Living in the French Countryside Part II – Going to a Vide-Grenier

Living in the French Countryside Part II - Going to a Vide-Grenier

My Journal of living in the French countryside

Going to a vide-grenier, which is also known as a boot sale, flea market or garage sale in other countries, is one of the joys of living in France. Along with flakey buttery croissants, endless cheese choices and stunning chateaux to explore, spending a few hours at a vide-grenier is a quintessential French way of life. "Vide-grenier" literally translates to "empty attic" and that's pretty much what people do, they empty their attic or garage. Locals bring their unwanted goods and chattels and display them, usually on tables, or laid out on the ground, for others to buy and take home immediately. 

My 'Living in the French Countryside' journal series shares my everyday experiences of living in France, small memorable events, and big new experiences. I capture them all in my journal writings. It's honest everyday stuff, authentic and hopefully entertaining for you. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to make the move to France also.

If you haven't read 'Living in the French Countryside - Part I' you may like to, or 'My Weekly Journal - Week 1''. But for today, I'm taking you with me to a sunny Saturday in Brittany when I drove northwards to Binic-Étables-sur-Mer to go a local vide-grenier.

Going to a Vide-Grenier in France

This was the scene I came across as I got within walking distance to Binic-Étables-sur-Mer, the village holding the vide-grenier. I'd followed little signs poked into the ground directing traffic to the closed off lanes and streets. Parking was wherever you could find a spare spot on the verge of the lanes without letting your tyres slide into the grassy ditch either side of the road. Drivers were exercising all manner of tricky parking skills to squeeze into smaller than believable spaces to avoid the impossible task of turning around, reversing or driving down the hill and parking much further away. 

Lucky for me, a car had just recently exited a space on the side of the road, so I was able to park about 100 metres from where it looked like the stalls and tables were set up. As I was grabbing my basket, handbag and jacket ready to lock my car, I watched as a funny scene evolved. "Who was going to give way?" The small car, that looked like it had seen better days, driven by its sole occupant, an older lady, or the three newer more prestigious cars that were further up the hill lined up one behind the other with a definite one-way traffic flow happening? 

Finding a car parking space

Well, as I watched and waited for someone, anyone to move… and they did not, it turned into a stalemate situation. It appeared that the three cars thought that with numbers on their side, and only a small distance for the lady to back back, that she’d cave-in and do the sensible thing. If she reversed just a little way, there'd be room for her car to pull to the side and left the greater number of cars pass through.

But there is no accounting for human nature is there? The feisty lady got out of her car and proceeded to verbalise her point of view firmly through the first vehicle’s open window. I couldn’t understand the conversation but thought that surely, shortly, the one vehicle of the lady would reverse to allow the others through. But nope, she was not budging.

The three cars didn't see why they should all reverse all the way back up the steep hill amongst the pedestrians, when the smaller solitary vehicle could roll backwards down the hill a short distance to let them through. It seemed pure commonsense to me for the three cars to safely drive downhill away from pedestrians, but watching the drama unfold I was not sure much commonsense was prevailing.

After a bit, I locked my car and started walking up the hill to the road barriers and apparent volunteer security personnel. The car owners were still at it with no-one agreeing to cede their position as I continued to walk. The sheer absurdity of it all made me laugh. 

Simple memorable events in France include going to a vide-grenier

Whatever transpired, I later saw the feisty lady entering the outskirts of the vide-grenier stalls so someone had budged. I had a chuckle thinking that if only she’d reversed and grabbed the next available spot, she’d have already been at the vide-grenier enjoying herself instead of debating the pros and cons of giving way to fellow drivers. Sometimes a slight retreat and give-way suits yourself better, and all those concerned.

I had a great time at the vide-grenier spending time at many of the stalls set up outside houses with family members happily showing off their wares for sale. I picked up a bag of fêves for €1 (read what they are and how they're used in France here) and a couple of Asterix hardcover comic books for €6 and a loaf of artisan wood-fired bread. So it was an all-round fun time with a live Facebook and chat with friends and followers as well.

If you want to know how to find out when fêtes, vide-greniers or antique sales are on in any area of France, then my post on Finding French Antiques and Vintage Items in France will give you all the information you need. 

Oh, and later in the day I found a makeshift parking lot created in a nearby field, that would have been much easier to enter and exit than the hilly street where I parked. But it certainly would not have given me such a good laugh and been something that I'll remember for a long time! When you're in France I recommend going to a vide-grenier.

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