The Montlivault flea market facing Chambord, the Abilly jam festival and 250 sellers in Amilly: twelve picks for hunting in Centre-Val de Loire on June 20-21.
The Saint John's weekend truly opens the summer hunting season in Centre-Val de Loire. Villages multiply their patron-saint car-boot sales, sports clubs and festivities committees unpack on the squares, and a few original events stand out from the crowd. This is the time for big open-air turnouts, from the Beauce plains to the banks of the Loire, between Saturday June 20 and Sunday June 21.
This week our favourite is the Montlivault flea market, hunting in full view of the château of Chambord, the unusual Abilly jam festival where the flea market rubs shoulders with homemade-jam contests, and the big J3 Amilly car-boot sale with its 250 sellers at the gates of Montargis. A tour through six departments.
Saint-Pierre Festival, Montlivault Flea Market facing Chambord (Loir-et-Cher)
Sunday June 21, the Saint-Pierre festival flea market brings the village centre of Montlivault to life, on the left bank of the Loire, right across from the château of Chambord. Sellers fill the town-hall square and the village streets for a day of hunting woven into the patron-saint festivities. Furniture, crockery, clothes, toys and trinkets spread out in a village-festival atmosphere, rounded off with entertainment and food on site. Town flea-market format set within a Saint-Pierre festival, friendly and family-oriented mood. Best for those who want to combine hunting with a visit to one of the most famous Loire châteaux, just across the river.
Abilly Jam Festival Flea Market, hunting and jams on the Claise island (Indre-et-Loire)
Sunday June 21, the Abilly Jam Festival offers a rendezvous you will rarely come across: a flea market paired with a jam-making tradition, on avenue des Termelles, on the picturesque Claise island. The CAFA, Abilly's festivities committee, blends flea market, car-boot sale and homemade-jam contests in a leafy waterside setting. You browse stalls of furniture, crockery and trinkets, then linger over tastings and festive activities. Themed flea-market format in southern Touraine, original and indulgent. For hunters who like to leave the beaten track and pair the find with a moment of pure rural sweetness.
Saint John's Car-boot Sale in Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, 200 sellers in the château park (Loiret)
Sunday June 21, the Saint John's car-boot sale stands out as the month's flagship event in Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, at the gates of Orléans. Some 200 sellers unpack in the green setting of the château park, at 144 rue Demay, for a large second-hand market that draws hunters from across the region. Furniture, clothes, toys, crockery, books and all kinds of objects cover every register, in a summery, family atmosphere. Large open-air car-boot-sale format in a park, easy access from Orléans. Best for those after volume and variety, with a Loire-side stroll to round off the day.
J3 Amilly Football Car-boot Sale, 250 sellers at the gates of Montargis (Loiret)
Sunday June 21, the J3 Sports Amilly football club runs its big car-boot sale at the Georges Clériceau stadium. With around 250 private sellers expected, it is one of the largest events in the Montargis area. Free entry, no booking: pitches are filled in order of arrival, and food and drink are handled by the club. Clothes, toys, crockery, furniture and trinkets spread out across the vast sports grounds. Large club-run open-air car-boot-sale format, popular and good-natured mood. Best for early risers who want to comb wide before the heat, and support the local club by grabbing a bite on site.
33rd Bouges-le-Château Flea Market, 75 sellers at the foot of the château (Indre)
Sunday June 21, the Bouges-le-Château flea market celebrates its 33rd edition, proof of this event's staying power. Around 75 sellers, professional and private, set up on rue du Château, in the village, at the foot of the famous 18th-century château. Old furniture, crockery, books, toys and curiosities make up the stalls for a day of hunting in a remarkable heritage setting. Village flea-market format at the foot of a listed château, settled and loyal atmosphere. Best for hunters who like to pair the find with a monument: the château of Bouges, a little Berry Trianon set in its park, is worth a visit after the stalls.
La Châtre Flea Market, hunting in the heart of the Vallée Noire (Indre)
Saturday June 20, the La Châtre flea market gathers professional dealers and private sellers in the streets of this historic Berry town. In the heart of the Vallée Noire immortalised by George Sand, hunters dig through the stalls in search of old furniture, trinkets, crockery, books and Berry curiosities. The rarer Saturday date lets you open the weekend with hunting. Town-centre flea-market format in a town of character, summery atmosphere. Best for those who want to combine good deals with a wander through George Sand's country, between old houses and the banks of the Indre, a stone's throw from the château of Ars and Nohant.
Saint-Piat All-sorts Fair, a big spread in the Eure Valley (Eure-et-Loir)
Sunday June 21, the Saint-Piat all-sorts fair takes over place Marcel Binet and the streets of this Eure Valley village, not far from Chartres. Private sellers and professionals offer furniture, clothes, toys, crockery and all sorts of objects across several streets of the village centre. The event, which returns every June, brings a festive, friendly atmosphere to hunters from the Chartres area. Large annual village spread format, laid out through the streets, local-festival mood. Best for Eure and Paris-area hunters who like human-scale town fairs, easily reached from Chartres and the Eure Valley.
Fresnay-l'Évêque Car-boot and Garden Sale, hunting and gardening in the Beauce (Eure-et-Loir)
Sunday June 21, the Fresnay-l'Évêque car-boot and garden sale mixes flea-market objects with garden goods in this Beauce village, near the town hall. It is a popular summer rendezvous for hunters in the Eure-et-Loir, with a twin theme that sets it apart from ordinary car-boot sales: alongside furniture, crockery and trinkets, you can dig up plants, tools and garden accessories. Car-boot sale doubled with a garden sale format, rural and friendly Beauce mood. Best for gardener-hunters who want to stock both their home and their vegetable patch, set among the great grain plains of the Beauce.
42nd Plaimpied-Givaudins Firefighters' Flea Market, at the gates of Bourges (Cher)
Sunday June 21, the Firefighters' flea market takes over the town-hall park of Plaimpied-Givaudins, at the gates of Bourges, for its 42nd edition. Run by the Firefighters' association, it is an institution in the Bourges area: private sellers and professionals unpack furniture, crockery, toys, books and trinkets all day long. The event's longevity speaks to its local roots. Village flea-market format in aid of a firefighters' association, supportive and friendly mood. Best for hunters from the Bourges area wanting a classic large village flea market, easy to reach, with the satisfaction of supporting the town's volunteer firefighters.
Grande Brocante de Senneçay, countryside hunting in the Cher (Cher)
Sunday June 21, the Grande Brocante de Senneçay takes place on the multi-sports ground of this peaceful Berry village, between Bourges and Châteauneuf-sur-Cher. The festivities committee gathers hunters and sellers in a country setting, amid the rolling fields of the Cher. Furniture, crockery, clothes, toys and trinkets make up the stalls, rounded off with a bar and quick food for a friendly day out. Open-air village flea-market format, relaxed countryside mood. Best for those who enjoy quiet hunting, far from big urban crowds, with the option to extend the day towards Châteauneuf-sur-Cher and its nearby basilica.
SAS Pétanque Saint-Avertin Car-boot Sale, hunting at the bowling green near Tours (Indre-et-Loire)
Sunday June 21, the SAS Pétanque Saint-Avertin car-boot sale gathers private sellers and hunters at the Mariniers bowling green, allée des Mariniers, at the gates of Tours. Run by the pétanque club, this rendezvous mixes good deals with good cheer in a neighbourhood spirit. Clothes, toys, crockery, furniture and assorted objects spread across the site, where you can follow up hunting with a game of boules. Club-run bowling-green car-boot-sale format, relaxed local mood. Best for hunters in the Tours area looking for a nearby event without the crowds of the big spreads, a few minutes from central Tours along the south bank of the Cher.
Orbigny Car-boot Sale, a village festival in the heart of the Lochois (Indre-et-Loire)
Saturday June 20, the Orbigny car-boot sale takes place at the stadium as part of the village festival, run by the firefighters and the festivities committee. Private sellers and hunters set up for a day blending flea market, family entertainment and a country meal in the heart of the Lochois. The Saturday date makes it a fine warm-up for the weekend, ahead of the big Sunday events. Village-festival car-boot-sale format, festive and friendly mood. Best for southern Touraine hunters who want to pair hunting with an authentic village festival, in this green corner between Loches and the Cher Valley, perfect for a midday food stop.
Also worth a look this weekend in Centre-Val de Loire
For more regional weekend picks, head to our national agenda. Happy hunting on the Loire Valley roads this weekend of June 20-21.
