"There isn't enough traffic, not enough life": in Mont-de-Marsan, the arena market is looking for renewal

The Tuesday market isn't as attractive as it used to be. Fewer stalls, fewer visitors, and a dull atmosphere: loyal traders are wondering about the future of this weekly event.

Every Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., around fifteen merchants set up their stalls on the Place des Arènes in Mont-de-Marsan. Clothing, shoes, jewelry, fabrics, and even plants—the offerings are varied, but buyers are becoming increasingly rare. The merchants present, often for many years, continue primarily out of loyalty to their regular customers, but everyone agrees: this market is losing momentum.

"Calm and lifeless." These are the two words chosen by the trader at the Stop Fashion By Klo stand to describe the market. She has been coming here to sell her clothes for thirteen years. "I come for my customers, but it's true that the location isn't good. There isn't enough traffic, not enough life," she laments.

The same observation is made by the Courbin brothers, shoe sellers who are continuing the family tradition by running a stand like their father did in 1962. "We continue to come every Tuesday because we have to build customer loyalty," they explain.

But times have changed, and since Covid, they've lost 50% of their turnover in Mont-de-Marsan. "Before, we fought to get a location, but today, all the old shopkeepers have left." They also point to a general lack of organization and wish things were "more organized."

Only one merchant still sees some advantages in this event. For twenty years, Jean-Luc Maury has been setting up his plants at the foot of the arenas every Tuesday and is enjoying it. "It's a daytime market, which is rare, and that makes it more accessible to customers." He often stays until 5 or 6 p.m. However, he too recognizes a lack of entertainment and hopes for more life, music, and events.

With only four loyal traders remaining in the market during the winter, the question of the market's sustainability arises. Far from the hustle and bustle of large fairs or summer markets, the arena market seems to be settling into a routine.

The vendors' commitment is no longer enough to revive a place that, by general admission, should "not evolve further" without new initiatives from the municipality or organizers. A routine that could ultimately isolate it further.