Christmas market pitch fees: verified public prices

Depending on the town, a pitch at a Christmas market costs anything from a few tens of euros for a weekend to several thousand euros for the season. The public price lists below mainly show that you need to read the small print: electricity, deposits and extra charges change the total.

Fees change every year. Always check the amount with the organiser before you commit.

Published prices, town by town

We opened each price list before quoting it. The amounts are given as they appear in the source document, with a link to that document.

Town, year	Pitch	Amount	Included or extra	Source
Metz, 2024	3-metre chalet	€3,630 excl. VAT	Chalet hire, including use of the public space. The list shows a VAT rate of 20%.	2024 price list
Metz, 2024	2 m or 6 m chalet	€3,060 excl. VAT or €5,080 excl. VAT	Same basis, depending on length	2024 price list
Metz, 2024	Security fee, 2 m or 3 m chalet	€840 excl. VAT	Listed as compulsory	2024 price list
Metz, 2024	Electricity connection, 0 to 3 kWh	€90 excl. VAT	Compulsory, then €180 excl. VAT for 4 to 6 kWh	2024 price list
Barr, 2025	Small chalet, per weekend	€40	A light, a 16 A power supply, a table and two chairs. Bring an extension lead.	Christmas 2025 rules
Barr, 2025	Large chalet, per weekend	€50	Same equipment as the small chalet	Christmas 2025 rules
Barr, 2025	Indoor space, per weekend	€60	Tables and chairs, about 3 m, bring an extension lead	Christmas 2025 rules
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, 2025	3 × 2 m chalet, per week	€105	Electricity, lockable, two battery spotlights. €45 for the opening weekend.	2025 application pack
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, 2025	4 × 2 m chalet, per week	€120	Same equipment. €60 for the opening weekend.	2025 application pack
Saint-Étienne, 2025	2 m × 3 m chalet	€1,654.58 excl. VAT (€1,985.50 incl. VAT)	Chalet hire. Electricity charged separately, €0.83 excl. VAT per kWh. Security deposit of €385.	2025 application pack
Saint-Étienne, 2025	6 m × 2 m chalet	€2,431.92 excl. VAT (€2,918.30 incl. VAT)	Same conditions	2025 application pack
Le Mans, 2022 edition	3-metre chalet	€2,640 excl. VAT (€3,168 incl. VAT)	Application fee of €137.50 excl. VAT, non-refundable unless rejected. Town fee on top (€120 incl. VAT for 3 m). Deposit of €1,500.	2022 application pack

These rows can't be compared as they stand. A weekend isn't worth the same as a week, and an equipped chalet doesn't include the same things as a table in a hall. Always read the right-hand column before comparing.

Also check whether the amount is shown excluding or including VAT. Saint-Étienne gives both. What you actually pay depends on your business status: ask your accountant.

The trap: what isn't in the advertised price

• Electricity. In Saint-Étienne, it is charged on consumption, with a meter reading at the start and end of the event (2025 pack). In Metz, the list allows for an extra charge based on actual recorded consumption (2024 list).
• The deposit. In Barr, a €150 cheque is not cashed if the chalet is returned intact and the terms of the contract are respected (2025 rules). In Le Mans, in 2022, the deposit was €1,500 and could be cashed in the event of non-payment or damage (2022 pack).
• Making good. The Metz list sets out cleaning charges of €30 an hour excl. VAT, and a flat fee of €5,000 for a chalet that has to be replaced (2024 list).
• Penalties. In Le Mans, in 2022, the document set €100 excl. VAT per hour of late stall opening (2022 pack).
• When you pay. In Barr, payment is made after the festivities, on the notice sent by the French Treasury (2025 rules).
• A discount for some trades. In Metz, the list provides a 50% discount on the chalet for professionals whose trade appears on the official French list of art crafts (decree of 24 December 2015) (2024 list). Check whether your trade is on it.

How much to sell to pay back the pitch

The break-even point is the level of takings at which the market has paid back its costs. It is worked out like this:

break-even takings = pitch costs ÷ share you keep from each sale

The share you keep is what's left from every €1 sold, once materials and payment fees are paid. If €13.60 is left from a €20 sale, the share is 0.68.

Example (made-up figures): the pitch costs €100 and electricity €20, so €120 in costs. The average basket is €20. Materials come to €6 per sale, and the card reader takes €0.40 per sale.

1. Share you keep: (20 − 6 − 0.40) ÷ 20 = 0.68.
2. Break-even: €120 ÷ 0.68 = €176.47, or €177 in takings.
3. Number of sales: €177 ÷ €20 = 8.85, so 9 sales.

At 9 sales, the market has paid back its pitch. Below that, the costs aren't covered. This sum doesn't count your time: to price that in, go back to the method in how to price your handmade items.

You can try your own figures with the market profitability calculator. To find out what a market really brought in, note down your takings, number of sales and costs every evening.

Frequently asked questions

Why do prices vary from one town to another?

Each organiser sets its fees according to the size of the site, the type of chalet, the services included and its own rules. The lists above come from five different organisers. They are not prices for the same product.

Is a price found online still valid?

Not necessarily. A price published for 2022 or 2024 is not the one for the current year. Ask for the rules of the coming edition, as those are what count for your application.

Can I negotiate my pitch fee?

In the lists we checked, fees are set by the organiser. You can, however, ask which options are compulsory, what is included, and when each payment is due.

Do I have to pay before being accepted?

It depends on the organiser. In Saint-Étienne, the application must not include any payment: payment comes after selection, with the agreement. In Le Mans, in 2022, the deposit and application fee were cashed as soon as the committee approved the application. Read the rules before sending a cheque. To prepare the application itself, follow the guide to applying to craft markets.

Comptartisan lets you note the costs of each market and see, after the day, what you really kept, so you can decide whether the pitch is worth booking again next year (Comptartisan).