Argelès-sur-Mer Gegantera Car Boot Sale

A car boot sale serving the Catalan giants tradition

The Gegantera Car Boot Sale is organized every year by the association of the same name in Argelès-sur-Mer. From 6 AM, private exhibitors set up to offer bargain hunters their treasures: clothes, toys, books, tableware, trinkets, small furniture, decorative items and curiosities.

The gegants, iconic figures of Catalan culture

The gegants are large mannequins depicting historical, legendary or mythical characters, carried by a dancer hidden under their robe. A centuries-old tradition common to French and Spanish Catalonia, it livens up village festivals during the festes majors. Each commune has its own giants, often representing a couple (gegant and geganta). The Gegantera association of Argelès perpetuates this tradition by making their giants dance at village festivals and at trobades gegantères, regional gatherings of Catalan giants.

A cultural association at the heart of Argelès

Beyond the giants, the colla castellera often carried by this type of association refers to the tradition of castells, impressive human towers inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage. In Argelès-sur-Mer, an iconic seaside resort but also an authentic Catalan village, these popular traditions retain all their force.