Car boot sale Flea market of Cassagnes-Bégonhès

Car boot sale Flea market of Cassagnes-Bégonhès: bargain hunting at the foot of the fortified bell tower

Every August 28, the place du Bournhou in Cassagnes-Bégonhès comes alive to host the traditional village car boot sale and flea market. Organized by the Lévézou Ségala Aveyron XV, an emblematic rugby club of the Ségala with some 350 licensed members, this popular event brings together about fifty private exhibitors and attracts bargain hunters from all over the south of Aveyron. From 8 am to 5:30 pm, stalls are set up on this central square, dominated by the imposing 44-meter fortified bell tower, a stone sentinel that has watched over the village since 1471.

A village in the Ségala steeped in history

Cassagnes-Bégonhès, a commune of 980 inhabitants nestled at an altitude of 534 meters, derives its name from the Gaulish cassanus (oak) and the Bégon family, holders of the Carolingian vicariate of which Cassagnes was the capital. The castle erected around the year 1000 on the rocky promontory overlooking the Céor marked the birth of the village, which became royal property in 1271 when Rouergue was attached to the Crown. In 1282, King Philip III granted Cassagnes the privileges of a free town, making it one of the four castellanies of Rouergue. The village, surrounded by ramparts and moats, prospered thanks to its renowned fairs and its tanning crafts, before the Wars of Religion devastated it in 1584.

Remarkable architectural heritage

The fortified bell tower, built from 1471 on the initiative of the Bishop of Rodez after the English devastations, is the village's heritage jewel. Integrated into the circle of ramparts and crowned with battlements, it served as both a watchtower and a prison. At its summit, a remarkable tierceron vault and a twelve-lobed rose window bear witness to the skill of medieval builders. The adjoining church, 13th-century style enlarged between 1897 and 1904, completes this unique architectural ensemble in the Ségala.

Finds for all bargain hunters

The car boot sale and flea market of Cassagnes-Bégonhès offers a wide variety of goods typical of rural Aveyron events: crockery and earthenware, old books and comics, clothing and accessories, toys and board games, tools and gardening equipment, knick-knacks and decorative objects, furniture and vinyl records. Negotiable prices and the friendly atmosphere make this day a special moment to find bargains in an exceptional heritage setting.

The Ségala, land of livestock farming and traditions

Cassagnes-Bégonhès is located in the heart of the Ségala, a medium-mountain territory with an altitude ranging between 419 and 665 meters. A member of the Pays Ségali inter-municipal community, the commune lives to the rhythm of sheep farming, with the Lacaune breed ewes whose milk is used to make the famous Roquefort, and the veal from Ségala, a recognized quality meat. This authentic region, where agricultural and festive traditions remain vibrant, offers vide-grenier visitors a guaranteed change of scenery just 25 km south of Rodez.