Le Marché Willoughby was the original place and name for Sydney’s French market that began during the COVID This year, the market has expanded beyond Willoughby. It is now held in four different locations, on most Sundays of the month. You’ll now find it not only in Willoughby, but also in the Entertainment Quarter, Woolwich Dock and Manly. We talk to Solveig Coulon-Legay, the organiser and founder of these French markets.
Solveig, what do you look for in a new site for Sydney’s French Market?
We’re looking for sites with cachet, a unique setting, but also enough space to accommodate our exhibitors and at least 2,000 visitors a day, and access to electricity for our food stands. Our customers also need to be able to park nearby without crowding the area, so all these criteria are sometimes difficult to meet in a big city like Sydney.
Apart from its location, what makes each market different?
Well, depending on the location, we’ll come across varying clientele and therefore a totally different atmosphere. For example, at The Entertainment Quarter we have a lot more young French people who come to the market to treat themselves, with a slightly more “trendy” atmosphere, whereas at Willoughby our clientele is more made up of Australians in their forties, and we have a small French village atmosphere where everyone knows each other.
Are the exhibitors the same at all the markets, or are some of them only present in certain places?
We travel from one market to the next, with the same team: that’s the concept of this market.
What do you look for in a new merchant?
The quality of the products, but also their uniqueness. I look for unique, French products that you can’t find at every market in Sydney. The personality of the shopkeepers also plays a key role, as our customers love to chat and exchange ideas with us.
How do you go about finding merchants?
I’ve been building up my team over the last 8 years, by meeting merchants at markets, then by word of mouth too. It’s a bit like building up a fine wine cellar – it takes time.
What made you decide to expand the market to other areas of Sydney?
With the market growing in Willoughby, we don’t have the space to accommodate a large number of visitors and maintain the quality of the experience for our customers. For the 14th of July in 2023, after the publication of a reel on insta and tiktok by an influencer, 5,000 people turned up in Willoughby, and there was a 10 metre queue for the bakeiers. By 11:00 a.m. everything had been sold, and the customers were disappointed because it was so crowded.
By expanding all around Sydney we’re giving a wider customer base access to our market and we can keep that village atmosphere, preserve that good experience for our customers: everyone can come to the market, without needing to drive to the other side of the city.
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We thank Solveig for this interview.
KEY INFO ABOUT LE MARCHÉ – SYDNEY’S FRENCH MARKET
WHAT: Le Marché français, Sydney’s French Market
WHERE AND WHEN:
- Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, 1st Sunday of the month
- Woolwich Dock, 2nd Sunday of the month
- St Paul’s College in Manly, 3rd Sunday of the month
- Laurelbank, Willoughby, 4th Sunday of the month
NOTE: If there is a 5th Sunday in the month, there won’t be any market that day.
Have you already been to Sydney’s French Market?
