Car boot sale of Cabannes

The Vide-Grenier de Cabannes: Bargain hunting and conviviality in Provençal land

Each year, the village of Cabannes hosts its grand car boot sale, a festive event organized by the association Energy Fun-Music around the village arenas. This popular event attracts dozens of private exhibitors and many bargain hunters from the surrounding communes of the Bouches-du-Rhône and neighboring Vaucluse to rummage, negotiate, and unearth everyday treasures.

Cabannes, an agricultural village at the foot of the Alpilles

Located in the lower Durance valley, between Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Cavaillon, Cabannes is a commune of about 4,400 inhabitants whose name first appeared in 939 as Locus de Cabannis. A village with a strong agricultural focus, Cabannes is known for its market gardening and fruit crops that thrive on the fertile alluvial lands of the Durance plain. The cypress hedges that protect the plots from the mistral wind create a typically Provençal landscape, conducive to walks before or after bargain hunting.

Remarkable Provençal Heritage

The village preserves a quality architectural heritage: the Sainte-Madeleine church, a Romanesque building from the 12th and 13th centuries enlarged in the 19th century, the Saint-Michel chapel covered with lauzes (stone tiles), the large communal washhouse, and several bourgeois residences from the 18th and 19th centuries. The arenas, an emblematic site of Camargue bullfighting traditions, offer an original and spacious setting for the car boot sale.

Finds for all tastes

The stalls at the Cabannes car boot sale offer a wide variety of items: crockery and earthenware, books and vinyl records, clothing and accessories, toys and board games, tools and small furniture, knick-knacks and decorative objects. The relaxed atmosphere and negotiable prices make this day a popular event for regulars and visitors passing through the region alike.

Refreshments, food, and entertainment

The Energy Fun-Music association ensures the day's entertainment with a refreshment stand and a fast-food area on-site. Activities for young and old punctuate the event, transforming the car boot sale into a true village festival. The arrival of exhibitors as early as 6 a.m. allows the earliest bargain hunters to find the best deals from the moment the public opens at 8 a.m.

An ideal Provençal crossroads for bargain hunting

Cabannes' geographical location, close to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Cavaillon, and Avignon, makes it an ideal stop for a day of bargain hunting in Provence. The Sunday market in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, the capital of flea markets, is about fifteen kilometers away, allowing enthusiasts to combine pleasures. The natural setting of the Durance river and the Alpilles adds an appreciable tourist dimension to this bargain hunter's outing.