giant flea market in Lille – 2014

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 051
Always on the first weekend of September. The center of Lille turns into a giant pedestrian zone and nearly one million visitors come to buy, sell, barter, stroll, chat with strangers, drink beer and have a good time. Called La Grande Braderie, (braderie comes from the verb “brader” which means “to sell off”), it’s a festive tradition in this northern city.

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 009LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 025LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 022

The sky was leaden on Saturday and the atmosphere slightly subdued. But the sun came out on Sunday.

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 010

“How much for the dog?” I asked.  He was sitting on a large postcard collection.

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 057

Alpha males (below)


LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 059

This is the only item I bought for 8 euros from a German seller. Its purpose is to drain rinsed strawberries, radishes, grapes, etc. 

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 072

Here’s Martine Aubry, the Socialist mayor of Lille since 2001, much-loved by the Lillois citizens (in the middle wearing a red jacket.)

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 033

And here’s the Socialist Party booth where beer and “moules-frites” (mussels and fries) are served, a speciality of the region. Traditionally a working-class city, up until the end of the 1970s the major industries of Lille were coal, mining and textiles.

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 065LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 066

Every year the local Communist Party puts up their booth and sells their newspaper called La Lutte Ouvrière (The Workers’ Struggle). 

LILLE BRADERIE - septembre 2014 037
I walked past the booth and took a photograph.

“Journalist?” the man asked.

“Capitalist!” I replied with a thumbs-up sign, and walked on.