Marché des quais de Bordeaux Chartrons, Open-air market on a quay in Bordeaux, France
The Marché des quais de Bordeaux Chartrons is an open-air market along the Quais de Chartrons, on the banks of the Garonne river in Bordeaux. The stalls line the waterfront and sell fresh produce, flowers, books, local crafts, and ready-to-eat food.
The market developed along quays that were long in poor condition and separated the Chartrons neighborhood from the rest of Bordeaux. After the quays were renovated in the 2000s, the market grew quickly and took on its current form, replacing the earlier landmark of the museum ship Colbert, which had once been moored there.
The Marché des quais de Bordeaux Chartrons takes its name from the Chartrons neighborhood, a riverside district historically tied to the wine trade. Visitors today can see how that commercial tradition carries on, with vendors selling local specialties directly along the waterfront.
The market takes place every Sunday morning, with the food stalls opening early and closing around midday, while the food-to-go and craft stalls stay open into the early afternoon. The site is right on the riverbank and easy to reach on foot, especially for those already walking along the Garonne.
The market was once known as the Marché Colbert, named after the cruiser Colbert, a decommissioned warship that served as a museum ship moored right at the quay. When the ship was removed, the market stayed, and most visitors today have no idea the site was once defined by a naval vessel.
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