Vide-Greniers et Brocante de Printemps de Toulonjac

A spring car boot sale with Aveyron charm

Each year in June, the village of Toulonjac hosts its Vide-Greniers et Brocante de Printemps, a popular event that animates the streets of this village of 765 inhabitants nestled in the hills of western Aveyron. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., private sellers display their stands full of second-hand items, attracting bargain hunters from all over the Villefranche area and surrounding towns. The event offers a varied selection typical of rural Aveyron car boot sales: crockery, books, clothes, toys, trinkets, small furniture, and all sorts of attic treasures.

Toulonjac: a village of character between bastides and gorges of the Aveyron

Toulonjac derives its name from Tolomnius, owner of an old Gallo-Roman villa, attesting to a very ancient occupation of this land. The village already existed when the royal bastide of Villefranche-de-Rouergue was founded in 1260. Today part of Ouest Aveyron Communauté, Toulonjac harmoniously combines the calm of the Aveyron countryside with the immediate proximity of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, located just 4 kilometers to the southeast. Between Villefranche-de-Rouergue and Najac, listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, the area offers a remarkable setting for a day of bargain hunting and strolling.

Remarkable medieval heritage

The village is organized around the Château de Toulonjac, a building whose origins date back to the 15th century, built by the La Valette family around 1421 and fortified in 1442. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1995, the castle houses, among other things, a rare set of painted wallpapers illustrating the story of Don Quixote, dating from the 1840s. The Saint-Michel Gothic church, ceded by the bishop of Rodez to the abbey of Moissac in 1292, was burned during the Hundred Years' War and then rebuilt by Bernard de la Valette-Toulonjac around 1442. Its bell tower-porch is reminiscent of that of the neighboring collegiate church of Villefranche-de-Rouergue. It preserves two statues classified as Historic Monuments since 1942 and two bronze bells dating from 1854 and 1892.

Rural heritage and preserved natural setting

Beyond its major monuments, Toulonjac offers an authentic rural heritage that makes the charm of deep Aveyron. The caselles, dry stone huts with conical slate roofs, dot the surrounding landscape, remnants of ancient pastoral practices. The pigeonniers, once a privilege of lords and abbots, bear witness to the social history of the village. The lavoirs, former places of village social life, punctuate the hiking trails that crisscross the 725 hectares of the commune, between 288 and 441 meters above sea level. This green and hilly setting is an ideal backdrop for a spring bargain hunting day.

Conviviality and good deals on the agenda

The small catering and refreshment stand offered on site allow visitors to eat between finds and fully enjoy the warm atmosphere of this flea market day. The residents of Toulonjac and the volunteers ensure a friendly welcome, in the spirit of the village festivals that mark the life of western Aveyron. The exhibitor spot is offered at a price of €10 for 5 linear meters, advance booking recommended. After bargain hunting, visitors can stroll through the village streets, admire the castle and the Saint-Michel church, or take the hiking trails to discover the preserved landscapes of this corner of Aveyron.