Meander through the amazing flea market on your self-guided holiday in Provence.
Isle sur la Sorgue, literally meaning ‘The island on the river Sorgue’ is a great base for a Provence cycling holiday or a walking holiday in the Lubéron. It is a workaday town, busy all year although the population more than triples in the height of season. Known as the ‘Venise of Provence’, the presence of water at every turn is wonderful. The clear and shallow water of the river Sorgue runs through the town centre and under pedestrian bridges adorned with flowers. It was this same river that once fed the towns economy, providing power to the local industries such as the cereal, wool and silk mills, used as irrigation for crops and was home to ample fish. Today, the town owes most of its economic boom to antique shops and flea markets.
A Provence walking holiday in the French capital of antiques
It all began in 1890 with the Légier family who were antique dealers from Isle sur la Sorgue. Joseph Légier went to live in Paris with his son after the First World War. Antique dealers from father to son, it was Josephs grandson who organised the very first flea market in Isle on 15th August 1966. 14 dealers turned up for the occasion and it was a huge success. Around 2 000 invitations were sent out and as luck would have it, a news story by a local reporter was aired on the radio the night before which attracted hundreds more! It was decided immediately that there would be a repeat the following year and another flea market organised at Easter. And so began a new economic era for Isle sur la Sorgue, who had seen its industries gradually shutting down one by one over the years.
Soak up the atmosphere on your self-guided walking holiday in France
In almost 40 years, Isle has become the third most important European destination for antiques and flea markets after Paris and London and attracts buyers and bargain hunters from around the world. From Monday to Saturday, there are around 300 antique dealers who sell their wears in Isle. So important to the town is the antique status that there is quality control chart that is signed by each dealer to ensure expert sellers.
We highly recommend a Provence walking holiday or a Provence Cycling trip with a rest day in Isle on a Sunday. In addition to the famous Provencal market with stalls that line the quayside and take over the town centre, on Sundays, the antique shops spill their goods out onto the pavement, offering a wonderful array of furniture, family heirlooms, second-hand goods, decoration and all sorts of bric a brac for you to root through. A bargain hunters dream!
Walking through the luberon perched villages
Hiking in Provence: Luberon walks and medieval villages
