Car boot sale and Artisans Market of Pontaix

The Car Boot Sale and Artisans Market of Pontaix, troglodytic treasure hunt in Diois

Pontaix is one of the most spectacular and least known villages in the Drôme valley. Clinging to a limestone cliff several tens of meters high, its houses seem to defy the laws of physics by stacking up along the rock face, above the Drôme river that flows at the foot of the village. This unique site, halfway between Crest and Die, is a rare example of inhabited troglodytic architecture in Drôme.

It is in this striking setting that the Car Boot Sale and Artisans Market of Pontaix is held every spring. The event brings together two complementary types of exhibitors: individuals and second-hand dealers offering second-hand items—crockery, furniture, books, trinkets—and local artisans presenting their handmade creations. This dual dimension gives the event a particular richness and originality, blending the past and contemporary creation in an extraordinary medieval setting.

Pontaix and the Diois valley, lands of character

Pontaix is located in the Drôme valley, about twenty kilometers east of Crest and thirty kilometers west of Die. This part of the valley, between Saillans and Die, is one of the wildest and most preserved, with its narrow gorges, white limestone cliffs, Clairette vineyards, and villages clinging to the hillsides.

The car boot sale and artisans market is part of the tradition of local events that liven up these deep valley villages throughout the spring and summer. For residents and visitors, it is an opportunity to rediscover Pontaix as more than just a place to pass through on the D93, by taking the time to stop, hunt for treasures, chat with artisans, and admire the dizzying architecture of this unique village.