Vide-Grenier de Chaource

The Vide-Grenier de Chaource: Twice a Year, Twice the Fun

Few communes in the Aube region can boast of organizing their car boot sale twice a year. Chaource is one of these rare exceptions: the medieval village, celebrated worldwide for its soft-ripened cheese with bloomy rind, hosts its car boot sale every May 1st and August 15th. These two dates, national holidays, offer individuals and passing visitors the ideal opportunity to hunt for treasures while discovering one of the most charming villages in the Pays d'Othe.

Two Events, Two Atmospheres

The flea market on May 1st benefits from the dynamism and freshness of spring. It is often one of the first major car boot sales in the Aube after the winter months, and its festive atmosphere, combined with the traditional lily of the valley picking, gives it a special character. The exhibitors—mainly local individuals—offer the best of their winter stocks: furniture, crockery, books, toys, and trinkets accumulated over the months.

The flea market on August 15th, on the other hand, has a summer and tourist ambiance. In high season, Chaource attracts visitors from all over the region and from Paris for its cheese, its Romanesque abbey, and its medieval streets. The Assumption Day car boot sale benefits from this tourist influx to gather a larger number of visitors, curious about bargains as much as about local heritage.

Chaource, Medieval Village and Cheese Capital

Chaource is an exceptional village in the Aube landscape. Its Saint-Jean-Baptiste abbey church, a remarkable example of late Gothic Champagne art, houses a famous 16th-century Entombment of Christ. Its medieval half-timbered houses, its cheese cellars, and its authentic village atmosphere make it one of the must-visit destinations for tourism in the Aube. The production of Chaource AOC, a creamy bloomy-rind cheese, is celebrated each year during a cheese festival that attracts gourmets from all over the world.

The car boot sale is part of this festive and tourist vocation of the village, perpetuating a tradition of markets and fairs that dates back to medieval times.

Practical Information

The Vide-Grenier de Chaource is held twice a year: on May 1st and August 15th, on the market square and in the streets of central Chaource. Entry is free for visitors. Restaurants and cheese shops are open nearby to extend your visit.