Market Days on the Camino Routes

[dougfitz]

There has been some discussion about the days when weekly markets occur in various towns. I know that there was a market in Los Arcos on the Tuesday when I walked in 2010, and other have identified market days in different threads. Here is an opportunity to provide that information in one place. If you know when a particular town or village holds its market, let me know and I will keep the list up to date. The essential information is what route you were walking, the town name and day of the week the market was being held. It would be nice to know where the market is held in the town, and whether it is a morning, afternoon or all day market.

The list was updated on 6 Feb 16, and can be found here. I will remove the list below at the next update, but please keep contributions coming in.

Camino Frances:
SJPP – Monday
Puente la Reina – Thursday
Estella – two sources (1) Thursday (thank you @biarritzdon) (2) Friday
Los Arcos - two sources (1) Saturday, (2) Tuesday - Plaza de Cozo (a block to the south of the Plaza de Santa Maria) was setting up around 8.30 am
Logroño – Sunday
Navarrete – Wednesday
Najera – Thursday
Santo Domingo – Saturday
Granon - Wednesday and Saturday
Belorado – Monday
Frómista – Friday
Carrion de Los Condes -Thursday
Sahagún – Saturday
Mansilla de la Mulas – Wednesday (May 2015)
León - two sources (1) Wednesday and (2) Saturday
Astorga – Tuesday
Ponferrada - possibly both Wednesday and Saturday
Melide - Sunday (thank you @peregrina2000)
Santiago – Thursday
Camino Portugues:
Barcelos - Thursday - Campo da Republica (also known as Campo da Feria)
Camino de Invierno:
Puente de Domingo Florez (market), Sunday (source @KinkyOne, visited on July 19th 2014, Rodeiro (market), Monday, (source @KinkyOne, visited on July 27th 2014)
Camino Sanabres:
Tabara (market), Saturday, (source @KinkyOne, visited on July 18th 2015)
Camino Ingles:
Miño - Sunday (it is in the square and the stalls hide the signing for the Camino )
Camino Finisterre and Camino Muxia:
Muxia (fiesta & market), Friday & Saturday, (source @KinkyOne, visited on August 7th & 8th 2015)
Camino del Norte:
Llanes - Thursdays

Routes in France
Le Puy Route (to Cahors)
Espalion - Tuesdays (9h-12h) Place du Marché
Figeac - Saturdays (8h-12h30) Place Barthal, Place Vival, Rue de la République, Place Carnot, Place Champollion, Rue du 11 novembre
Cahors - Saturday mornings place Chapou
Figeac-Rocamadour-Cahors variant
Cardaillac- Sundays (8h - 13h) centre of town. All but disappeared according to one of only two vendors there. But the fresh pizza he made was so wonderful…
Gramat - Tuesdays (8h-13h) Marché des Halles
Conques-Toulouse variant
Villefranche-de-Rouergue - Thursday mornings Place Notre Dame, but spills out all over town.
Cordes-sur-Ciel - Saturday mornings Place de la Bouteillerie (at the base of the town)

Contributors:
dougfitz, KinkyOne, perigrina2000, biarritzdon, falcon269, Yallah, GunnarW, annakappa, sulu, SabineP, Tia Valeria, SusanReneGr65, wokabaut_meri

 

[Walli Walker]

Camino Portugues:
Barcelos market is held every Thursday in the Campo da Republica also known as Campo da Feria. Well worth a visit.

 

[dougfitz]

I note that this has been tried before here and here. I have captured that information as well in the list.

 

[KinkyOne]

Invierno:
- Puente de Domingo Florez (market), Sunday, July 19th 2014,
- Rodeiro (market), Monday, July 27th 2014
Levante:
- La Font de la Figuera (fiesta), Saturday, June 13th 2015
Sanabres:
- Tabara (market), Saturday, July 18th 2015
Muxia:
- Muxia (fiesta & market), Friday & Saturday, August 7th & 8th 2015

 

[Kanga]

@dougfitz this is very helpful information - it would be useful to go in the resources section. I love the market days and can always spend an hour or so browsing and sitting in an outdoor cafe watching. It is frustrating to miss them when with a bit of knowledge I could slightly change things to suit. The same with festivals.

I'm also wondering if this could be included in one of @ivar s apps.

 

[dougfitz]

The current list is now in the resources section as well, here. I will keep it up to date with contributions made in this thread.

 

[C clearly]

In Santiago, I think the market is open Monday to Saturday. Is Thursday a special day? It's worth noting that the Thursday market in Carrion de los Condes has apparently been ongoing since 1618.

 

[C3 to Camino]

Transitions Abroad's site has an article on the markets in Spain, and favourites the one in Padron (on the Camino Portugues route). I was looking for info on this one, as I had heard it was the largest in Galicia and has more than fruit & veg - is like a flea market. It's on Sunday mornings, and Transition Abroad describes it as follows: "Padron’s weekly market meanders throughout the town and onto the roads, radiating out of town. At the market’s heart there is a tent where merchants and visitors alike enjoy a traditional breakfast of steamed octopus seasoned with paprika and washed down with a hearty breakfast cup of red wine. Everything is for sale, from just-picked produce from the surrounding hills, fish, churros, breads, locally cured cheeses and sausages, and unlabeled local vintages, unlabeled because everyone knows who the winemaker is and his or her reputation."

 

[EL Guapo]

Dougfitz,thanks for the great info. It will be most helpful to everyone I am sure. I will make a copy for to go in my pack. Mucho Goodo amigo!

 

[Wokabaut_Meri]

There was a market in Mansilla de la Mulas on Wednesday morning in May last year. Evidence and range of wares attached:

 

[SusanReneGr65]

Hi,

Markets were an integral part of our walking experience. Local colour, friendly people, and usually set against a beautiful backdrop. We arranged our departure to have rest days on the ones in Figeac and Cahors, and to not miss the 600+ year old one in Villefranche.

Some of these have markets more than once weekly, but we walked in October, so I list only the all year ones. I've linked to some pics where I had taken some.

Le Puy Route (to Cahors)
Espalion: Tuesdays (9h-12h) Place du Marché
Figeac: Saturdays (8h-12h30) Place Barthal, Place Vival, Rue de la République, Place Carnot, Place Champollion, Rue du 11 novembre
Cahors: Saturday mornings place Chapou

Figeac-Rocamadour-Cahors variant
Cardaillac : Sundays (8h - 13h) centre of town. All but disappeared according to one of only two vendors there. But the fresh pizza he made was so wonderful…
Gramat: Tuesdays (8h-13h) Marché des Halles

Conques-Toulouse variant
Villefranche-de-Rouergue: Thursday mornings Place Notre Dame, but spills out all over town.
Cordes-sur-Ciel : Saturday mornings Place de la Bouteillerie (at the base of the town)

Rene

 

[Tia Valeria]

Camino Ingles:- Miño - Sunday (it is in the square and the stalls hide the signing for the Camino )

 

[Carol06]

A fantastic resource. I remember asking this question a couple of years ago and getting a patchy response. I would also love to hear about local saints' days and holidays. There is something very special about a small village fiesta.

 

[naplesdon]

I agree, I was in Jacca last year and there was great local festival on the first Sunday of June.

 

[Castilian]

Some of them:

Camino Francés:

Burgos: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Camino de Levante and CAmino del Sureste:

Arévalo: Tuesdays
Medina del Campo: Sundays.

Camino de Levante:

Toro: I think that on Saturdays but I'm not fully sure.

Camino del Sureste:

Tordesillas: Tuesdays.

Vía de la Plata

Zamora: Tuesdays. Not sure if on Sundays too.
Benavente: Thursdays.

P.S.: They are markets; not necessarily food markets.

 

[dougfitz]

The resource file has been updated this morning. @Castilian, I will get your updates in as well, but I did the editing earlier this morning before your contribution arrived.

Thank you all very much for your help on this.

 

[dougfitz]

A fantastic resource. I remember asking this question a couple of years ago and getting a patchy response. I would also love to hear about local saints' days and holidays. There is something very special about a small village fiesta.

You will find your earlier thread linked in one of my earlier posts, and I have extracted the market information provided there into the document in the resources area. It was a great kick-start for that list.

I puzzled over what I was prepared to manage as far as content was concerned, and decided that at the start I would limit this to a quite simple list of the markets. Should that be successful, I might have the time to extend that to town festivals.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I "ran into a market day" at Camponaraya (I think it was a Monday). Even with my very limited Spanish I was able to pick up a few supplies - even a freshly cook half chicken and some very nice bread. So it was chicken bocadillo and fruit for lunch that day. I to support Kanga's idea to include a list of places and market days in the Resources page. Cheers

 

[dougfitz]

I to support Kanga's idea to include a list of places and market days in the Resources page.

It has been lodged in the resources area, under Creature Comforts - Camino Food and Wine. Link in an earlier post, and here as well.

If you can confirm what day the market was, that would be great.

 

[Seabird]

Many, many thanks for this @dougfitz . I've made a note to download the list just before leaving.

 

[JCLima]

Camino Português:
Ponte de Lima - every other monday (you can find the exact dates here); all day; just by the river, you can't miss it
Valença do Minho - Wednesdays; all day; next to the bus station

 

[Tia Valeria]

Another for the Inglés:-
Betanzos:- Tuesdays (am) in the main plaza as you come in on the Camino

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Primitivo, in Grado, Wednesdays and Sundays.

 

[peregrina2000]

Primitivo, in Grado, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Hi, Anemone, I was just going to add that little tidbit from the Primitivo video!

 

[robertt]

Transitions Abroad's site has an article on the markets in Spain, and favourites the one in Padron (on the Camino Portugues route). I was looking for info on this one, as I had heard it was the largest in Galicia and has more than fruit & veg - is like a flea market. It's on Sunday mornings, and Transition Abroad describes it as follows: "Padron’s weekly market meanders throughout the town and onto the roads, radiating out of town. At the market’s heart there is a tent where merchants and visitors alike enjoy a traditional breakfast of steamed octopus seasoned with paprika and washed down with a hearty breakfast cup of red wine. Everything is for sale, from just-picked produce from the surrounding hills, fish, churros, breads, locally cured cheeses and sausages, and unlabeled local vintages, unlabeled because everyone knows who the winemaker is and his or her reputation."

I've been to Padron market. It's big. No, I mean really BIG.

 

[Tia Valeria]

In response to your comment in the resources section @dougfitz I think the 'conflict' may be simply that there are two (or more) market days. Llanes (Norte) for example has 2 markets one as already given and the other either Wednesday or Friday (I will try to check which). One is fresh food, the other clothes etc.

Edit:- The online guide to Llanes gives the market as Tuesday -so different again.
Comillas - Friday

 

[naplesdon]

You will find your earlier thread linked in one of my earlier posts, and I have extracted the market information provided there into the document in the resources area. It was a great kick-start for that list.

I puzzled over what I was prepared to manage as far as content was concerned, and decided that at the start I would limit this to a quite simple list of the markets. Should that be successful, I might have the time to extend that to town festivals.

Finding a reliable source of the dates of town festivals is difficult. I've tried for years. There is a great one in Puenta la Reina with traditional games and bull running, the same for Sahagun and all of these seem to follow the summer bull fighting circuit.
Biarritz has a big week long Basque fete early in May called Bibi-Beaurivage-Pestak, Bayonne has a similar fete late in June, the Fete du Bayonne. It draws close to a million people for bull runs and music (rooms are hard to come by.) The Foire au Jambon in Bayonne is early in April. In the middle of June there is a large festival in Logrono for food, wine and re-enactments of a battle between the Spanish and French. I attended a wine tasting festival in Viana during mid June a few years ago.

 

[dougfitz]

The file in the resource area has been updated today with contributions made over the past week. Thanks again to those that have contributed.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I think Cacabelos (CF) is twice a month 9th and 26th from some old notes.

Anybody going there in June this year say Hola to Therese and Paula for me - two mad Irish women (and very dear friends) who will be hospitaleras there for a whole month (what Cacabelos has done to deserve this I cannot imagine!)