Saint Martin's Fair

A fair born in the Middle Ages, alive in the 21st century

The Saint Martin's Fair of Auxerre is one of the oldest and most popular events in the Yonne region. Its origin dates back to 1379, when a royal decree officially established this commercial gathering to end local disputes over market rights. Since then, the fair has been faithfully held around Saint Martin's Day, celebrated on November 10th, perpetuating an agricultural and trading tradition of over 640 years.

Originally, this fair marked the end of fieldwork. Landowners settled their debts to agricultural workers, and new seasonal hires were negotiated for the winter. Auxerre, a trading city and a Burgundian crossroads, saw peasants, merchants, and artisans from all over the region flock to it. Over the centuries, the fair has evolved, but it has retained the spirit of meeting, exchange, and conviviality that is its soul.

A fair in the heart of the city

Since 2002, the Saint Martin's Fair has been held on the first Sunday of November, a calendar shift decided in consultation with the permanent merchants of the city center. The event takes over several areas of Auxerre's historic center:

• Place de l'Arquebuse: agricultural area with about twenty local producers and a catering area
• Rue du Temple, Rue de Paris, Rue d'Égleny: craft stands, non-resident traders, and regional products
• Boulevard du 11-Novembre and Quartier de l'Horloge: various exhibitors and entertainment

In total, more than 150 exhibitors set up from 9 am to 7 pm in the streets of Auxerre, welcomed by a crowd of 20,000 to 25,000 visitors from all over Auxerrois and the Yonne region.

Flavors of the Auxerrois region in the spotlight

The beating heart of the fair remains the Place de l'Arquebuse, dedicated to local agricultural producers. Cow, sheep, and goat milk cheeses — including the renowned Soumaintrain, a soft cheese with a washed rind typical of the Yonne region — honeys, jams, seasonal vegetables like Charbuy cabbages, mushrooms, oils, foie gras, snails, Chablis wines, and Auxerrois wines… Burgundian agricultural production is showcased in all its richness.

The artisans present offer a wide variety of creations: woodworking, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and decorative objects. Non-resident traders complete this offering with items of all kinds, in the tradition of large traveling fairs.

The Chefs' Soup, a solidarity and gourmet event

Since 2017, the fair has hosted an event within the event: the Soupe des Chefs (Chefs' Soup), organized by the Lions Club Auxerre Phoenix. Six to eight renowned chefs from the region gather voluntarily to prepare artisanal soups made from seasonal vegetables. The different recipes are sold to benefit local associations:

• 2024: €4,500 donated to the Mission Sourire association
• 2023: €3,000 donated to Enfants Cancers Santé

This initiative perfectly illustrates the spirit of the fair: combining the celebration of local products with a human and solidarity dimension.

Entertainment for the whole family

Beyond the market, the Saint Martin's Fair is a true popular festival. Entertainment follows one another throughout the day: pedal tractors for children, farm animals like goats and pigs, tastings of regional cheeses like Chaource, themed parades, and street entertainment. Each edition brings its own special touch, linked to local news or annual commemorations.

The fair is also an opportunity for Auxerre families to meet, stroll among the stalls, have lunch together in nearby restaurants, and reconnect with a tradition passed down through generations. Some visitors have been attending the fair for over forty years and return each year as if to an unchanging appointment.

Agricultural and institutional partners

The Saint Martin's Fair is organized by the City of Auxerre, in partnership with a network of actors from the agricultural and associative world: the Chamber of Agriculture of the Yonne, FDSEA, Jeunes Agriculteurs (JA), Gîtes de France, as well as various agricultural and rural structures in the region. This partnership network guarantees the quality and diversity of the offerings presented to visitors, while affirming the fair's primary mission: to highlight agricultural professions and encourage short circuits and local consumption.