Car boot sale Les Cricouis de Bricquebec-en-Cotentin

The Les Cricouis Car Boot Sale in Bricquebec-en-Cotentin

Bricquebec-en-Cotentin (50260) is a charming town in the northwest of the Cotentin, known above all for its impressive medieval castle whose 14th-century circular keep dominates the surroundings. It is in this remarkable setting that the Les Cricouis car boot sale is held each year, bringing together about a hundred exhibitors along the route du Vrétot.

The route du Vrétot offers a convenient location at the entrance of the town, allowing easy access for visitors from surrounding areas. With its 100 exhibitors, the event represents a respectable-sized car boot sale for a rural town in the Cotentin, attracting both the inhabitants of Bricquebec and flea market enthusiasts from neighboring cantons.

Les Cricouis, an association rooted in local festive tradition

Les Cricouis embody the Norman spirit of association: a local organization dedicated to animating the town and maintaining festive traditions. In a town like Bricquebec, the car boot sale is a highlight of the annual calendar, where neighbors and vacationers meet around the stalls to hunt for bargains, chat, and share a friendly moment.

For exhibitors, the event is the perfect opportunity to clear out their closets and give a second life to objects that have become cumbersome. For visitors, it's the prospect of finding a rare gem: an antique piece of furniture, a forgotten trade tool, Norman crockery, books, toys, or clothes at bargain prices.

Bricquebec-en-Cotentin, between medieval castle and Norman bocage

The Château de Bricquebec is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Normandy. Built in the 12th and 14th centuries by the lords of Bricquebec, vassals of the Duke of Normandy, it still features its towers, curtain walls, and imposing circular keep. Victor Hugo himself is said to have been inspired by it for some descriptions in his novels. The Hôtel du Vieux Château, located in part of the medieval buildings, bears witness to the successful rehabilitation of this exceptional heritage.

Bricquebec merged with several neighboring towns to form the new municipality of Bricquebec-en-Cotentin, thus encompassing a vast rural territory with typical bocage landscapes, including its hedges, sunken lanes, and granite farms. The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Grâce, a community of Trappist monks established since 1824, also contributes to the spiritual and cultural influence of the town.

A day of bargain hunting in medieval Cotentin

The Les Cricouis car boot sale benefits from the tourist appeal of Bricquebec, a stopover town on the Cotentin routes. In summer and spring, visitors touring the peninsula gladly stop in this town to visit the castle, stroll through the alleys, and, on the day of the car boot sale, hunt for bargains among the well-stocked stalls. Clothes, books, trinkets, crockery, tools, and souvenirs from Normandy are mixed in a relaxed and warm atmosphere, typically Cotentinais.