Andrea50

I would be interested to hear from people who go to the French markets in their local villages/towns.

I want to know the sort of things that are on sale there, and whether one has to buy a pitch or if you can just turn up with a pasting table and stick your stuff on it and sell it.

It would also be useful for me to know what stuff people actually buy there, apart from fresh veg etc. Do you think there would be much mileage in me selling homemade craft items, such as patchwork bags, rag dolls, cross stitch cushions and tapestry items etc?

We won't actually need the money for bills but I think it might be a good way to make a bit of "leisure" money and for us to meet people and get practise with the language, but I won't want to bother if there is lots of red tape and a huge pitch fee like there is in England.

Any thoughts? Or would a vide grenier be a better place to sell such stuff?

Andy

L'Acajou

Hi Andy

I used to make and sell craft in the UK (jewellery, wooden flowers etc) I am thinking about doing the wooden flowers again (if I had the luxury of the time to do it Don't know about markets over here, but I suspect you need a licence etc, I can't imagine it would be straightforward!

In the UK I used to prefer to do agricultural shows/ steam rallies and such like, people tend to hang around longer and I sold more stuff. I found Craft Fairs very slow, people used to just treat it as an exhibition and not really buy stuff, which just made for a dull day.

So I would say try to find annual fêtes, there are plenty of them and they are usually very well attended. It takes a while to find suitable venues, I found that people used to invite me to have a stand at their fête as they had seen me at an earlier event. I imagine it would work the same way here.

Good luck!

Sue

L'Acajou

Forgot to say, we do actually occasionally do farmers markets, (we sell our beef direct,) first we had a stand at an open-day at our friends winery and subsequently been invited to similar "do's", we have a chill counter and a hired refrigerated van. Incidentally they also had non-food stands which seemed to do well, again, people seem to hang around for the day, have lunch, etc, which helps sales!

Sue

Andrea50

That sounds very positive, thanks.

So, the fetes do sound a good idea. Probably again wise to enquire at the local mairie about how to go about getting a stall etc. Does one really need a licence? I am surprised at that, but again once over there I can do proper research and often the best type is take a trip round them all and see what else is on sale and how much for. Maybe the licence is only needed for food stuffs?

Many thanks for your reply - really helpful and positive!

Andy

cupoftea

I think you will need to register yourself as micro-entreprise at your Hôtel d'Impôts - there are special arrangements for things 'artistique' and all the complex rules of other businesses don't apply, as long as you are making things yourself and not re-selling. They will advise you if you go in and ask, the paperwork is very simple. This gives you a SIRET number, which any reputable organiser of a market (artisanal or otherwise) will ask you for. You then declare your earnings via tax return, no need to register with the Chambres de Métiers. I agree with everything already said about local fêtes, just try it out when you get here and you will find the ones which work best for you - I have also found word of mouth very good, people now call at the house to buy my things as I stick little labels on the packages when they buy them, so they can always find me (everyone expects things to be very professionally gift wrapped, however small and simple - I make my own little packets with ribbons, helps to keep the costs down). And tourists will come back year after year if they like your stuff - people are always looking for gifts to take back - especially grand-parents strangely enough, they like to have a little something for the grandchildren!

L'Acajou

Ah, yes cupof tea, that all makes sense! We already have a Siret number, etc and we are only selling our own products so I guess the paperwork is already done. We are also TVA registered to I have to do invoices for each sale and work out the TVA element...keeps me out of mischief, mostly!

What is it that you make? I too used to get customers coming back, that is so satisfying, and I did special commissions too. I'm feeling quite inspired - maybe I'll go and dust off my machinery in my atelier....

Sue

cupoftea

I knit socks, all sizes, all colours and designs, and take commissions for other knitting. It could never be a main source of income, but it tops us up a little with our other 'income streams'. The demand has really grown over the years I have been doing it, I can certainly sell socks much faster than I can knit them. I love the whole process, both making and selling, it's great fun, and makes a hobby into an adventure.

L'Acajou

I like the sound of that! I am a fairly accomplished knitter myself, done almost everything, arran, lacework, even machine knitting, everything except socks in fact! I knitted some fingerless gloves for my hubby in winter - not much call for them at the moment though

I regard knitting as therapy, very soothing and rewarding! I am currently in dressmaking mode, sewing a few things in readiness for my hols, only 4 days by the sea but I can't wait!

cupoftea

I also find my knitting very therapeutic and relaxing, and because the sock needles are small and made of bamboo, they are very portable, so I can knit in waiting rooms and so on, saves me from getting bored - and often I get new customers who see me knitting and want to buy some! They are in very fine wool, so take a long time to make, just a pity I can't make them faster. I think I need a team of chinese children working 12 hours a day for a pittance.