Car boot sale of the Merchants of Levier

The merchants' car boot sale, the summer event of Levier town center

Levier, a canton capital in the Haut-Doubs at an altitude of 720 meters, is a small town of 2,300 inhabitants that plays an important role as a center of life for the entire Comtois plateau. Its merchants, grouped in an association, regularly liven up local life and have made the annual June car boot sale one of the highlights of their calendar. Every year, generally on the third Sunday in June, the town center of Levier transforms into a large open-air flea market.

The shopping streets and the central square host from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. an exceptional concentration of exhibitors—between 100 and 200 depending on the edition—who offer their finds on the sidewalks and in the pedestrianized areas for the occasion. Individuals coming to clear out their attics in the Haut-Doubs rub shoulders with occasional exhibitors and sellers of books and vinyl records, creating an authentic and lively popular street sale atmosphere.

A unique setting at 720 meters altitude

What distinguishes the Levier car boot sale from its lowland counterparts is its exceptional setting. At 720 meters above sea level, in the heart of the Comtois plateau, Levier benefits from pure air and a special luminosity that make the treasure hunting day particularly pleasant in June. The fir forests surrounding the town, the landscapes of meadows and hedgerows, make Levier a complete outing destination for families in the region.

The town center of Levier, with its preserved Comtois architecture, its golden stone-faced houses, and its local shops, offers a much more attractive setting than the peripheral parking lots where large flea markets are often held. Exhibitors and visitors benefit from a traditional market atmosphere, with local shops open and sometimes participating in the general street sale.

A car boot sale serving local commerce

The organization by the merchants of Levier gives this event a special dimension: it is an event serving the vitality of local commerce and the influence of the town center. By attracting several hundred visitors from Pontarlier, Besançon, and the Comtois plateau, the car boot sale generates beneficial customer traffic for all the shops in the town center. Visitors often take advantage of their visit to discover the town's shops and restaurants, making this event a driver of local economic development.