Car boot sale of Valence-sur-Baïse

A summer car boot sale at the foot of the Abbey of Flaran

Every Wednesday from late June to late August, the bastide of Valence-sur-Baïse (32310) hosts a weekly car boot sale on its Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. Organized by the association Valence B/Énergie, this summer event brings together about fifteen exhibitors, both private and professional, offering crockery, trinkets, clothes, books, tools, and everyday items from 7:30 AM to 3 PM. The atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly, ideal for starting the day with some open-air treasure hunting.

Valence-sur-Baïse, a bastide founded in 1274 by the Abbot of Flaran

Valence-sur-Baïse is a Gascon bastide founded in 1274 by an agreement between the abbot of Flaran and the Count of Armagnac. Perched on a hill at the confluence of the Baïse and Auloue rivers, the bastide retains its medieval grid plan, its right-angled streets, and its central arcaded square. The architectural ensemble, with its stone houses and canal tile roofs, bears witness to seven centuries of Gascon history in the heart of the Ténarèze.

The Cistercian Abbey of Flaran, the "little Louvre of the Gers"

A few hundred meters from the bastide, the Cistercian Abbey of Flaran, founded in 1151, is the most visited heritage site in the Gers department with nearly 35,000 visitors per year. Nicknamed the "little Louvre of the Gers," it houses the Simonow Collection, an exceptional ensemble of works by Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Braque, Rubens, Courbet, and Rodin. The monastic buildings — church, cloister, chapter house, refectory, and gardens — offer a remarkably preserved testimony of 12th-century Cistercian art. Visitors to the car boot sale can combine morning treasure hunting with a cultural visit to the abbey on the same day.

The traditional market and local life

The Wednesday car boot sale coexists with the traditional market of Valence-sur-Baïse, creating a summer buzz appreciated by locals and tourists alike. Foie gras producers, cheese makers, and fruit and vegetable vendors mingle with the flea market stalls, offering a full morning of treasure hunting and Gascon gastronomy. The Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, shaded and welcoming, is the weekly meeting point for Valencian local life throughout the summer.