There are extra complications for motorists in the capital at the start of the day for the 95th Braderie. Streets are blocked off and bus stops cancelled.

On Avenue de la Gare, at 8:30am, the only sound to disturb the unusual calm of the area on a Monday morning was the ancient “Lambada” blasting from the speakers set up there. Behind their stall stacked with dozens of boxes of kitchen items, a couple of street vendors glance up at the sky, which is literally yellow and blue. “If the weather is with us…” they say.

This is a first for them. All year round, they’re on the road. France, Belgium, Luxembourg... It was a meeting with a member of the Union commerciale de la ville de Luxembourg (UCVL) at the braderie in Echternach that convinced them to make the trip from the small Lorraine town of Stenay, on the French side, an hour and a quarter away by van.

They woke up early this morning, at around 5:30am. But that’s not enough to spoil their smiles, which are as frank as the promising sun. “A successful day will mean satisfied customers and feedback afterwards, because we have a sales website. The most enjoyable part of this job is the contact with people. You learn as much as you give.”

“The ideal moment”

The first onlookers are already arriving, but the cash drawers are not yet open. “But it’s the ideal moment to make your first purchases or do some scouting before coming back later. There aren’t any crowds yet,” explains Sylvaine, in her fifties, her arms still empty... “but not for much longer,” she laughs.

On Avenue de la Porte-Neuve, in Ville-Haute, an optical chain is advertising a 40% discount on sunglasses. The stream of first-time customers is admittedly rather quiet, but it’s incessant. “I lost my pair this weekend, so now’s my chance to replace them,” says one customer, who’s just gotten up. "But it's worth it to be among the first or to have a choice. I can't stand that!”

“Usually, my daughter shops mostly online. This is a chance for us to spend a day together. It doesn't happen that often,” says Karina, flanked by her slightly sulky teenager, who managed to negotiate a budget of €150. For the moment, mother and daughter are sitting on the terrace of a bakery-pastry shop. The croissant she is swallowing is not enough to relax the teenager, but the pair of new trainers she’s set her sights on for the day will probably do the trick.

“Less restrictive than sales”

“Online shopping, secondhand websites and sales periods may be on the increase, but the Braderie is still a very popular event. Commercially, at least, it’s a popular event. And in terms of atmosphere, it’s by far my favourite time of the year,” says a sales assistant from a clothing chain, standing in front of her racks. The labels show round prices or heavy discounts. “Everything must go,” chanted other signs. In all, some 200 retailers have responded to the call for the September clearance sale, the last stop before the end of the summer.

“I’ve just found two little tops for €10 and a pair of shoes at 50% off. If I’d waited until the afternoon, I’m not sure I’d have had as much choice,” says a thirty-something woman in rue Philippe II, her first bags in hand. “Compared to the sales, it’s a much less demanding event in terms of organisation and logistics. And it’s much more festive,” explains a shopkeeper, a few steps from the Place de Paris, where children are trying their hand at graffiti on a giant canvas, while others are having fun over the board games provided free of charge.

It’s now 10 o’clock in the morning, and the peace and quiet is slowly evaporating. The streets are filling up as the sky gets darker. In the distance, the first smells remind us that the Braderie is also a place to get together over a glass of beer and a punnet of chips.

Next up for shopaholics: Black Friday on 29 November, followed by the winter sales from 2 to 25 January.

This article was originally published in .