Car boot sale of Coussergues

The Coussergues Car Boot Sale: treasure hunting and conviviality in the Truyère valley

Every year in May, the hamlet of Coussergues, part of the commune of Saint-Hippolyte (12140), hosts a village car boot sale that brings together local residents and passing bargain hunters in northern Aveyron. The event takes place outdoors, in this small valley-bottom village located at an altitude between 260 and 450 meters, in the heart of the gorges de la Truyère. The stalls, run exclusively by individuals, offer the characteristic diversity of rural Aveyronnais car boot sales: old crockery, knick-knacks, clothes for the whole family, toys, books, garden tools, and small furniture.

Coussergues, a hamlet between three mountain ranges

The hamlet of Coussergues occupies a unique geographical position, at the convergence point of three major natural areas: Carladez, Aubrac, and the mountains of Cantal. Situated at the bottom of the Truyère valley, the village is dominated by steep slopes covered with chestnut and oak forests. The Coussergues dam, a hydroelectric structure built between 1945 and 1950 on the Truyère, marks the local landscape and has profoundly transformed the appearance of the valley. This dam, part of the upper Truyère hydroelectric development chain, is one of the remarkable technical sites in northern Aveyron.

Saint-Hippolyte, a characteristic commune in northern Aveyron

The commune of Saint-Hippolyte covers nearly 37 km² in the north of the Aveyron department, between the deep valleys of the Truyère and the Goul. It comprises four main villages—Saint-Hippolyte, Coussergues, Pons, and Rouens—as well as numerous hamlets scattered across a territory with significant elevation changes, from the mountain summit at 785 meters to the valley floor at 228 meters. Saint-Hippolyte is a land of traditions, where the local architecture in schist, granite, and basalt, topped with stone slates quarried on-site, testifies to ancestral know-how. The village of Pons, known for its microclimate favorable to market gardening, and the Rouens viewpoint, offering a striking panorama of the Truyère gorges and the Cantal mountains, complete the commune's tourist appeal.

A territory of fishing and wild nature

The confluence of the Goul and the Truyère near Coussergues forms a natural site popular with fishermen from all over the region. The fish-rich waters of the dam and the wild rivers attract trout and pike enthusiasts. The territory of Saint-Hippolyte is also a remarkable hiking area, with marked trails crossing varied landscapes between deep gorges, grassy plateaus, and dense forests. The Izaguette circuit, a hiking loop starting from Saint-Hippolyte, allows visitors to discover the richness of this preserved natural heritage.

An authentic rural car boot sale

The Coussergues car boot sale embodies the spirit of village events in northern Aveyron: a human-scale, unpretentious event where neighbors clear out their attics and visitors come as much for the finds as for the pleasure of meeting. Admission is free, and a refreshment stand is available to cool off between purchases. In a department where flea markets and car boot sales punctuate village life from spring to autumn, the Coussergues event offers an opportunity to discover a little-known and preserved corner of Aveyron, far from the usual tourist routes.