The Saint Bartholomew Fair will take place this Saturday, September 28, in the Palais de Justice and Pierre Gautier squares! Since the Middle Ages and up to the present day, festivals, markets, and fairs continue to pace the life of our countryside and some of our cities.
Places of exchange and meetings par excellence, for centuries they were the only means for products to circulate between towns and the countryside.
Nice celebrated Saint Bartholomew (patron saint of butchers, tanners, and bookbinders) from August 24 to September 2. In 1913, this fair was still held near the large stone wall of the bastion that the tramway excavations have brought to light. A past still present.
Many small markets still enliven the villages of the Upper and Middle County of Nice, as well as certain neighborhoods of our city, for a day. People come, as much to sell as to buy: poultry, fish, vegetables, flowers… but also clothes, shoes, dishes…
A visit to the old town, through its narrow streets, still bears witness to the commercial activity that reigned there since the Middle Ages and was maintained there until the 1970s.
From the 16th century, we remember “Halle aux Herbes” square, a large vegetable market that was held there until the 19th century. From 1860, it was established on the Cours Saleya, where it still is. Initially set up at “La Marina” near the shore, the fish market is nowadays on Place Saint François near the old Communal Palace.
At the heart of history and economy, markets and fairs were, for several centuries, the only places where trade was conducted.
This tradition is still perpetuated today through fairs like the Nice Fair. But once again, the Saint Bartholomew Fair is experiencing renewed interest, a sort of rebirth.
Celebrated on September 22, it contributes to the animation of the old town through its squares where crafts and expertise are honored.
On this occasion, locals and tourists can discover products from the County (oil, olives, honey…) as well as the produce of our cross-border friends. They can also taste local specialties such as “socca,” “pissaladière,” or “pan bagnat,” all accompanied by the famous Bellet wine, cultivated on the hills above the Magnan valley.
