Mézilles’ Annual Bricabrac

Every August, a little countryside village called Mézilles hosts one of the biggest vide greniers (what in French translates to an “attic clean out”) in France, what they call the Bricabrac de Mézilles.

Mézilles is situated in the Burgundy region, in the department of Yonne, not too far from Paris (about 2 hours southeast by car). This charming town has streets winding every which way and stone walls preserving the yards of stunning brick homes, leaving views of beautiful fields and gardens.

Not only are the streets filled with table upon table, but so are the fields and squares across the hilly town. And half of the fun is the bargaining! With over 500 vendors on this specific weekend event, you can find just about anything: from artwork to antiques to furtniture to trinkets to vintage children’s toys. As there is a good mixture of pros and amateurs selling, you can find items at just about any price range.

However, what makes this particular vide-grenier so special is that it is open until late at night. Lanterns illuminate the tables and streets and people stroll with flashlights in search of something that will maybe catch their eye. As it’s in the countryside, the night sky is filled with glimmering stars. To perfect this summer night, you can also feast on barbeque food that is available at various stands with picnic tables and music, as well as the local restaurant terraces.

To find out more about the annual Bricabrac in Mézilles and when it will be happening next year, you can check out the town’s website, or the site Brocabrac for more information on dates of different types of markets in France.

Get in touch with the author @meggagnard.