“It's the only place in Alès where all the neighborhoods meet”: with the Sunday flea market in Gardon, the “tradition” continues

About forty exhibitors are present in the Gardon-bas car park, in Alès, on August 25. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

Une quarantaine d’exposants sont présents sur le parking du Gardon-bas, à Alès, ce 25 août. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

During the summer, holidaymakers, including foreign tourists, also made the trip to the banks of the Gardon, below Avenue Carnot.

There were only about forty exhibitors present on the morning of this Sunday, August 25, at the Alès flea market, below Avenue Carnot, a few meters from the Gardon. “Because some must have been afraid of the storm”, smiles Max Guiraud, from the Friends of Old Alais, the association that organizes this Sunday event. Because, in July and August, there were, "on average, about sixty".

English and Dutch people frequent the flea markets

And with a good number of passing bargain hunters. "It was good this summer", notes the former cinema projectionist who has become a seller of old books and records. “We had a normal attendance. Not extraordinary, but normal.” It should also be noted that alongside the regulars, there were “holidaymakers”, who heard about the chips on specialized websites. “And foreigners too”!”“Such as the Dutch and the English to whom he has “sold quite a few records”.

Every Sunday, from 7am to 1pm

The start of the school year is now approaching, but will clearly not change the habits of that day, in the heart of Alès, from 7am to 1pm. “It will be the continuation of the tradition”, laughs retiree Max Guiraud. “It's the Sunday walk!” Which is even confirmed by an exhibitor: “It's the only place in the city where all the neighborhoods meet, from Prés Saint-Jean to Rieu.”