In Meaux, in Seine-et-Marne, crafts are at the heart of the Christmas market

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Despite the cold, some residents of Meaux (Seine-et-Marne) went to the episcopal city on Friday December 13, 2024 to take advantage of the Christmas market, which is held from Friday December 13 to Sunday December 15, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. p.m., with a late night Saturday, December 14 until 9 p.m.

There, around twenty artisans offer their creations et their products homemade food. The opportunity for residents to find inspiration fortheir Christmas giftsor simply see people.

Creations at the heart of relationships

Upon entering this market, visitors come face to face with two long-time friends: Catherine known as “Deymes” and Dominique Pidoux, two septuagenarians who like to meet up in these festive moments.

“We have been doing the market for 25 years. We have noticed that since Covid, everything has been turned upside down and crafts are losing their interest. We try to adapt by offering attractive prices. I even offer items for fifty cents,” declares Dominique Pidoux, craftsman for “The Red Spectacled Deer”, before informing a potential buyer, who slipped under the white tent of the two women.

For the two friends, the most important thing is lien social with passers-by. “Even if we sell at a loss, we take pleasure in creating and getting together, in order to be able to keep in touch with certain residents. We love this Christmas spirit and the recognition of the work in the eyes of customers. But it’s true that selling is getting harder and harder,” adds Catherine, pained to declare this observation.

Very first time

This market is also an opportunity to make yourself known and to be able to build his address book. This is the case of Maison Privat, which sells oysters.

“It’s true that in the middle of the afternoon, it’s not great in terms of crowds. But it's going to get bad over the weekend, that's for sure. We want to make ourselves known,” says, full of optimismthe owner of the chalet.

Already in half a day, he has received several requests for New Year's Eve. “In terms of orders, we have more than 150 oysters for New Year’s Eve. People like fresh food and they see the difference with the supermarkets,” he believes.

“You have to eat local”

Between the food, jewelry and ready-to-wear chalets, Dorothée and Brigitte wander arm in arm, and no longer know where to turn.

“We like to buy local. We have been doing this market for over ten years. We went to buy macaroons and there, the Lorraine pâté caught our eye,” laugh the two friends.

For them, it is also a good way to discover the artisans. “We like meeting artisans and discovering them. We feel that from year to year, the market improves and tries to offer more things,” conclude the two women, before setting off in search of other fresh products.

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