setting for the Antique Dealers' Fair gives the event an inimitable character.

More than 40 exhibitors and hundreds of objects

More than 40 professional exhibitors from all over France come aboard the ship for four days. Each stand offers a different atmosphere, each object tells a story. Along the decks, you discover vintage furniture from the 50s and 60s, design lighting, art ceramics, antique books, decorative art objects, jewelry, paintings and curiosities. The emphasis is on 20th century vintage, particularly popular with decorators and collectors. A visit that will delight both knowledgeable amateurs and simple curious visitors who come to admire the setting and dream.

A flagship event in Le Barcarès

Since its creation in 2023, the Antique Dealers' Fair has become an unmissable rendezvous of spring in Le Barcarès, orchestrated by recognized antique dealer Bernard Rouflay. The 2026 edition, the fourth, is held from May 14 to 17 on the avenue du Paquebot des Sables, at the foot of the Lydia. With its marina, its 8 kilometers of fine sandy beaches and its many summer activities, Le Barcarès is the ideal destination to extend the visit to the fair for a weekend or extended stay.