The Braderie de Lille returns this weekend from September 14 to 15 for a 2024 edition postponed by one week due to the Paralympic Games. A return awaited by bargain hunters who should be numerous in the streets of the capital of Flanders.
This weekend of September 14-15 marks the return of the Braderie de Lille. A 2024 edition that has been long awaited, since for the first time in its history, the event has been postponed by a week due to the Paralympic Games.
The festivities will start on Saturday 14th at 8am before ending on Sunday 15th September at 6pm. The flea market area will cover 400 hectares with more than 60 kilometres of stalls which will take place mainly in the districts of Vieux-Lille, the city centre and Wazemmes where 2.5 million visitors are expected.
Driving prohibited
In order to manage this flow of population, the city of Lille has been forced to take drastic decisions regarding traffic. Motorists will be the most penalized by the holding of the event.
Traffic and parking will be completely prohibited in the area of the flea market from Friday at 7 p.m. until Monday at 1 a.m. “We need to be able to close the 400 hectares of the perimeter of the flea market from Friday evening,” Jacques Richir, deputy at the Lille flea market, said during a press briefing on August 22.
For people arriving from other cities by car, park and ride facilities will be open next to the Porte des Postes, Porte d’Arras, Saint-Philibert and Cité Scientifique metro stations. “Vehicles parked in public car parks within the security perimeter cannot enter or leave from Friday, September 13 at 7 p.m. to Monday, September 16 at 6 a.m.,” the town hall warns in a press release consulted by BFMTV.com.
The car parks concerned are:
• The Effia Lille Opéra car park (boulevard Carnot),
• The New Century car park (Place Pierre Mendès-France),
• The Grand Place car park (Place du Général de Gaulle and Rue Nationale),
• The Plaza car park (89 rue Nationale and boulevard de la Liberté),
• The Les Tanneurs car park (70 rue du Molinel and rue Pierre Mauroy),
• 31 (31 rue de Béthune) and rue d’Amiens,
• The Old Lille car park (avenue du Peuple belge),
• The Lille Automobile Palace (9 rue Anatole France),
• The Rihour – Le Printemps car park (Rihour square),
• The République car park (on rue Gauthier de Châtillon)
• The Carrefour Market car park (inaccessible from rue Léon Gambetta).
People who need to make deliveries or work within the garage sale area will only be able to take their vehicles from Friday, September 13 at 7 p.m. to Saturday, September 14 at 8 a.m., and from Sunday, September 15 at 6 p.m. to Monday, September 16 at 1 a.m., upon presentation of a pass.
For people coming from another city who want to rummage through the streets of Lille and leave their cars at home, additional TER trains will crisscross the Hauts-de-France region with a special rate for the Braderie de Lille.
The reinforced metro network
For this edition, Ilévia is strengthening its weekend offer. On Friday, September 13, the metro will be reinforced and will run later, with a last departure at 1:30 a.m. from Lille Flandres Station, instead of 12:30 a.m.
“On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September, both lines will operate without interruption, including at night, from 5am on Saturday morning until 12:30am on Sunday,” the Lille transport network said in a press release. Line 1 (yellow) will run with a frequency of one train every 1min30 from Friday to Sunday. On line 2 (red), the frequency will be one train every 2min45 from Friday to Sunday.
As with the metro, the trams will also run at a higher speed. The trams will run longer on Friday, with the last departure at 1:20 a.m. from Gare Lille Flandres to Roubaix and 1:30 a.m. to Tourcoing. They will also run all night from Saturday to Sunday. Bus users will have to try the metro or the tram, as no vehicles will be running within the perimeter of the flea market during the event.
Cyclists will also be penalized by the sale. The V’Lille stations, Ilévia’s self-service bicycle service, will be completely closed within the perimeter of the sale. Additional bicycle racks will be installed at certain entrance doors.
