Vide-Grenier des Baux-de-Provence

A car boot sale in an exceptional village

Each summer, the Vide-Grenier des Baux-de-Provence takes over the surroundings of this spectacular perched village, listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France since 1998 and awarded the Remarkable Site label in 2019. Perched at 245 meters altitude on a rocky spur in the Alpilles massif, Les Baux-de-Provence offers bargain hunters an incomparable setting: medieval alleys, Renaissance facades, dizzying panoramas of olive groves and the plains of Arles stretching to the Camargue. Entry is free and the village atmosphere guarantees an authentic flea market day.

The Château des Baux, fortress of the lords of Provence

Dominating the village, the Château des Baux covers 5 hectares and is one of the most majestic historical sites in Provence. Built in the 10th century by the powerful lords of Baux, who ruled over 79 cities and villages in Provence, this fortress-castle still boasts its 13th-century keep. The lords of Baux claimed descent from the Magi King Balthazar and bore a sixteen-branched star in their coat of arms, with the motto « à l'asard Bautezar ». Besieged and then dismantled on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu in 1632, the fortress today offers 360° panoramas from Aix-en-Provence to Arles. Classified as a Historic Monument, the castle features reconstructions of medieval siege engines, including life-size trebuchets and catapults.

The Carrières de Lumières, cathedral of digital art

At the foot of the village, in the mysterious Val d'Enfer valley, the Carrières de Lumières occupy former limestone quarries exploited since Roman times. The white stone extracted here was used to build the ancient site of Glanum and the Château des Baux. Closed in 1935 with the decline in demand for stone, these monumental quarries with 14-meter high walls have experienced an artistic renaissance. In 1959, Jean Cocteau filmed The Testament of Orpheus here, revealing the magic of the place. Since 2012, Culturespaces has been offering immersive digital exhibitions projected on 7,000 m² of rock surfaces, dedicated to the greatest masters of painting: Van Gogh, Monet, Klimt, Cézanne, Dalí, or Picasso.

Remarkable medieval and religious heritage

The village holds exceptional architectural heritage. The Saint-Vincent church, built in the 12th century and classified as a Historic Monument since 1862, is partly troglodytic, carved into the rock. It houses modern stained glass windows donated by Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1962. The Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs, built in the 17th century and restored in 1937, features frescoes by the painter Yves Brayer. The Hôtel de Manville (1571), a Renaissance residence, now houses the town hall. The Porte d'Eyguières, the only pedestrian access to the village until the 19th century, was restored in 2023.

Les Baux-de-Provence and bauxite

It was in Les Baux-de-Provence that geologist Pierre Berthier discovered in 1821 a red rock rich in alumina, which he named bauxite after the village's name. This ore, the main aluminum ore, has given Les Baux-de-Provence a place in world industrial history. Several mines were exploited around the village, and France remained the world's leading producer of bauxite until 1939. The last mine in Les Baux closed in 1990.

What to find at the car boot sale

The exhibitors at the car boot sale offer the typical diversity of Provençal second-hand markets:

• Tableware, earthenware, and decorative objects
• Clothing and accessories for the whole family
• Toys and games for children
• Books, vinyl records, and collectibles
• Small furniture and tools
• Knick-knacks and Provençal curiosities

A Provençal village to discover

Take advantage of your visit to the car boot sale to stroll through the pedestrian alleys of the village, discover the Musée Yves Brayer housed in a 16th-century residence, the Musée des Santons and its 17th and 18th-century Neapolitan figurines, or the Fondation Louis Jou dedicated to typography. Les Baux-de-Provence is also at the heart of the AOP Vallée des Baux-de-Provence appellation, renowned for its olive oil and wines. The village is accessible from Arles (30 minutes), Avignon TGV (35 minutes), and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (10 km). The Michelin-starred restaurant L'Oustau de Baumanière, founded in the 1950s, has contributed to the gastronomic fame of the place.