Bourse à la Puériculture des Écoles d'Entressen

The Bourse à la Puériculture des Écoles d'Entressen: Solidarity and Local Life in the Crau

Every spring, the Association des Parents d'Élèves d'Entressen organizes its Childcare Sale within the grounds of the La Clé des Champs school, on the Promenade Raymond Chevalier in Entressen. This annual event has become a must-attend for families from Istres and neighboring towns west of the Étang de Berre, who come to find bargains while supporting the hamlet's school projects.

Entressen, a village in the heart of Provençal Crau

Entressen is a historic hamlet of the commune of Istres, nestled in the vast steppe plain of the Crau, between the Étang de Berre and the Camargue. This village was built around its many Provençal farmhouses and the old train station on the Avignon-Marseille line in the mid-19th century. Entressen preserves a rich rural heritage: the Tour de la Reine Jeanne, a 14th-century observation tower over 16 meters high that served as a toll booth on the ancient route connecting Arles to Martigues, testifies to the ancient human occupation of this territory. The Crau plain surrounding the hamlet is the only steppe ecosystem in France, a national nature reserve, and produces the famous Foin de Crau, the only non-food product with a protected designation of origin.

Toys, Childcare Items, and Children's Clothing

The sale brings together many stalls run by individuals offering a wide variety of items:

• Toys and Games: board games, educational toys, plush toys, figurines, construction sets
• Childcare Items: strollers, car seats, travel cribs, high chairs, walkers
• Children's Clothing: from birth to 16 years, all seasons
• Educational Materials: children's books, activity books, educational games
• Sports Equipment: bicycles, scooters, sports accessories for children

A Solidarity Event for the Schools

All profits from this sale are donated to the Entressen schools to fund educational projects, school trips, and cultural activities for the students. By participating in this event, families directly contribute to their children's education while practicing responsible and circular consumption. The La Clé des Champs school, which educates about 280 students, benefits each year from the active support of its parent community.

An Eco-responsible and Family Approach

Beyond its solidarity aspect, the Bourse à la Puériculture d'Entressen is part of a reuse and circular economy approach. Giving a second life to children's toys and clothes is also a gesture for the environment, particularly significant in this Crau region where nature preservation is a central concern. Families appreciate this friendly, village-like atmosphere, typical of Provençal community life.