“Everyone is talking about it”... Between inflation and soaring prices, the rush in shops buying and selling gold

She brought back her little treasures in a simple plastic bag, unpacking her merchandise right at the counter. On this Wednesday afternoon in November, Francine decided to open the doors of the gold buying and selling agency Godot & Fils, in the city center of Rennes. Coming from a family of jewelers, this retiree had kept “waste” from her father’s workshop in her drawers for several years, such as broken jewelry or old watches. “Seeing the price of gold soar in recent months, I told myself that it was risky to keep it at home and that it was better to recover some cash,” she assures, indicating however that she still keeps gold jewelry at home. “I keep them for my inheritance,” confides the old lady.

Like her, more and more French people, in recent months, are flocking to these counters specializing in gold. Because since last year, the precious metal has seen its price soar in an unstable geopolitical and economic context, with a peak at 140,000 euros per kilo reached at the start of 2026, three times more than ten years ago. It has since stabilized around 115,000 euros per kilo, “which remains very high”, underlines Alexis Monceaux, general manager of Godot & Fils.

A way for some to make ends meet

With prices soaring, people are scrambling to resell the old family jewels that were gathering dust in drawers. “We have recorded an increase in attendance of around 25% in our agencies compared to last year,” confirms Feriel Belhassen, training and integration manager for the Comptoir national de l’or network. French market leader, the brand continues to grow with 110 agencies currently, and a short-term objective of 200. “Until now, we were established in large cities but now, the openings are in medium-sized towns,” she explains.

Manager of the Godot & Fils agency in Rennes, Elodie Bourhis is also seeing a lot more traffic in her store. With very varied customer profiles. “A lot of seniors of course, who say that it’s a good time to sell their jewelry and want to avoid burglaries,” she says. But with inflation still so high, she is also seeing more and more customers who are shedding their family heirlooms to make ends meet. “For some it is a sacrifice, but it allows us to cope with the drop in purchasing power,” assures Feriel Belhassen. The crowds will be even greater in the coming weeks with the end-of-year holidays and Christmas shopping arriving. »

“Less volatile and more reassuring than cryptos”

Among its ever-increasing customers, we also find buyers attracted by this new gold rush. In recent years, new, younger profiles have been investing in this safe haven. “They are interested in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but also in gold which has the advantage of being less volatile and which has a reassuring side because it is physical with less risk of hacking,” underlines Alexis Monceaux.

Feriel Belhassen also notes a rejuvenation of investors, who now prefer to bet on gold “rather than real estate or traditional bank investments. » “Everyone is talking about it so no one wants to miss the right train,” agrees Alexis Monceaux, who is also taking full advantage of this frenzy. Having only four agencies ten years ago, the Godot & Fils network now has more than 120. Around twenty openings are planned for next year. A real good prospect, we tell you.