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An ancestral tradition from Germany, Christmas markets evolve with the times. The proof with the rise of “green markets”, which flourish everywhere in France and Europe.
According to a recent survey commissioned by Méta, 43% of French people admit to having difficulty finding Christmas gift ideas for their loved ones. Respondents, however, explain that they are open to discoveries and 89% of them say they are ready to try a new brand, while wishing to favor local shops. What could be better, then, than finding inspiration by exploring an eco-responsible Christmas market? Promoting made in France, highlighting the work of local craftsmen and seasonal products, introducing DIY… Eco-responsible Christmas markets often defend one or more of these values. And there have been more and more of them in recent years.
In these Christmas markets, we generally find the bubbling atmosphere of visitors delighting in dishes that smell like the holidays, while walking the aisles to do their shopping. But the concept goes further and is rarely limited to boutique chalets. La Recyclerie, a third place in Paris in the 18th arrondissement dedicated to ecology, offers for example three different eco-responsible market concepts spread over the first three weekends of December. The first offers the opportunity to participate in conferences and workshops “to see what our interiors could look like if we stopped cracking on things that contain petrochemicals”. In particular, you can learn how to make your own vegetable dye or find 100% natural decoration.
The second market “Shorba Market” (December 10-11) will be an opportunity to flush out second-hand and/or made in France products, while the third (December 17-18) will be carried by the Low Carbon France association. and will honor the work of women creators and entrepreneurs. As eco-responsible as it is feminist, this market will be punctuated by events such as DIY workshops, literary meetings… and even a self-defense workshop!
In the same spirit of making visitors aware of ecology while immersing them in the magical atmosphere of the end-of-year celebrations, the Good Planet Foundation created by Yann-Arthus Bertrand and nestled in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, deploys a ecological and solidarity Christmas market on the weekends of 10-11 and 17-18 December. On the program: workshops, conferences and tastings.
Second hand, ethical brands, vegan products…
For its part, the Montmartre Christmas market, organized Place des Abbesses from December 10 to 31, will give pride of place to local artisans and will emphasize Made in France. Elsewhere in France, there are also “green” Christmas markets, whether in Bordeaux or Marseille. Or the sustainable market in Roubaix, centered around zero waste and which is already preparing to celebrate its sixth edition.
The concept of an eco-responsible Christmas market is also enjoying some success in other European countries. For example, there are several in Berlin and London: some advocate anti-waste values, others take the side of offering exclusively vegan products (gastronomy, cosmetics, textiles, etc.).
Other markets have forged a reputation with our French-speaking neighbours: for example the Geneva eco-market, organized by the “Bubble Ethic” eco-community, or the Creators Factory, in Brussels. Both created in response to visitors’ growing appetite for eco-responsible products, these two markets offer various ethical items (jewellery, clothing, cosmetics, candles, fashion and design accessories, etc.).