Car boot sale and Fair of Saint-Ellier-du-Maine

Car Boot Sale and Fair – Saint-Ellier-du-Maine (53220)

Saint-Ellier-du-Maine (53220) is a rural village in northeastern Mayenne, in the Gorron area, which upholds a well-established tradition every May, blending a local fair and a car boot sale. This dual event is one of the popular gatherings in the region, attracting residents from surrounding towns and bargain hunters.

The car boot sale, with its 240 exhibitors, boasts a remarkable size for a village of this scale. Tables and stalls occupy the village streets and squares, transforming Saint-Ellier into a vast second-hand market where furniture, crockery, clothing, books, toys, and various items are found side-by-side. Exhibitors come from all over northern Mayenne and beyond, ensuring diversity and renewal of goods from one edition to the next.

The fair accompanying the car boot sale gives the event an additional dimension rooted in rural tradition. Spring fairs in Mayenne are moments of intense conviviality where commerce, entertainment, and local gastronomy meet. It is in this spirit that the event's star culinary specialty is presented: bone-in ham grilled on-site. This gastronomic tradition is a major draw that keeps gourmets and bargain hunters returning.

The combination of the two events—treasure hunting and rural fair—creates a unique atmosphere, very representative of the social life of Mayenne villages. May is a pivotal time in the local festive calendar, just after the first spring warmth, and outdoor events then experience a surge in attendance.

Saint-Ellier-du-Maine is accessible from Gorron, Mayenne, and Ernée, in a hedgerow landscape characteristic of Bas-Maine. The event is one of the highlights of the year for this village and its surroundings.