Usually, on Saturday mornings in Montceau-les-Mines, you have to be patient to park in the town hall parking lot and even in the town center. It's a rush to market. But not this Saturday, January 4, 2025. In the previous weeks, voices were raised suggesting that non-sedentary traders would no longer return to Montceau, supposedly “not attractive enough”. A thorny problem which was raised by the opposition at the last municipal council.
This Saturday morning, in fact, while driving along Quai de Gaulle, the market seemed bleak, we noticed huge empty spaces. The meeting, although so popular on sunny days, could it have caught a cold?
There is truth.
In the early morning, the thermometer showed minus 5 degrees, at 11 a.m., the needle indicated even minus 2 degrees, even the water in the canal was starting to freeze, not really encouraging both traders and visitors to brave this cold chilling. Fortunately, the most daring or, to put it another way, “the old ones are still there” points out a duck and poultry producer from Saint-Vallier.
Added to the cold, in this first market of January, just after the holidays, are also these traders who take the opportunity to take a little vacation. “Others are sick, the greengrocers are waiting for better days and, indeed, we have two who have decided to stop their activity, a poultry merchant and a cheese maker,” continues the breeder from Saint-Vallier for whom he year 2024 has been exceptional. “We even ran out of foie gras.”
Is this situation specific to the Saturday market in Montceau-les-Mines? The vast majority of merchants are unanimous, “it’s the same thing everywhere and again, Montceau is doing pretty well.” Because everyone scours the region's markets and is best placed to judge. “In Paray-le-Monial, Friday or in Gueugnon Thursday, it’s even worse” says the caterer who nevertheless remains optimistic. “When you have good products, you sell. It’s in Montceau where I work the most.”
Ten new places allocated
to street traders
“Go and look at Chalon-sur-Saône, they are not better off,” assures a cooked chicken seller.
Explanations, some still give “but you don’t say it” they beg. “So I’ll tell you, our job like nurses, farmers, it’s difficult. You shouldn't be afraid to work, get up at 2 a.m., but today, when a trader stops, no one wants to pick up again.”
And when it’s cold, or even very cold, “the customer prefers large stores where it’s warm, where they find everything at hand without running here and there. We no longer go to our butcher, our baker, our greengrocer, we want to consume like we use our cell phone. It’s all right away,” explains a merchant on the market.
Seeing the Montceau market with so many empty places, “it’s exceptional” comments Alexandre, substitute usher for the town of Montceau. He repeats the arguments cited above. “After the holidays, it’s low season.” He further specifies, “the number of traders in the summer period varies between 120 and 150, in the winter period, it is 90 to 110”.
Proof that the Saturday market in Montceau-les-Mines is still popular, the commission for allocating places _ for new traders or those who did not yet have a fixed place _ will finalize 10 allocations.
“I remember the time when in Montceau there were up to 200 traders on the market,” a saleswoman pointed out to the mayor. It was before. Even mass distribution is experiencing a decline. Casino and Auchan are closing stores and cutting staff.
In fact, there are a whole bunch of factors, such as post-covid or inflation, which means that the customer has changed their consumption practices and is always looking for the best promotion. The fact remains that it is still more pleasant to talk with a shopkeeper who will be able to advise you than to find yourself alone in front of the scale or a machine to pay for your shopping. A smile is priceless.
In the meantime, can't wait for spring!
J.B.
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