Cordes-sur-Ciel Flea Market

Bargain hunting in the shadow of a millenary bastide

Founded in 1222 by Raymond VII of Toulouse, Cordes-sur-Ciel is one of the oldest bastides in the southwest and one of Tarn's heritage jewels. Ranked among France's Most Beautiful Villages and elected Favourite Village of the French in 2014, the town perched at 291 metres attracts thousands of visitors every summer.

A human-scale flea market

With around 40 exhibitors, this flea market has kept its village spirit intact. It mainly gathers residents of Cordes and nearby Ségala and Cordais villages, who come to declutter homes and barns. On the stalls, a rural art de vivre inventory unfolds: patinated furniture, grandma's tableware, peasant tools, clothing, old toys, books and curiosities.

The soul of the Cordais

The Cordais, between Ségala and the Cérou valley, is a land of rural and craft traditions. Cordes has been a major centre of leather and textile crafts since the Middle Ages, and this identity is sometimes reflected on the tables: old leather objects, miniature looms, artisan ceramics. Some exhibitors offer more atypical pieces, reflecting the artistic community that has populated Cordes since the 1970s.

Combining bargain hunting and heritage

The day is ideal for climbing up to the medieval city afterwards and discovering its gothic houses, covered market and artisan workshops.