Craft Fairs in France

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

As I'm probably going to move to France next year I wondered if anyone knows what to search for when looking for the equivalent of our craft fairs?
Hubby cant tell me, says he wasnt that into all that stuff when he moved to the UK in the 60's. I'd like to find some when we go in June, have a feel for what might be on offer

Any ideas?

[tinker]

The local maire seems to be generally the font of all knowledge, try there first? In my area there doesn't seem to be craft fairs, just local markets which you could sign up for - there are plenty of handmade stalls and I think you would have to apply to the local commerce office for a selling licence etc - and there are 'expo's' which are themed but always about 50% double glazing, roofing and door stalls - irrespective of the theme! I guess it depends on the area you are going into.

[Glyn Burton]

Hi the whole craft fair thing isnt as developed in France as it is in the UK unless you are in a tourist area. They can be described as Foire des Artisans. Some towns have special markets in the summer Marche des Artisans or Marche Nocturne des Artisans if they are in the evening. I have done one in Normandy which was a dead loss and very complicated for me as I had to pay TVA on all my goods on arrival and claim back or the unsold goods as I left. There is a bead making group in France the name of which escapes me at the moment, I have met a few lamp workers in France who seemed very jolly when I remember the name of the group I will send it to you.

I just remembered www.perlier-art.com or try googling les perlier francais

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

The local maire seems to be generally the font of all knowledge, try there first? In my area there doesn't seem to be craft fairs, just local markets which you could sign up for - there are plenty of handmade stalls and I think you would have to apply to the local commerce office for a selling licence etc - and there are 'expo's' which are themed but always about 50% double glazing, roofing and door stalls - irrespective of the theme! I guess it depends on the area you are going into.

We will be in Haute Vienne, where are you? I know setting up seems to be complicated but we will have a go!

Hi the whole craft fair thing isnt as developed in France as it is in the UK unless you are in a tourist area. They can be described as Foire des Artisans. Some towns have special markets in the summer Marche des Artisans or Marche Nocturne des Artisans if they are in the evening. I have done one in Normandy which was a dead loss and very complicated for me as I had to pay TVA on all my goods on arrival and claim back or the unsold goods as I left. There is a bead making group in France the name of which escapes me at the moment, I have met a few lamp workers in France who seemed very jolly when I remember the name of the group I will send it to you.

I just remembered www.perlier-art.com or try googling les perlier francais

Thank you, will check this out!

[tinker]

Am in the uk but was half brought up in Basse Normandie and still have family and friends there, I visit about 3 times a year and hoping to live there one day.

France seems to be an utter nightmare for small businesses, their systems for tax and social contributions etc are nothing like ours. If I were out there I would seriously consider trading as if I were still residing in the uk if I could get away with it! Get some good professional advice is all I can advise, will be watching with interest!

[MyPrecious]

I have just finished setting up a company in France to sell my beads and am also looking for markets or fairs to sell at. The only interesting thing I've found so far is the Viaduc de Arts in Paris, where you can rent 150m² for 600€ a week. Something else I will be looking for is shops to sell my jewellery and beads in. If I find anything interesting, I will let you know.

[JaySpangles]

Our local town, which is basically a small seasonal holiday resort in the Alps, has Marche des Artisans two or three times a year, in the summer.  There are usually some handmade jewellery stalls, but generally nothing very interesting, and with pretty cheap prices, but as most of their potential customers are holidaymakers who have come for hiking, trekking and climbing, and stay in inexpensive hostels or self catering I don't suppose there is much potential for big sales.  The regular weekly market has some jewellery stalls, but it is mostly imported Far East or South American tat.

We travel around quite a lot and I haven't seen anything like our UK craft fairs.  I have sold some bracelets through a friend who has a shop, but the implications for the shop of selling things made by an unregistered artisan prevented it developing. The complexities of getting involved with French regulations put me off getting further involved, especially with a limited command of the lingo.

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

I have just finished setting up a company in France to sell my beads and am also looking for markets or fairs to sell at. The only interesting thing I've found so far is the Viaduc de Arts in Paris, where you can rent 150m² for 600€ a week. Something else I will be looking for is shops to sell my jewellery and beads in. If I find anything interesting, I will let you know.

Was setting up as difficult as it appears? I will only ever be low volume production, I need a purpose for making the beads, ideally the income from them would pay for the travel to fairs, table cost, materials, tools etc so that I have a lovely time making them and a lovely time going off to sell them.

I would seriously consider trading as if I were still residing in the uk if I could get away with it! Get some good professional advice is all I can advise, will be watching with interest!

I was half thinking of this too but it would mean selling on Etsy and places like that and I have this romantic notion of a motor home going out for nice day trips with our wares. We are going over in June and I'm hoping to get advice on all sorts then, dont know where to start so we thought we will ask our Notaire. Claude is French but been here so long he thinks he is british, no problem with the language for him anyway but being here so long he hasnt a clue on this sort of stuff.

[tinker]

What concerns me about setting up in France is that as far as I can tell the smallest you can set up as auto-entrepreneur, your cotisations are a fixed minimum and you don't seem to be able to claim your purchases and supplies back against the business. I would be delighted if that weren't the case but France doesn't really seem very small business friendly. Also I've been told many times to be wary of advice from the Notaire, take their advice but use other sources too. I wonder if an accountant might be a good person to ask?

I assume you also know about the angloinfo forums? Might be worth putting a post up on there too. Angloinfo.com and then drill down to your region.

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

I assume you also know about the angloinfo forums? Might be worth putting a post up on there too. Angloinfo.com and then drill down to your region.

I have been on thexpat one but off to have a look at this one too

Many thanks
Hx

[JKC]

Hope that you get it sorted out, doing craft fairs in France sounds lovely.  It seems weird that they do not encourage small craft traders as there are lots of markets.  Janet

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

I assume you also know about the angloinfo forums? Might be worth putting a post up on there too. Angloinfo.com and then drill down to your region.

I have been on thexpat one but off to have a look at this one too

Many thanks
Hx

Just been on here and its been very helpful, it doesnt look quite as complex as I'd made myself believe. There is loads of info on healthcare which is another of mt worry areas
Thanks again

[MyPrecious]

I have just finished setting up a company in France to sell my beads and am also looking for markets or fairs to sell at. The only interesting thing I've found so far is the Viaduc de Arts in Paris, where you can rent 150m² for 600€ a week. Something else I will be looking for is shops to sell my jewellery and beads in. If I find anything interesting, I will let you know.

Was setting up as difficult as it appears? I will only ever be low volume production, I need a purpose for making the beads, ideally the income from them would pay for the travel to fairs, table cost, materials, tools etc so that I have a lovely time making them and a lovely time going off to sell them.

I did a lot of research (months worth) before setting up because it does seem very difficult to begin with. Once you know what to do, it isn't actually very hard to do. I had a document to write (what the French call the "statuts" which explains what your company will do and all the legal stuff) and 4 days of classes to take at the Chambre de Métiers (you have to when you do artisanal stuff). Then it was just a form to fill in, a professional bank account to open and insurance to find. The status I chose is SASU. I only pay 15% taxes on the earnings of the company (meaning if I spend all the company's money on glass or other things, I won't have much taxes to pay at all ) and I charge VAT and can claim it back on what I buy.

I chose the "complicated" way of doing it for many reasons but you can also simply fill in a form online and become an "Auto-entrepreneur" which a lot of people do but, as someone mentioned above, you can't claim tax or charge it and have to pay cotisations even on your purchases and expenses.