Applying to craft markets: where to apply and what to prepare

To apply for a craft market, look for the call for applications on the website of the town, the tourist office or the organiser, then send a complete application before the deadline. An incomplete or late application may not be considered at all, however good your work is.

Where to find calls for applications

A call often takes the form of a PDF set of rules, an application pack to fill in or an online form. Start with these places:

• The town hall website, under business, economy, events or end-of-year festivities.
• The tourist office, which sometimes runs the selection with the town. In Montélimar, the application goes to the tourist office, which organises the selection committee (2025 rules).
• The private organiser, which is not always the town hall. In Le Mans, in 2022, a company signed a pitch agreement with each exhibitor (2022 application pack).
• Former exhibitors and makers' groups in your area, who often know the previous year's dates.

Before applying, also check what a market can really bring in, with how to tell if a craft market is worth it.

When to apply: dates vary

There is no single calendar. Here are three application packs we checked:

Market	Edition	What you need to know	Source
Saint-Étienne	21 November to 31 December 2025	Application to be returned by 15 July 2025 at the latest. Any application still incomplete on that date is rejected.	2025 application pack
Montélimar	12 to 24 December 2025	Deadline 12 October 2025. Applicants receive an answer by 28 October at the latest.	2025 rules
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin	5 December to 4 January	The pack gives no deadline. Ask the town.	2025 application pack

In Le Mans, the 2022 edition required a 50% deposit, cashed as soon as the committee approved the application, between June and October. The order in which complete applications arrived was the first selection criterion (2022 application pack).

Of the two packs that give a deadline, one falls in July and the other in October, not necessarily in September. Start watching for calls from the summer, and note each date as soon as it is published.

What applications ask for

Here are the documents that come up most often in the rules we checked. Each organiser has its own requirements, so read the rules for the current edition.

• The application form, filled in and signed. Required in Cherbourg, Montélimar, Saint-Étienne and Le Mans.
• Photos. One photo of the stall and three photos of your items in Montélimar. Photos of the products in Cherbourg and Saint-Étienne.
• A short introduction. A brief text about the business and the items, in Cherbourg. In Montélimar, a sheet describing your approach and making process, with photos of the workshop.
• Public and professional liability insurance. Required in Cherbourg, and a certificate for the current year in Saint-Étienne. Barr also asks for a certificate and states that exhibitors must insure their own equipment. Montélimar asks for a liability and theft insurance certificate valid on the market days.
• Proof of trading. A Kbis (French company registration extract) or a professional card less than 3 months old in Cherbourg. A Kbis or trade register extract less than 3 months old in Saint-Étienne. A certificate of membership of a professional body in Montélimar.
• The SIRET number (French business ID), required in Cherbourg, and proof of identity.
• Cheques, which vary a lot. In Montélimar, a payment cheque and a €100 deposit cheque go with the application. In Saint-Étienne, do not include any payment. In Barr, the €150 deposit is only requested once the application has been accepted.

Check the exclusion rules too. In Cherbourg, exhibitors must not already be trading at the town's weekly markets at the same times.

For insurance, ask your insurer what your policy covers at a market: stall, theft, damage, transporting your stock. The organiser asks for a certificate, but it is up to you to check that it matches your situation. For your business status and the documents to provide, the CMA (the French chamber of trades and crafts) or your accountant can confirm.

A sample introduction

The short text is required in Cherbourg. It also works as the basis for a product description sheet. Here is a template to adapt. Replace the brackets with your real details, without inventing any figures.

Hello, I'm [first name and surname], and I make items under the name [brand name] in [town]. I work mainly with [main material] and make each piece by hand, in my workshop, in [real making time]. My style is [one sentence about your style]. My prices range from [lowest price] to [highest price]. I would like to take part in the [name] market from [dates] to present [product range]. I can provide the photos and documents requested. Thank you for your consideration.

Keep it short, ten lines or so at most. Read it again next to your photos: it should describe what the organiser is going to see. Don't paste the same text into every application. Mention the market, its dates and its themes.

Application checklist

• Application form filled in, signed and dated
• Introduction text, one page at most
• Photos of the stall or your style, and of the products, with clear file names
• Description of your making process
• Kbis or professional card less than 3 months old, if the rules ask for it
• SIRET number
• Insurance certificate for the current year
• Proof of identity, if requested
• List of products with indicative prices
• Cheques: only if the rules ask for them with the application
• Deadline noted, application sent before it, proof of sending kept

Once your application is accepted, the checklist for preparing your market takes over.

Tracking your applications and deadlines

You can't keep track of applications in your head. A simple tracker is enough:

• a table with the market, the organiser, the deadline, the reply date, the missing documents and the amounts requested;
• two reminders per application, 15 days and then 3 days before the deadline;
• a PDF copy of each application sent;
• the reply noted, then the next steps: agreement, deposit, balance, security deposit.

When the reply arrives, plan ahead for the costs. The pitch fees published by several towns give a rough idea, to be confirmed with the organiser.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Kbis to apply?

Not all rules ask for the same thing. Some require a Kbis or a trade register extract less than 3 months old, like Saint-Étienne. Others accept a professional card (Cherbourg), a certificate of membership (Montélimar), or an MSA card or registration with the chamber of trades (Le Mans, in 2022). Read the rules for the current edition. To find out which proof applies to you, the CMA can help.

Can I apply with my own chalet?

In Saint-Étienne, yes. The exhibitor then uses their own chalet and pays for the use of the public space. Ask the organiser whether this is accepted before you send your application.

What should I do if my application is turned down?

Read the published criteria again. In Saint-Étienne, the committee looks at the type and quality of the products, their link with the Christmas theme, and how the stall is presented. In Montélimar, it favours crafts, high value-added work and items made in France. Adjust your photos, your text and your range, then apply to the next edition.

Is it better to send the application early?

Yes. In Le Mans, in 2022, the order in which complete applications arrived was the first selection criterion. Send your application as soon as it is complete, without waiting for the deadline.

Comptartisan keeps your applications, their deadlines and the documents to provide in one place, with reminders before each due date (Comptartisan).