Vide-Grenier de Carry-le-Rouet

A car boot sale on the Côte Bleue

Every year, Carry-le-Rouet hosts its car boot sale, a popular and friendly event in one of the most sought-after seaside resorts in the Bouches-du-Rhône. Private sellers and bargain hunters from the Marseille region gather for a day of good deals, in the relaxed and sunny atmosphere of this coastal town classified as a Tourist Resort since 2019.

Carry-le-Rouet, the Pearl of the Côte Bleue

Once a small fishing village, Carry-le-Rouet has become over time one of the most popular family destinations in the Bouches-du-Rhône. Its name is said to come from the Latin 'carus' (quarry) and 'Rouet' would refer either to the king's vine or to the rouvre, a typically Provençal oak. The town covers 1,010 hectares and has about 6,000 inhabitants. Its rugged coastline offers a succession of coves, inlets, beaches, and capes, bordered by pine forests and wooded hills. The marina, built in a natural cove protected from the winds by large wooded cliffs, can accommodate 600 boats on pontoons with about fifty visitor berths.

The Oursinades, a century-old tradition

Carry-le-Rouet is inseparable from its Oursinades, a major popular festival held on the first three Sundays of February since 1960. This tradition dates back to 1952, when fishermen organized a sea urchin tasting in the Calanque du Cap Rousset, offering the mayor at the time his weight in sea urchins, i.e., 95 kg. Today, the Oursinades attract thousands of visitors each year who come to taste sea urchins and shellfish facing the Mediterranean.

Fernandel and L'Oustaou de la Mar

The memory of Fernandel remains vivid in Carry-le-Rouet. The famous Marseille actor had his villa named 'L'Oustaou de la Mar' (the house by the sea in Provençal) built in 1939, an ideal holiday spot for his favorite activities: fishing from his boat, playing pétanque on the harbor, and having aperitifs with friends under the pine trees. The port of Carry also served as the setting for memorable pétanque games in which the artist participated.

Bargain hunting between sea and hills

The Carry-le-Rouet car boot sale offers the usual variety of Provençal open-air markets: crockery and decorative objects, books and vinyl records, clothing and accessories, toys and board games, trinkets and souvenirs, small furniture and lighting. The proximity of the sea and the port gives this event a special atmosphere, where the pleasure of bargain hunting mixes with that of a coastal walk. Visitors can take advantage of their visit to discover the calanques, the coastal path, or the Marine Park of the Côte Bleue, one of whose two fully protected marine reserves (85 hectares) is located precisely in Carry-le-Rouet.

Access and location

Carry-le-Rouet is located 32 km from Marseille and 40 km from Aix-en-Provence. The town is served by departmental road D5 (route de la Côte Bleue) and by the Marseille-Miramas railway line via the Côte Bleue, whose spectacular route runs along the coast. The Viaduc des Eaux Salées, a century-old listed structure, bears witness to the construction of this railway line between 1911 and 1915, which contributed to the development of the town.