Vide-Greniers de Peyrusse-le-Roc

The Vide-Greniers de Peyrusse-le-Roc: Treasure hunting at the foot of a medieval city

Every year, on Ascension Day, the village of Peyrusse-le-Roc hosts its annual car boot sale. The stalls are set up on the Place des Treize Vents and in the village alleys, offering bargain hunters a unique experience in a village with one of the most remarkable medieval heritage sites in Aveyron. Second-hand items, clothes, crockery, toys, books and trinkets are exchanged in a friendly, village atmosphere, while the imposing ruins of the former fortified city watch over the event.

Peyrusse-le-Roc, a medieval jewel of Aveyron

Peyrusse-le-Roc, formerly called Petrucia, was a prosperous city of about 3,500 inhabitants in the Middle Ages, enriched by the exploitation of silver and lead mines. In the 13th century, it became the largest bailiwick of Rouergue, before experiencing a decline linked to the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of Religion. Today, the modest and peaceful current village overlooks a stunningly beautiful ruined medieval site, nestled in a steep valley 150 meters below.

Exceptional architectural heritage

The medieval site of Peyrusse-le-Roc has seven buildings protected as historical monuments. Visitors can discover:

• The two towers of the Roc del Thaluc, perched on a rocky outcrop, emblematic symbols of the village
• The Barbacane, a fortified structure that protected access to the city
• The Belfry, a former watchtower
• The King's Tomb, a mysterious funerary monument
• The Church of Notre-Dame de Laval, a 14th-century building
• The Hôpital des Anglais and the Romanesque bridge of Parayre

The current village also retains remarkable elements: the parish church with a bell tower that is a former castle tower, as well as a traditional covered market.

A day of treasure hunting in the heart of Rouergue

The Ascension car boot sale in Peyrusse-le-Roc is a popular event that attracts locals from surrounding villages and visitors passing through northern Aveyron. The stalls offer the usual variety of rural car boot sales:

• Traditional crockery and kitchen utensils
• Clothes and accessories for the whole family
• Second-hand toys and games
• Books and magazines
• Trinkets and decorative objects
• Tools and small rustic furniture

Refreshments are available on-site with local specialties, including aligot and saucisse, gastronomic emblems of Aveyron.

Explore the medieval site after the car boot sale

After browsing the stalls in the village square, visitors can extend their day by exploring the medieval site of Peyrusse-le-Roc. Two guided tours are offered: a 45-minute route and a one-and-a-half-hour route, with a 150-meter elevation change requiring walking shoes. Paper guides are available on-site and a free audio guide accompanies the discovery of this remarkable site, a true open-air history book. The village is located between Figeac and Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the heart of a preserved rural area ideal for hiking and discovering the heritage of Aveyron.