Vide-Grenier de Ginestas

The Ginestas Car Boot Sale

Ginestas is a charming village in the Minervois region, located in the vineyard plain between Narbonne and Carcassonne, and crossed by the Canal du Midi. This typical Languedoc village organizes a highly appreciated car boot sale every summer for the inhabitants of the Minervois and bargain hunters passing through on the canal route.

Ginestas and the Canal du Midi

The presence of the Canal du Midi in Ginestas gives the village a special atmosphere and significant summer tourist traffic. Boat trip passengers navigating the canal, cyclists using the greenway, and walkers strolling along the banks shaded by century-old plane trees form a passing audience that enriches the village's summer life. The car boot sale naturally benefits from this summer influx to attract visitors who might not have made the detour otherwise.

A Car Boot Sale Between Vineyards and Canal

The Ginestas car boot sale is held in the village, near the canal banks and the first vineyards of the Minervois. Private sellers from the village and neighboring towns—Argeliers, Homps, Sallèles-d'Aude, Coursan—offer a variety of items reflecting the diversity of households in this wine-growing plain area: adult and children's clothing, furniture and small pieces of furniture, crockery and tableware, books and magazines, toys and board games, tools, trinkets, and decorative objects. Sometimes, equipment related to boating or fishing can be found, in connection with the village's riverside context.

Bargain Hunting by the Canal

One of the particular attractions of the Ginestas car boot sale is the opportunity to combine a day of bargain hunting with a walk along the banks of the Canal du Midi, under the century-old plane trees. This walk remains one of the most beautiful experiences in the Aude, between the calm water of the canal, the comings and goings of barges, and the scent of Mediterranean vegetation lining the banks.

Southern Conviviality

Ginestas volunteers run a refreshment stand throughout the day of the car boot sale, providing cold drinks and conviviality for sellers and visitors. The atmosphere is relaxed and festive, in the best tradition of Languedoc summer events.

For Sellers

Individuals wishing to register can contact the Ginestas town hall or the festival committee. Entry is free for all visitors.