Street Markets Brittany, France

Boardnashea

TIA

We're heading to Brittany soon and were intending to go straight off the boat to the Sunday market in Carnac. But I now see there is also a Sunday market in Brest, which is closer to our final destination. Any opinions on which one is better, Looking for good food, fresh fruit and, I suppose some souvenirs etc.

mr_edge_to_you

Is Carnac not very far out of the way, given your destination is closer to Brest? The market is hardly worth that much effort.

Boardnashea

Yes, it is our of the way and the temp in the day will probably resolve the decision. But Carnac comes very highly recommended.

OptiPlus

Going that far out of your way to buy fruit and veg and pick up a souvenir of your fruit and veg shopping experience doesn't seem worth it.

Juran

I've been to the Sunday Brest market manytimes as we have a holiday home near there. Main reason we go sunday morning is to pick up cooked foods for lunch eg. Roast chicken, garlic potatoes, cooked sausages, etc. It has good cheese, fruit & veg stalls.

The other stalls sell clothes, underwear and tablecloths (not to my taste, polyester tack).

The market is normally packed as all shops are closed in Brest on sundays so its the only place to get groceries.

Its in the city centre, and parking is near impossible to find.

I can safely say you won't find any souvenirs there. Its a local market aimed at locals.

Tip: in designated tourist areas, France allows some supermarkets to open sunday mornings up to lunch time for the summer months (may to sep). Check the supermarkets in the area you are staying to see if yiu can get you shopping there sunday morning. Brest is not designated a tourist city, thus everything is closed bar the odd petrol station.

Boardnashea

Just to report back on the markets... We didn't manage to get to any market the day we arrived! And we didn't get as far as Carnac at any stage. We did get to Brest market the following Sunday, and as Juran says above, a fair bit of tat. A good few food stalls and we did get a few supplies. A very urban setting.

We visited St Renan on market day, Saturday. Some of the same traders as the following day in Brest, but the setting was so much more attractive. Small streets, packed tight with stalls and shoppers. We collected some lovely cheeses, bread, cold meats and delicious roast pork, and then headed to some of the lovely beaches in the area for the afternoon.

The quality of the fruit and veg was also appreciated.